All the fun of the (Freshers’) Fayre

With Freshers’ Week in full spate, today and tomorrow sees the Freshers’ Fayre, when all manner of societies across the University will be endeavouring to convince and cajole new students into joining the vast swathe of societies that makes up University Life.

The Music Society is no exception, and is currently ensconced in the foyer of the Colyer-Fergusson Building, as various committee members meet-and-greet new members of the University, talk to them about the various musical ensembles and opportunities on offer, and even bribe them with sweets…

There’s even been live jazz from some of the University Music Scholars on the foyer-stage, the first live musical event of the year.

Come and find them tomorrow, when they’ll be in the Freshers’ Fayre over in Eliot; see what’s on offer musically here at Kent, and maybe there’ll even be some sweets left…

 

Pinning your hopes: guest post #3 on the Employability blog

As both readers of this blog may have seen, I’ve recently written several features for the University’s Employability blog on musicians, transferable skills and musical Life After Kent.

ArtsVac_board_newThe latest post, Pinning your hopes, takes a look at the virtual pinboard I run on Pinterest, reasons for setting it up and what (and whom) it’s there for.

Read for yourself over on the Employability blog here.

Wise Words Festival next week

The written and spoken word is celebrated next week, as Canterbury comes alive to the Wise Words festival.

Ian McMillan
Ian McMillan

Back for a second year, running from Thursday 12 – Sunday 15 September, the festival sees poets such as Sir Andrew Motion reading from his new collection, The Customs House; the Bard of Barnsley and presenter of Radio 3’s The Verb, Ian McMillan, will be here next Friday, in collaboration with composer Luke Carver Goss.

Three of the University of Kent’s poets from the School of Creative Writing will also be participating; award-winning poet Nancy Gaffield will be leading a workshop on poetry and the journey, in the wake of her prize-winning collection Tokaido Road, and Dorothy Lehane and Patricia Debney will also be featuring in the festival.

gaffield
On the road: Nancy Gaffield

Canterbury Laureate Dan Simpson will be presenting a crowd-sourced poem celebrating the city, and there’s also an array of events for families and children, many of which are free to attend. Poets and story-tellers will be popping up in surprising locations around Canterbury, including in a yurt in the Franciscan Gardens; or take a punt on the river to explore myths, legends and fairy-tales in the company of Emily Parrish. Join poet John Siddique free each morning at Browns Coffeehouse for his daily journal-writing session; the Three Cities Garden will be full of mystery, wonder and story-telling; or re-discover the lost art of exploration with explorer, navigator and broadcaster Tristan Gooley.

Find out more about next week online here; promising to be a festival that “re-awakens wonder and encourages curiosity,” you won’t be disappointed.

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