Secretary of this year’s Music Society, cellist and soprano Aisha Bové was away from the University recently; it turns out she was involved in a very royal occasion indeed…
Madam Secretary
Some of you might not have heard the news, but one of Europe’s monarchs got married on the 20th of October, reuniting all the important kings and queens from around the world in one place. Prince Guillaume from Luxembourg, heir to the throne, married Countess Stephanie de Lannoy in a sumptuous celebration at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Luxembourg. I myself was there in person, as a member of the cathedral choir, singing in the mass which was broadcasted live on Luxembourgish and German national TV.
The royal couple is known to be very down to earth and approachable, and they played a major role in the process of choosing the musical program. The main piece was Mozart’s Missa in C. Additional pieces were Mendelssohn’s Psalm 42, which was sung in German, small liturgical pieces, in French and Luxembourgish. The mass was finished off by Handel’s well known Hallelujah, to give the couple a joyful ending to their ceremony. The choir was accompanied by organ and the Luxembourg Chamber Orchestra.
Amid the choir
You can watch the whole ceremony online or on Youtube, and be amazed by the glamorous appearance of it all. I thoroughly enjoyed being part of it, even though it meant that I had to stand still from 9am – 1pm, and could not find a way out of the city for another two hours afterwards. It was a lifetime opportunity and sure was a unique experience, to see the people you normally know out of the magazines sat a stone’s throw away, listening to your music.
So, it finally happened; yesterday saw the first public event in the new Colyer-Fergusson Hall, a lunchtime recital given by some of this year’s Music Scholars.
An enthusiastic audience greeted the performers with terrific warmth – and how fitting that it should be the students, who after all are at the heart of the University’s musical life, who gave the first performance in the new building.
Director of Music welcomes the first audience
Susan Li (left) and Sharon Yam in MozartCarina EvansSoprano Kathryn Cox sings MozartBassist Gordon Wood, and Tim PickeringTim Pickering in some ‘Tenor Madness’All together now! Including Amy Wharton
We’re still reeling from a perfectly-polished recital from the young players from the RAM who make up Total Brass at lunchtime.
Total Brass
Fiercely sodden weather conditions did not dissuade the public from gathering at the Gulbenkian Theatre this lunchtime to hear the new concert series launched in fine style, with some scintillating playing from a group clearly at the top of their game. A diverse programme, thoughtfully put together, took us from a lively arrangement of Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm to Anthony Plog’s Four Sketches, and some deft syncopation and seamless ensemble work in Crespo’s challenging Suite Americana. The players delivered a finely-crafted programme with real flair, including some fierce trumpet-duelling in the Crespo, lyrical melodic playing from the trombone, and punchy off-beat ducking and diving from the group as a whole that was both assured and dynamic.
Bravo to the group; this year’s series has been launched with terrific verve. We hope you canoe back up to London safely…
The latest issue of the University magazine includes the story about last term’s prize-winning musical students.
Also included is the news that Kent has been ranked 34th out of 117 UK higher education institutions in the Times Good University Guide 2013; the latest crop of Honorary Graduates recognised at last month’s graduation ceremonies, including Jools Holland; and lots more.
Scroll through to pages 4-5 for the feature.
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At a ceremony on Thursday 7 June, five outstanding students were awarded prizes, in recognition of their significant contributions to the year’s musical calendar at the University of Kent.
This year’s Canterbury Festival Music Prize, awarded by Director of the Canterbury Festival, Rosie Turner, to a final-year student who has made an outstanding contribution to music at the University, was given to Chris Gray (Architecture); President of the Music Society this year, Chris has also played tuba with the University Orchestra, Concert Band and Brass Ensemble, and has also previously sung with the Chamber Choir and Chorus. In another guise, Chris also featured on the front of the Music Department Christmas card, complete with Santa outfit!
The Colyer-Fergusson Music Prize, presented by chairman of the Colyer-Fergusson Charitable Trust, Jonathan Monckton, is given to a student who has made a major contribution to organising music at the University; the recipient this year was Masters student Adam Abo Henriksen, in particular for his role as musical director of the Musical Theatre Society’s production of Into the Woods which had a highly successful run at the Whitstable Playhouse in March (reviewed on the blog back in March here).
l-r: Chris Gray, Marina Ivanova, Adam Abo Henriksen, Ben Lodge, Tim Pickering
The University Music Prize, for a student who has a made a major contribution to music during the year, was presented by Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Keith Mander, to second-year Economics student, Marina Ivanova; Marina is a member of the Chorus, Chamber Choir and Cecilian Choir, and this year performed in the Scholars’ Recital as part of the Canterbury Festival, as well as in the Scholars Lunchtime Concert as part of Summer Music earlier this term. She also stood in for the soprano soloist in rehearsals for Haydn’s Creation with the University Orchestra in the spring.
