Dont’ forget, you can view all our ‘What’s On’ events at a glance over on our (formerly Wallwisher, now Padlet) ‘wall,’ up-dated each time there’s a new gig added to ‘Watch This Space.’
Click here to view online; make sure you ‘Bookmark’ the page, to keep up with all the latest events ‘at a glance!’
The ‘Watch This Space’ series of live gigs continued yesterday, with the Colosuss Quartet celebrating the music of (and played by) Dexter Gordon, on the occasion of what would have been the great man’s ninetieth birthday.
Just published over on ‘Storify‘ is a look at the development of the series, from early sessions through to the gigs across this term.
Read it here.
Often to be found playing saxophone with the University Concert and Big Bands, and spotted playing with the University Sax Ensemble at a recent ‘Watch This Space’ gig, second-year Emily Cook has just featured in the Faversham Times in a different guise – talking about her charity, Khushi Feet.
In her second year studying English Language and Linguistics here at Kent, Emily set up the charity after working with schools for street-children in India; her current fund-raising involves a world-record-breaking attempt at the largest Bollywood Dance, which will be taking place in June this year.
Read the full article here.
Next week sees the annual Colyer-Fergusson Cathedral Concert, and this year the University Chorus and Symphony Orchestra will come together in Brahms’ Second Symphony and Schubert’s Mass in A flat.
The annual event is always one of the high points in the cultural calendar, and we’re busy amidst a final flurry of rehearsals in preparation for the big night. More details about the concert on our ‘What’s On’ page here.
To whet your appetite, here’s the vibrancy of Brahms’ symphony captured by Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic.
See you on the night…
Continuing the series profiling some of this year’s Music Scholars. This week, percussionist Cory Adams.
I was 3 when I got my first drum kit. It was a toy of course, yet I think it did spark my passion for percussion and music. I started taking snare drum lessons when I was 8 years old at primary school; we weren’t fortunate enough to have a drum kit, so kit lessons would have to wait until I started high school.
Kit playing seemed to come naturally to me, and as my teacher saw potential in me, he asked me (when I was 12) to start playing with ‘Saxation’. This was a saxophone ensemble (with rhythm section of course) that was run by members of staff from the Wakefield Music Services. This environment enhanced my playing dramatically, so I immediately started playing with the music department at school. I joined the swing band, concert band, orchestra, guitar group and choir- to drum of course! I even joined the folk group to play djembe.
Progressing through the drum kit grades quickly, in year 10 I decided I wanted to become an all round percussionist. Therefore my teacher introduced me to the glorious instruments that are the timpani drums, xylophone, glockenspiel and vibraphone. This did however mean I now had to learn how to read treble and bass clef- it’s so much harder than drum kit music!
At this age (15), when I was preparing for my grade 7 and being the principal percussionist at school and at music centre, I was asked to be the principal percussionist for the Wakefield Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Wakefield Youth Jazz Orchestra. This was a real eye opener. The standard of playing in these ensembles was incredible, and being a ‘newbie’ I was petrified. It didn’t help either when I had to play Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony and the intro to Also Sprach Zarathustra on timpani in my first concert.
It was also at this age when my theatre/show playing was tested. I was asked to play for an amateur dramatics group’s performance of Annie. I had such a great time, however it was disappointing that I couldn’t actually see the performance as I was stuck in the orchestra pit. I must have done a good job, because a year later I was asked to play again, this time for their medley/compilation of various musicals.
I was 16 when my teacher asked me to play with him for the Wakefield Metropolitan Brass Band. My initial reaction was, “you mean the youth band?” His response was, “No, I mean the proper one”. I could not have been more ecstatic- the band are a Championship Section band, which play against the likes of Black Dyke, Brighouse and Rastrick and Grimethorpe- the band that play in the film ‘Brassed Off’. This was the start of my dramatic improvement in all forms of percussion. I soon later (in 2011) completed my grade 8 with distinction.
From loud and raucous music to the soft tranquil haven that is Jazz. I have been playing jazz for 3 years now in a trio back home, and I have to tell you- it is a real money earner! And everyone knows we all need a bit of money now and then. I was quite sad to be leaving my trio when I came to university; however I didn’t know I’d be meeting three awesome jazz musicians. I now play with these guys and we are The Colossus Quartet- we are taking bookings so please get in touch!
I should now probably talk about what I actually do at University. Aside from the jazz quartet I play with the University Concert Band, Big Band and Orchestra. I love playing with these bands as I get to play so much tuned percussion; my tuned ability really has improved because of this. I look forward to my years at Kent being involved with the music department, I’ve already made many great friends and I’m sure I will make many more.
Cory Adams
Read the other profiles in the series here.
The Music Theatre Society Showcase bursts into town this Friday and Saturday, as What You Want comes to Darwin’s Missing Link.
What You Want brings an array of larger-than-life characters from musicals old and new, as they try and get exactly what they want out of life.
The showcase will feature songs from Legally Blonde, Les Miserables, Catch Me If You Can and the West End’s biggest new musical, Matilda.
Performances are this Friday (22nd February) at 7.30pm, and Saturday (23rd February) at 4pm & 7.30pm.
Tickets are are mere snip at £5 and are available from the Mandela Building; last term’s showcases sold out, so make sure you get your ticket fast.
Find out more on the event’s Facebook Page here. And here’s the trailer:
And some shots of the group in rehearsal…
Next week sees the opening concert in this term’s Lunchtime Concert series, a celebration of the music of Mozart with the Camerata, the Sirocco Ensemble, and pianists Sharon Yam and Susan Li.
The Sirocco Ensemble has been busy rehearsing Mozart’s Serenade no.12 in C minor, while the Camerata is preparing the ‘Andantino’ from the Concerto for Flute and Harp. Last night, the two soloists, Music Scholars Emma Murton and Kathryn Redgers, were warming up in the Hall beforehand…
Also in the concert is a work for piano duet, the Adagio and Allegro in F minor, which will be played by Sharon and Susan, who also played a Mozart duet in the Scholars concert last term. This time, however, they’ll be playing on the Steinway…!
The concert starts at 1.10pm, and admission is free; come along and enjoy a feast of Mozart’s music; details online here.
