The executive at the helm of this year’s Medway Music Society has burst onto the scene in a vibrant fashion, brimming with ideas and a vision for the musical life at Medway.
We travelled to Medway yesterday to meet this year’s dynamic trio of Djack Mcdonnell (Vice-President and Treasurer, Music Technology), Clive Berry (Secretary, Engineering) and Ethan Sacré (President, Business), who are brim-full of plans for leading musical activities and events over the course of this year.
For these three, music lies at the heart of the student experience, on a campus which combines three universities – Kent, Canterbury Christ Church and Greenwich. In fact, two of the team are Kent students and the third is at Greenwich – a small glimpse of the co-operative Medway tripartite experience. Meeting Djack, Chris and Ethan, you’re immediately struck by their fiery enthusiasm for enriching the muscial life of all the students across Medway, and their vision for a vibrant society life.
Numbers in the Medway Music Society are rising steadily, and their musical life really got underway last week with ‘Rockaoke’ (read the Medwire review here, complete with photos). The whirlwind continues next week with the first heat in their ‘Battle of the Bands’ competition, competing for prizes including studio recording time, vouchers and performing opportunities.
The team, in true enterprising fashion, has demonstrated a sound business sense: it has arranged links with local music shops and services in the area, giving members of the Society discount opportunities at a range of stores.
”Campus life is very de-centralised,’ says Ethan, ”with students going into town in the evenings for their social life. And if you don’t go into town, you go to the Student Union by default.” The team aims to change this, by bringing events back to the Medway campus and encouraging students to come to gigs and shows. Spaces and venues are a challenge, they admit, but they are exploring potential spaces here and there, and have a wealth of flexible events lined up, from small-scale open mic nights to…well, I can’t say more.. . They are also aware of the importance of striking the right note at Open Days and during Freshers’ Week; of demonstrating to potential students that there is a student social life to be had at Medway. Plans are afoot to develop new ensembles as well, to cater for the diversity of musical interests that has come to Medway this year.
Follow the Medway Music Society on Twitter here and on Facebook here, and the University of Medway Student Association on Twitter here. You can also e-mail the Society directly by clicking here.
Having interviewed several Medway students this year, and reading the dialogue on their active Facebook page, it’s already apparent that the artistic side of life on the campus could potentially be very lively: the task now is to harness that energy and realise its potential. And if anyone were capable of doing just that, it would be this team. Prepare for the tide to turn….
Then it’s time to raise your voice for charity, as the Gulbenkian opens its doors to the annual ‘Sing for Children in Need;’ turn up with a donation and sing Handel’s rousing ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ in aid of a very good cause.
Last Wednesday, as part of the Canterbury Festival, Blake gave a concert here on campus. It was really great to see Humphrey again, and he was clearly delighted to back at his alma mater and the Gulbenkian Theatre, reminding the audience that the last time he appeared on its stage he had actually been hanged when he starred in The Beggar’s Opera! The concert was packed out and the group clearly appeals to all age groups … and particularly the ladies!