The Awards Committee made two additional awards; the first, in recognition of his musical development at Kent, to second-year trumpeter Ben Lodge, who has been principal trumpet with the Orchestra, and played with the Concert Band and Big Band and the Brass Ensemble, for his exemplary approach and commitment to music at the University, and for a memorable opening to Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition in the December orchestral concert. The second award, to a student who has made a significant impact on music-making in their first year, was awarded to saxophonist Tim Pickering (Forensic Chemistry); Tim has been quickly become a key member of the Big Band and Concert Band, and also participated in Jazz @ 5, as well as in Whitefriars with the ‘Big Brand New’ as part of the Sounds New Festival in Canterbury in May.
Director of Music, Susan Wanless, said
‘’As ever, I am so impressed at the talent and commitment of these students who do all their music-making out of hours, alongside studying for their degrees. It is wonderful to see them develop during their time at Kent, and all the skills and confidence they gain will equip them for the highly competitive job market when they leave. Thanks to the continued generosity of the Canterbury Festival and our other supporters, we can highlight their achievements and give them the recognition they so richly deserve.’’
Of course, there’s a vibrant mass of students who play a part in all the musical events in the University’s calendar with astonishing commitment and enthusiasm, and the Music Awards Committee has a difficult role to play in singling out particular individuals; the decision-making process is long and arduous, but an important one to allow the University to thank an especial few for their major role in everything musical over the year.
The academic year has now come to a close, and last week’s Summer Music celebrations saw the year out in fine style.
Hot on the heels of the traditional battle-of-the-bands competition, Keynestock, the five days of events in Summer Music saw a host of musical activities, each one reflecting a different aspect of music-making at Kent and highlighting musicians from across the University community and beyond, each taking their moment to bid farewell to the end of another year.
Carina Evans
The Music Scholars’ Lunchtime Recital on the first day saw flautist Kathryn Redgers playing Bach, harpist Emma Murton in some jazz, marimba-player Carina Evans in some shimmering percussion textures, and soprano Marina Ivanova in dazzling form with some scintillating top-notes and effervescent cascading semi-quavers in Vivaldi’s Nulla in mundo pax sincera, accompanied by the University Camerata.
Later in the evening, the University Big Band under Ian Swatman enthused the Gulbenkian audience in a vibrant programme, that also saw some robust playing from special guests the Simon Bates Quartet and superb singing from Music Scholar and Big Band vocalist, Ruby Mutlow. Traditionally, there’s a moment when Ian invites all those performing for the last time to take a bow: only two players rose to their feet, leading to the suggestion that, with the influx of new players again next year, it might have to be re-christened the University Very Big Band!
Chamber and Cecilian Choirs in rehearsal
St Mildred’s Church in Canterbury city hosted the Chamber and Cecilian Choirs, who combined in a programme of works for solo and double choirs; the church was packed, and an enthusiastic audience treated to works by Schütz and Van Morrison from the massed combined ranks of singers; there was also Lauridsen, Victoria and Hassler from the Cecilian Choir in the first half, and Barnum, Brahms, Rachmaninov, Lassus and Billy Joel from the Chamber Choir in the second half. String players from the University Orchestra welcomed the audience with some pre-concert quartet music, while the irrepressible tenor section of the Chamber Choir burst into spontaneous barbershop singing during the post-concert refreshments.
Saturday saw the Music Theatre Society topping a highly successful year with There’s No Business Like Show Business! in the Gulbenkian Theatre, a showcase bursting with music from West End shows, Broadway musicals and popular music theatre favourites.
