Notes on Music

New year, new term: new What’s On

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The new What’s On online diary of musical events has just gone live this morning, with details of all the musical events between now and July.

From the grandeur of the Colyer-Fergusson Cathedral Concert to the intimacy of the Chamber Choir Crypt Concert, music embraces a range of events, including celebrations of Mozart and, in his centenary year, Benjamin Britten. The University Concert and Big Bands come together for From Bond to Basie, and we’re also launching a new series of ‘Watch This Space’ gigs on the new foyer-stage, which includes live jazz.

Canterbury CathedralThere are also visits from several local orchestras and choirs, and later on in June, we’ll be celebrating the end of the academic year with ‘Summer Music,’ about which details will emerge in April.

Check out all the events on the online diary here.

Welcome back.

Keeping It Real: reviews., Notes on Music

That was a week, that was…

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It’s been an action-packed final week; from Thursday through to Sunday, many of the University’s musicians were involved in rehearsing for, and performing in, the Gala opening concerts on Saturday and Sunday; the University Carol Service took place in Canterbury Cathedral on Monday night; there was a ‘Winter Wonderland’ lunchtime concert at which the Estates Team Choir made its debut yesterday; and finally Carols Round the Christmas Tree yesterday night.

Chorus and Orchestra in the Gala weekend, Image: Miles Banbery

We’re still recovering, both from the number of events in so short a time, but also from the heady success of the formal opening of the wonderful Colyer-Fergusson music building. You can see extensive photographs from the entire weekend on our special Pinterest board here.

The weekend saw two works premièred: one with the Chamber Choir by your loyal correspondent, the other with Concert Band in James Rae’s Platform One, which you can read about on their blog, ‘On The Beat’ here.

The Chamber Choir sang at the University Carol Service in Canterbury Cathedral on Monday night; find out how they got on in a feature over on the choral blog, Cantus Firmus, here.

University Chamber Choir

Wednesday’s festive lunchtime concert saw music from the Cecilian Choir, the Canterberries, and the debut performance from the Estates Team Choir; read about how it went (and there’s even some footage too…) on Cantus Firmus here.

The Estates Team Choir

And finally, members of the University community and friends gathered in the chilly night to bid a musical farewell to the term at ‘Carols Round The Tree.’

Image: Jim Higham

We’re taking a break for Christmas, but will be back again in the New Year to report on all the events we’re lining up for next term through to the week-long Summer Music in June; it’s going to be an exciting period. Festive good wishes to all our readers: see you in January.

Notes on Music

In memorian: Jonathan Harvey and Dave Brubeck

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The musical world has lost two giants this week; British composer Jonathan Harvey has died at the age of seventy-three, and American jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck, aged ninety-one.

Jonathan HarveyHarvey, who has suffered from motor-neurone disease for some time, will be remembered as the composer of music, often clothing instrumental and orchestral textures in a tapestry of electronics, that maps new worlds of deeply spiritual and sonic, almost mystic, contemplation, nowhere more so than in one of my favourite pieces, one of his very late works, Messages.

From the eletronics-and-bells of Mortuos plango, vivos voco to later works such as The Madonna of Winter and Spring which cracks open like Stravinsky’s Rite, or the meditative breathing ensemble in Tranquil Abiding, Harvey’s music combines a deep religious sense (his outlook embraced both Christianity and, later, Buddhism) with a unique musical language, one with a wonderful ear for ravishing sounds. (There’s a very moving interview with The Guardian‘s Tom Service that appeared in January this year, which you can read here).

Dave Brubeck will forever be remembered for Take Five, a recording graced with the liquid tone of saxophonist Paul Desmond. Classically trained, his music invested jazz in the 50’s and 60’s with classical techniques, including a mischevious delight in unusual time-signatures.

Here’s the band making 7/8 popular in Unsquare Dance:

Both will be much missed.

Notes on Music

Head down until the weekend

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We’re almost mid-way through the final rehearsals for the two Gala concerts coming up across this weekend; programmes have been signed off to the Print unit, final tests are being run on the acoustic curtains in the concert-hall, and the Christmas tree in the foyer went up at the end of last week, so that’s the key features dealt with.

Concert and Big Bands are about to rehearse in an hour or so for the last time on the James Rae commission, Chamber Choir raised the roof of the concert-hall in exuberant fashion last night, and Chorus and Orchestra will come together tomorrow night in Orff’s epic Carmina Burana.

Hot on the heels of the two concerts, there’s also the University Carol Service on the Monay, for which the Chamber Choir will be providing some of the carols; and then there’s the Estates Team Choir lunchtime debut on Wednesday lunchtime, with the Cecilian Choir and The Canterberries also singing; and then Carols Round The University Christmas Tree on Wednesday evening, together with the University Brass Ensemble.

Thursday: and relax… See you at some point before then…

Because it does. Doesn't it ? Blogging about extra-curricular musical life at the University of Kent.