Monthly Archives: May 2012

Summer Music

Music for a Summer’s Day: Sunday 10 June

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The annual Music Society concert, Music for a Summer’s Day, is now just ten days away, and it promises to be the usual roof-raising summation of both Summer Music next week, as well as of another fine year of music-making at the University.

Bringing together the University Concert Band, Chorus, Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Choir, the programme includes the finale of Mozart’s popular Clarinet Concerto, with Music Scholar Sarah Davies as soloist; there’ll be film music from the Concert Band, a choral medley from My Fair Lady from the Chorus, pieces from the Chamber Choir (we’re sworn to secrecy about one of them!), Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture from the Orchestra, plus some popular favourites from Johann Strauss and Elgar – and a few surprises as well. There’ll even be balloons…

The occasion will be capped by cream teas (included in the price of tickets) in a marquee overlooking the slopes towards the city, with commanding views of the Cathedral on what we hope will be a fine summer afternoon.

Details about all the events in Summer Music online here, plus details of tickets for the Sunday concert.

To whet your appetites, here’s the spritely Mozart: perfect for a summer’s day.

Summer Music

Lunchtime at the Labyrinth

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We’ll be keeping a wary eye on the weather-forecast for Thursday 9 June, when Summer Music goes outdoors and onto the University Labyrinth for a free lunchtime concert.

Labyrinth
A-maze-ing music-making...

After their sure-footed debut at St Peter’s Church last term, the newly-founded Sirocco Ensemble, conducted by Dan Harding, will perform Gounod’s vivacious Petite Symphonie, whilst the Brass Group will bring a selection of works for assorted-size brass ensemble.

Bring a picnic lunch to the Labyrinth behind Eliot College, and enjoy spectacular views over the city of Canterbury – and even more spectacular music-making!

Full details about all the events as part of Summer Music online here; Scholars’ Lunchtime Concert, Big Band Gala, two-choirs concert, Music Theatre production and the Music Society Summer Sunday concert: something for everyone!

(Apologies for the dreadful picture-caption pun: I couldn’t help it…)

Weather-permitting: please check the website and Twitter on the day!

Scholars Spotlight

Scholars Spotlight: Emma Murton

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Continuing the series profiling some of the new crop of Music Scholars here at Kent: this week, harpist Emma Murton.

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I owe my musical upbringing to my mum, who is a music teacher with flute as her first instrument. It was when she was at university that she performed in orchestra The Childhood of Christ by Berlioz an first encounter and fell in love with the harp. For her *mutter age* birthday she finally got to have lessons on the harp, dragging me alone (as a kicking and screaming seven-year old for the hour drive) to the lessons. Then I started, she stopped and hey ho!

I was at Wells Cathedral music school for ten years and was a specialist musician there for five years. During that time I have achieved grade 8 in Harp, grade 7 in singing and piano. Through the school I was lucky to have some amazing performance opportunities, such as performing regularly in the Cathedral from a young age. Some concert highlights for me were Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man with Karl Jenkins in the audience, candlelight carol services, Rutter’s Requiem conducted by the composer himself and orchestra concerts in Bristol’s Colston Hall. I also had the amazing opportunity to go out to Sierra Leone last year to teach and perform around the capital.

Personally with the harp I have had master classes with Eleanor Turner and took part in the annual harp festivals of Bristol and Mid-Somerset, I have also been a part of South West Youth Orchestra, Somerset County Youth Orchestra and county choir.

The wide variety of music at Kent was a real deciding factor for my University choice and am over the moon I got in. The music department are so friendly and passionate and I know I’ve certainly met some fantastic people through orchestra.

One highlight for me with music at Kent so far is getting into the Chamber Choir, who are some of the maddest and amazing people I’ve met on campus yet and being able to sing with is a complete privilege. For the most part being involved in music at Kent means getting involved with as much as I can whilst continuing with my harp lessons as I work towards my diploma.

Now Hear This!

Classics for Charity: Sunday 3 June

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This Sunday, the Gulbenkian Theatre is hosting a charity music concert,  including performers from the University, and the first live performance of a new composition by the University of Kent’s Professor Elizabeth Mansfield.

The event, beginning at 3pm, will includes pieces by Chopin, Brahms, Ravel, Debussy, Liszt and that King of the Argentine Tango, Piazzolla.

Details of the concert, and a link to purchase tickets are online here, or tickets can be reserved by phone through the Gulbenkian Box Office: 01227 769 075.

There’s also a Facebook event here, and you can read more about it in the University’s press release here.

The events starts at 3pm, with proceeds in aid of Pilgrim’s Hospice and the NSPCC. Come and be entertained, here a première, all in support of two very worthy causes.

Summer Music

Ave Maria and a Summer Sunday

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Over on the choral blog, Cantus Firmus, the Chamber Choir and Cecilian Choir are preparing for their combined concert, Ave Maria, in just over two weeks’ time.