Sunday afternoon saw the culmination of the week and the musical year as a whole, in the annual Music Society Summer Concert, with valedictory performances from the Concert Band, Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Choir and the University Chorus. The Concert Band paid a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the fact that it was the last concert in Eliot Hall – next year, we move to our exciting new music building – with a rendition of The Great Escape, whilst the Orchestra paid its own tribute with the last section of Haydn’s Farewell Symphony, which sees members of the orchestra slowly leaving the stage, leaving only two violins remaining to bring the piece, and the afternoon’s concert, to a close.
University Orchestra in Haydn's 'Farewell' Symphony
The whole series of events across Summer Music really encapsulates what making music at the University is all about. Embracing students, staff, alumni, members of the local community, family and friends, all of whom combine to rehearse and perform on top of their course- or work commitments, the dynamic of music at Kent is all about the community experience. It’s a terrific opportunity for students to pursue their musical interests as an extra-curricular activity alongside their studies, and for staff to find opportunities to step away from the stresses of their professional duties and participate in creative projects throughout the year. Members of the local community also perform in Concert Band, Big Band, Chorus, Cecilian Choir and Orchestra, from all walks of life; from teachers and lawyers to doctors and dentists, all find a warm welcome and a musical outlet at the University.
The tears flowed on Sunday, as students who are graduating from the University this summer saw their last concert coming to a close. But there’s a healthy camaraderie fostered amongst the University’s musical community that often sees graduates returning as alumni, both to attend concerts and also to come back and perform.
With thanks to everyone who has participated in music at Kent throughout this academic year, and good luck and best wishes to all who are graduating. We look forward to catching up with you all again next year, when the Colyer-Fergusson centre for Music Performance will welcome the resumption of music-making in the autumn. Watch this space…
A University Music Scholar and saxophonist with the Concert and Big Bands, first-year Tim Pickering was invited to play in Canterbury’s Sounds New Festival of Contemporary Music on Saturday, as part of the ‘Big Brand New’ band. Here’s his story…
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Saturday 5th May… What an exciting day!
In the morning, I was invited to play my tenor sax in Whitefriars shopping centre in town with ‘Big Brand New’, an exciting new band set up by Peter Cook and the music department at Langton Girls School. Big Brand New is somewhat of a hybrid between a ‘traditional’ big band, and a junk orchestra! The musicians are from local schools, and a few University students, from Canterbury Christchurch and Kent.
The set started off with a few tunes composed by Peter especially for the band, followed by arrangement of Count Basie’s Flight of the Foo Birds. The final number we player was Herbie Hancock’s ‘Watermelon Man’, for which the ‘junk’ orchestra joined the rest of the band. There were several ingenious instruments being used, the bass line being played on tuned lengths of drainpipe, along with a percussion section comprising of everything from man-hole covers to buckets. There were also some assorted flutes and clarinets made out of lengths of PVC pipe!
The band certainly has some great potential, and it was brilliant to see so many young musicians getting stuck into taking solos and improvising… a daunting task, especially in the middle of a busy shopping square! I think that the use of the ‘scrap’ instruments was great – my favourite was the drainpipe bass! – I am very excited to be involved with the band. There is talk of in the future involving some of the school’s keen Music Technology students to mix some live sampling into the band, which will certainly make this band very different to anything else I’ve played in before!
After ‘Big Brand New’ had finished playing, KYJO (The Kent Youth Jazz Orchestra) took to the stage, just as the heavens opened! Despite the weather, they performed a fantastic set, and continued to draw a crowd, despite the conditions! They concluded with a lively performance of Jaco Pastorius’s ‘The Chicken’. Whilst listening to KYJO, myself and another sax player from ‘Big Brand New’ were interviewed by ‘CSR FM’ (97.4FM or online!) for their Saturday evening Jazz Show, 8-9pm. I’m sure there’ll be lots on about Sounds New in the next few weeks, so it’ll be worth tuning in.
In the evening, I was lucky enough to have a ticket to watch the BBC Big Band perform at the Gulbenkian… And just wow! I don’t think I need to say much more!
Two days in, and the festival has certainly started in style! I look forward to what the next few weeks bring…
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The Sounds New Festival of Contemporary Music runs until Tuesday 15 May.
Because it does. Doesn't it ? Blogging about extra-curricular musical life at the University of Kent.
Aisha Bové
up by Peter Cook and the music department at Langton Girls School. Big Brand New is somewhat of a hybrid between a ‘traditional’ big band, and a junk orchestra! The musicians are from local schools, and a few University students, from Canterbury Christchurch and Kent.