Recently spotted on ‘Harry Hill’s TV Burp,’ one of the University’s musical alumni extolling the virtues of Amanda Lamb…
Genius…
Let there be Light…
The whole of the Creation process, from the gradual emergence out of Chaos through first Light to Man and Woman, will take place in Canterbury Cathedral tomorrow in considerably less time than the original Seven Days the Lord took.
The University Chorus, Orchestra and soloists will render the whole series of events for you at one sitting (well, two, if you count the Interval) on Saturday at 7.30pm in the Nave.
Tickets and details here: think of us all early tomorrow morning, as the logistical process gets underway at 9am as we move instruments and stands down into Canterbury in preparation for the morning rehearsal…
Let’s go Into the Woods…
The University’s Music Theatre Society is currently getting ready to take you ‘Into the Woods’ next week, as it brings Sondheim’s musical to the Playhouse, Whitstable.
From Thursday 15 to Saturday 17 March, Sondheim’s music will be resounding around the seaside town’s theatre auditorium to accompany the darker adventures of some of the better-known characters from the Brothers Grimm’s classic fairy-tales.
At the helm of the orchestra this year is Masters student and tenor with the Chamber Choir, Adam Abo Henriksen, who is relishing the opportunity to get to grips with an orchestra. A member of the Chamber Choir for four consecutive years, Adam has also previously conducted and played the piano for the student vocal group, Sing!, and sung with the University Chorus. He’s also been spotted singing with a barbershop group around the campus as well. Some of the University Music Scholars will be playing in the orchestral pit for the production.
Evening performances begin at 7.45pm, and there’s also a matinee on Saturday at 2.30pm.
Tickets are £12.00 / £7.00 (concessions), and can be booked online here, or contact the booking office on 01227 272042
Visit the ‘Into the Woods’ Facebook page here.
And to whet your appetite, here’s the original Broadway cast version of the intimately heart-rending ‘No-one is Alone’ and ‘Children will Listen.’ These songs do what Sondheim does best: they reach into your soul without your realising. Prepare to be moved…
Doin’ the Varsity Drag
Good luck and good hunting to all the students from both the University of Kent and Christ Church University, who are locked in sporting combat in Varsity 2012 this week.
(The lyrics start about one minute in: all together, now…)
And on the seventh day, we rehearsed the Haydn
Over on ‘Playing Up,’ a look back at yesterday’s rehearsal with the Chorus and Orchestra – and tenor soloist – ahead of Saturday’s Colyer-Fergusson Cathedral Concert.
Achieved was some glorious work…
Scholars Spotlight: Melissa Tortorella
A new feature, profiling this year’s Music Scholars: this week, flautist Melissa Tortorella.
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I started playing the flute when I was ten, in my last year of elementary school, but I didn’t become serious about music until high school when my participation in the school’s marching and concert band led me to private lessons. I went on to play in Orlando’s Youth Orchestra and eventually grew enough musically to participate in county and state competitions.
Although I decided to do a degree in French at the University of Florida, I couldn’t abandon music altogether. I declared Music Performance as a minor and spent four years in the University Marching Band and Symphonic Band — as well as several other for-fun groups, such as Flute Ensemble and Steel Drum Band.
Joining the musical community was a foregone conclusion when I enrolled at Kent, and I was pleased to discover a number of opportunities to make music on campus. I play the flute and piccolo in the Symphony Orchestra and sing second soprano in the University Choir. I always look forward to music nights during my week and am constantly reminded about music’s universal appeal: judging from the amount of international students that participate in musician ensembles, and as one myself, it’s clear that (excuse the cliche) music really is the world’s universal language.
Music Nation: Olympic curtain-raiser across the UK this weekend
This weekend sees not only the all-day Sunday rehearsal with the University Chorus and Orchestra for next week’s concert (end of shameless plug…), but across the country, the cultural curtain-raiser event, ‘Music Nation,’ to the London Olympics.
A joint venture between the Olympic organisation committee and the BBC, as the webpage proclaims,
Music Nation’s programme will showcase the best of the UK’s musical talent through ambitious and innovative partnerships and musical performances.
Click here to find out more: there’s also a day of programmed events being broadcast on Radio 3 on Sunday. (Those of us in the rehearsal that day will just have to catch up on iPlayer!).
Cathedral Crypt ambience captured by Chamber Choir: review
Second-year International Business student Matthew Bamford reviews last week’s Crypt Concert.
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The crypt of Canterbury Cathedral is an incredibly special and unique performance space. This intimate venue was host to the University of Kent Chamber Choir, conducted by Dan Harding and Steph Richardson.
The aim of the concert was to explore a whole day from the rise of the sun right the way through until midnight. Using a blend of sacred and secular pieces the programme consisted of madrigals, part-songs, motets and two pieces for solo piano.
From the first words of the plainsong Salve festa dies, I knew that I was in for a very enjoyable evening. This set the mood for the first section of the concert. Eric Barnum’s Dawn followed; the beginning of the piece using an incredibly simple harmonic structure. However at the end of the piece there was an interesting section where each of the sopranos sang an individual note of the scale. The composer’s idea here was to ‘create a golden light’. I think it is fair to say that this was most definitely captured.
My next highlight was the solo piano piece Un Sospiro. One of Liszt’z concert studies was expertly handled by second year music scholar Susan Li. The piece was received with rapturous applause after Li really brought out the richness of the piece.
As the day began to draw to a close, there was time for some playful madrigal singing before bed. Tutto lo di, a lively and fun piece written by Orlando di Lassus was intelligently sung by the choir. Despite the choir wanting to ‘play all day’, the long day did have to draw to a close with a beautiful rendition of this piece by Sullivan, conducted by Steph Richardson.
After twenty minutes in which to dwell on the first half, carrying a zebra print handbag (thanks Sophie!), the second half opened with the beautiful Sleep, Wayward Thoughts. The mood of the concert then headed to a more relaxed state as we heard In Stiller Nacht by Brahms. Sung in German, this piece focused on exploring the timelessness of night. This was captured well by the rhythmic sense of the choir and really was a very relaxing piece.
We were treated to another lovely piano solo, Chopin’s Nocturne in F Minor,’again received by the audience with excellent applause.
The concert ended with Eric Whitacre’s Sleep, which really is full of colour. This contemporary piece was delivered to an outstanding standard which left the audience wanted more (although I’m sure nobody was expecting the encore!).
We all thought it was over, until we had the pleasure of Harding’s arrangement of ‘Moondance’ by the legend that is Van Morrison. A completely contrasting piece to hear in the context of the rest of the programme, although everybody thoroughly enjoyed it and if like me, carried on singing it for the whole weekend.
Thank you to Dan Harding, Steph Richardson, Susan Li and The University Chamber Choir for a fantastic Friday evening; I’m looking forward to the next concert on March 30th.
