Causing a (musical) riot this year at the Medway campus is Defunk’d, a six-piece band hailing from Gillingham, Kent, which features two of this year’s Music Scholarship Students, Rob Mayzes (bass) and Jack Tann (drums).
The group originally started as a jamming band formed by students studying Music Technology at the Medway campus, but soon very quickly discovered it had a lot of local interest in its music after its first gig.
Following their success in winning Battle of the Bands 2012, they have started played numerous gigs around the local area, with the student bar ‘Coopers’ at Medway being its regular outlet.
The band is in the process of making some studio recordings, and will be working on some more original material for future gigs.
The Laurie Kay Trio comes to the Gulbenkian Theatre foyer stage tomorrow, for an hour of classic jazz and swing at 5pm.
The event launches the trio’s once-a-month appearance on Fridays at the Gulbenkian, with an eclectic mix of swing, be-bop and boogie-woogie. A fixture in Canterbury throughout the 1990s, playing modern jazz, Laurie was also formerly principal clarinettist with the University Symphony Orchestra and a physicist at Kent.
The trio also appeared in Darwin College last year, which I featured on ‘On the Beat’ here.
Details about tomorrow’s appearance online here; a great way to start the weekend…
Continuing the new feature, profiling this year’s new crop of University Music Scholars: this week, trombonist Eric MacTaggart.
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As an undergraduate, I studied music education and music performance at the University of Iowa, where I played in various jazz bands, concert bands, and orchestras. After graduating from Iowa, I was a band director in Idaho for two years and was able to perform in a ska band and the Idaho Falls Symphony Orchestra.
I came to the University of Kent for the Philosophy of Art and Aesthetics Masters program, but was excited to find an active Music Society on campus where I could continue to stay active in music.
It is great to keep up with my playing in the various bands and orchestra here and I am looking forward to performing in the Canterbury Cathedral and taking trombone lessons with renowned musicians in London.
Canterbury’s annual feast of contemporary music, Sounds New, kicks off on Friday 4 May. ’Theme GB’ is ‘a celebration of everything British in music,’ and includes a profusion of events, ranging from cutting-edge commissions to poetry workshops (the latter including members of the University of Kent’s Creative Writing Department), all unfolding across the festival which runs until 15 May.
Find out more about the festival on its website here, and explore some of the composers and works coming this season with audio and video examples on the blog here; or browse this season’s brochure below.
The spring term concluded with a final flourish last week, with three events in the space of five days. Monday’s evocative lunchtime concert with the Silk and Bamboo Ensemble was followed on Wednesday by an epic charity-raiser at St Edmund’s School with the University Big Band and Concert Band teaming up with the school’s own big band (see previous post).
A fine debut: the University Sirocco Ensemble
Continuing the busy period for music at the University, the last concert on the Friday saw the newly-founded University Sirocco Ensemble making its debut with terrific poise; conducted by Deputy Director of Music Dan Harding, staff, students and Music Scholars combined in a deft and delightfully refined performance of Gounod’s Petite Symphonie before an enthusiastic audience at St Peter’s Methodist Church, Canterbury.
The church’s rich acoustics also resounded to the University Chamber Choir, who presented a mixture of sacred and secular pieces, concluding with a touching rendition of Lullabye by Billy Joel, conducted by second-year Drama student and Scholar, Steph Richardson, and a mesmerising performance of Whitacre’s Sleep with Dan Harding.
In rehearsal at St Peter's: the University Chamber Choir
Our thanks to St Peter’s Methodist Church for the invitation to perform as part of their lunchtime concert series.
An eclectic week, and a fine way to draw down the curtain on all this term’s music-making. Keep an eye on our ‘What’s On’ web-page from mid-April, when there will be details about our celebrating the end of the academic year with our Summer Music events from 6-10 June.
The Director of Music reflects on last week’s titanic band-clash…
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St Edmund’s School Hall was packed out last week for the annual music extravaganza that is Big Bands 3, masterminded and conducted by Ian Swatman. The evening began with the massed ranks of the University’s Concert Band, playing a selection of this year’s repertoire including a selection for ‘Wicked’. Equally wicked was the impressive playing of the St Edmund’s Big Band which brought the first half to a bewitching close!
Refreshed by a glass (or two) of wine, the audience was then treated to the sensational sounds of the University’s Big Band, featuring student vocalist, Ruby Mutlow, and guest appearances from two St Edmund’s pupils, Alex Gibson and Tom Lowen. The concert then came to an ear-splitting, foot tapping climax as School and University Bands combined for one final number, Zoot Suit Riot.’
The concert was in aid of the Jacob Barnes Scholarship Trust, and a staggering £1,600 was raised! So many thanks to everyone for their generosity and to Ian, Will Bersey, Carol Hawkins and all the St Edmund’s team for making the concert such a success!
First-year viola-player and Music Scholar, Amy Wharton, reflects on a recent Brodsky Quartet rehearsal which she was lucky enough to see…
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I have had the immense pleasure this year of founding the University String Quartet along with Jean-Marc Grussenmeyer, Melissa Regan and Aisha Bové. We have been rehearsing since December and are hoping to perform in the Summer Music Week this year.
The Director of Music told us earlier this year that the Brodsky Quartet, a famous string quartet, would be performing in the Gulbenkian in March, and that we may have the possibility of tickets and even seeing the rehearsal. Of course, we were eager to do so as it is great experience to watch such a well-established professional quartet.
Amy Wharton (centre) and members of the University String Quartet with the Brodskys
The rehearsal was an interesting experience, particularly how they were able to give off so much energy whilst sitting down. The viola player literally leapt out of his seat during particularly loud notes, something that I intend to absorb into my own playing. Something that Jean-Marc commented on was the lack of verbal communication (relative to our own rehearsals); they were extremely focused and all the players were quite assertive with the music, suggesting stylistic changes (particularly the viola once more).
During the concert the violins and viola stood whilst the cello was raised on a platform, which resembled a conductors platform. I thought this was a very clever layout as it allowed for the best playing without isolating the cellist. The energy in the rehearsal was nothing compared to the concert, particularly the first violinist that was able to switch between fast, even violent, bow strokes to the most smooth and quiet for Gershwin’s Lullaby. I don’t think I have ever been so absorbed in the music during a concert as I was with the Brodsky’s, and it really helped that one of the musicians gave an introduction so the audience was able to follow the narrative with the music. Lullaby was particularly effective; it contained the most beautiful of melodies (I would like to add that this made Aisha cry!) and ended with humour. The Viennese waltz also particularly stood out for me, as it was such a complicated piece but was performed brilliantly.
Overall this was a wonderful experience for us and I am extremely grateful for the Brodsky’s visiting and for Sue allowing us to see them, and I can only hope that one day an aspiring musician is writing this about our own string quartet.
Because it does. Doesn't it ? Blogging about extra-curricular musical life at the University of Kent.
The group originally started as a jamming band formed by students studying Music Technology at the Medway campus, but soon very quickly discovered it had a lot of local interest in its music after its first gig.
As an undergraduate, I studied music education and music performance at the University of Iowa, where I played in various jazz bands, concert bands, and orchestras. After graduating from Iowa, I was a band director in Idaho for two years and was able to perform in a ska band and the Idaho Falls Symphony Orchestra.
Canterbury’s annual feast of contemporary music, 