Event poster
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The concert, on Friday 8 June at St Mildred’s Church, Canterbury, sees a selection of works for single and double choir, in praise of the Virgin Mary.

Find out how they’re getting on here…

Summer Music

Scholars to star in Gulbenkian Theatre lunchtime concert

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As part of Summer Music this term, several of the University’s Music Scholars will be starring in a lunchtime concert on Wednesday 6 June at 1.10pm.

Flautist with the University Orchestra and second-year Historian, Kathryn Redgers, will perform Bach’s Flute Sonata in G minor BWV 1020 accompanied by yours truly on the harpsichord.

Second-year soprano Marina Ivanova will sing Vivaldi’s sublime cantata, Nulla in mundo pax sincera, accompanied by the University Camerata. Marina is a member of the University Chamber Choir and Chorus, and both Marina and Kathryn have previously performed in the Scholars’ Recital as part of the Canterbury Festival each year in October. In her spare time, Marina reads Economics and Spanish!

 

Making their solo performing debuts at the concert will be first-year harpist, Emma Murton, and first-year percussionist, Carina Evans on marimba, in solo instrumental works.

Admission is free.

Jazz Booth, Summer Music

Special guests to appear in Big Band Gala at the Gulbenkian

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The University Big Band, conducted by Ian Swatman, will be joined by some very special guests when it returns to the Gulbenkian Theatre for its Gala evening  on Wednesday 6 June, at 7.30pm.

Appearing alongside the Big Band is British saxophonist Simon Bates, pianist Paul ‘Harry’ Harris, bassist with Jools Holland’s Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, Dave Swift and Mike Osborn (drums) in a rousing finale to the University’s musical year.

Kent's First Lady of Jazz: Ruby Mutlow

Conductor of the Big Band, Ian Swatman, is particularly excited about this year’s extravaganza. ‘’Simon Bates is regarded as one of the country’s finest saxophonists, and to have him appear with his own quartet is tremendous. All the players in their own right have illustrious careers; Dave Swift is in the middle of Jools Holland’s UK tour with the Jools Holland Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, and is fitting this date in especially amidst his tight schedule. Drummer Mike Osborn has become a regular and spectacular guest with the University Concert and Big Bands, and the combination of all these musicians, together with our own very talented singer Ruby Mutlow and all the University band musicians, is a very exciting prospect!’’

The event is part of the University’s Summer Music, a five-day festival of events both on campus and in Canterbury to celebrate the end of another year of music-making and the end of the academic year. The festival also includes the Music Scholars in a lunchtime concert at the Gulbenkian, the Sirocco Ensemble and Brass Group in a Lunchtime at the Labyrinth, Chamber and Cecilian Choirs at St Mildred’s Church, and the annual Music Society Sunday concert: including cream teas!

Details about all the events, as well as tickets for the Big Band Gala, online here.

More about saxophonist Simon Bates online here.

Summer Music

The Last Five Years: Music Theatre Society in action once again

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Members of the University Music Theatre Society, not content with resting on their laurels after a tremendously successful spring production of ‘Into the Woods’ at the Whitstable Playhouse, are back once again this term with two events, the first of which is next week, ‘The Last Five Years.’

Production poster
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Jason Robert Brown`s emotionally powerful and intimate musical is about two New Yorkers in their twenties who fall in and out of love over the course of five years. The narrative follows Jamie’s story chronologically from start to finish, while seeing Cathy’s in reverse order; the two characters meet only once during the course of the show – at their wedding.

Director Lucie Nash, who’s also starring as Cathy in the performance, is very excited at the prospect. “”It’s a must-see for lovers of contemporary music or theatre everywhere,’’ she enthuses, ‘’a beautifully written musical with an unusual dramatic twist.’’’ Anyone who saw the Society’s production of ‘Into the Woods’ (reviewed in a previous article here) will remember Lucie’s scene-stealing appearance as the Baker’s Wife in the highly accomplished production of Sondheim’s musical last term.

Alongside Lucie as Jamie is the excellent Richard Simpson, a former member of the University Chamber Choir last seen in tremendous form as the Baker in ‘Into the Woods’ last term, whilst the musical direction is once again in the assured hands of conductor Adam Abo Henriksen, who also oversaw the musical side of the Sondheim at the Whitstable Playhouse.

The performances are on Wednesday 30th May, Thursday 31st May and Friday 1st June, all at 8pm, in Darwin Lecture Theatre 3, Darwin College, University of Kent, Canterbury.

Tickets are a mere £5, with all profits in support of the Dogs Trust; find out more on their Facebook page here.

There will be a final flourish from the entire Music Theatre Society on Saturday 9 June, when it returns to the Gulbenkian Theatre for ‘There’s No Business Like Show-Business!‘ as part of the University’s Summer Music celebrations (details online here), under the direction of Lisa Crowhurst. Catch them if you can!