Tag Archives: Chamber Choir

Just because it’s June…Summer Music Week

I’m delighted to say that the details for Summer Music Week (Mon 3 – Sun 9 June) have just been published live.

The week-long events programme opens in rousing style with music for brass and percussion at lunchtime on Monday 3 June, and continues throughout the week with a recital from some of the Music Scholars; a day of jazz, culminating in the annual bun-fest that is the Big Band Gala with special guests; string music is the theme on Thursday, including the String Sinfonia; Friday celebrates choral music with a lunchtime of a cappella vocal music, whilst the University Chamber and Cecilian Choirs come together in the evening concert; and the whole week, nay, the whole musical year, reaches its climax on the Sunday, in a combined afternoon concert with the University Chorus, Symphony Orchestra, Concert Band and Chamber Choir.

summer_music_flowerFind out all that’s happening that week, including many free events, on the website here.

Just because it’s June…

Around the blogs this week

Over on the Big Band blog, On the Beat, we’ve an interview with Steph Richardson, singer with ths band this year, about her musical interests and rehearsing with the band in preparation for their concert next month (read more).

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Image: sumbrealism.blogspot

Whilst on the choral blog, Cantus Firmus, the Chamber Choir has been exploring the narrow boundaries between sound and silence and practicing singing oh-so quielty, ahead of their Crypt Concert next week (read more).

And for all you saxophonists, there’s a review of a gig at Pizza Express from Radio 3 New Generation Artist Trish Clowes, a lyrical live set which is currently on iPlayer, which you can hear until Tuesday (read more).

Postgraduate Open Day; come and hear the Chamber Choir

If you’re coming to the Postgraduate Open Day event this Saturday, by all means drop in to the Colyer-Fergusson building and hear the University Chamber Choir, which will be in the midst of its all-day workshop.

The Choir is busy preparing for its annual concert in the Crypt of Canterbury Cathedral in just over two weeks’ time, and at this point in the year, we hold an all-day rehearsal, getting to grips with the works in the concert and running the entire programme in ‘performance mode.’

The rehearsal lasts from 10am to 3.30pm; come and get a sneak preview of what’s to come in the concert on Friday 15 February.

You can find out more about the Postgraduate Open day, which runs from 10am-2pm, online here.

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Scholars’ Spotlight: Victoria Newell

Beginning the series profiling some of this year’s University Music Scholars: this week, soprano Victoria Newell.

 

On Song: soprano Victoria Newell

I have had a love of all music, with a particular passion for singing, from a very early age.  Before starting my Drama and Theatre Studies BA Hons at Kent University in September 2012, I was involved in a wide genre of singing, from formal school choirs to musical theatre and jazz.  I was lucky to attend a school with progressive drama and music departments and was privileged to be given main roles in Seussical, The Witches of Eastwick, Evita, Chicago and Spamalot.  Outside school, I took part in local musical theatre productions, including the title role in Annie, which developed my confidence as a soloist at a young age.

As a soprano I have sung a variety of solos in different choir groups, including 1st soprano in a joint school/adult performance of Monteverdi’s Beatus Vir.  One of the highlights of my singing career was accompanying the school jazz band at various functions – the pinnacle of this was singing ‘Fever’ at the Ronnie Scot’s Jazz Night, where the prestigious Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club performed alongside the school Jazz Band.

I am a songwriter and, in order to accompany myself, a self-taught guitarist with a growing repertoire of songs.  During my recent gap year working in a school in Auckland, New Zealand I supported both the drama and the music departments in a variety of ways, and gained a great deal from this experience.  The school even asked me to take part in their performance of Cats as no one else could reach the top notes in the Jellicle song!

Since being at Kent Uni I have greatly enjoyed being a member of the Chamber Choir and the Chorus.  The highlight so far has been the wonderful Carol Service in Canterbury Cathedral at the end of last term.  The atmosphere was extremely special and I felt very privileged to be part of such an amazing choral group.  Now we are working hard towards the Chamber Choir’s Crypt Concert next month, which promises to be equally fantastic. I have really been enjoying the new music building and all the facilities it offers and I look forward to enjoying and contributing to the department in my years to come.

Victoria Newell

Read the other profiles in the series here.

That was a week, that was…

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.

Making waves at Medway: the Medway Chamber Choir

President of this year’s Medway Music Society, Jack McDonnell, reports in with news of a new musical initiative at Medway this year…

 


Under the management of 2nd year Popular Music Student Rhian Powell with the UMSA Music Society, Universities at Medway Chamber choir are back in full swing of rehearsals for a string of upcoming performances.

On Tuesday 13th of November, the choir took part in an evening of a pilot filming for a TV show called ‘The Venue’ at the Beacon Court Tavern in Gillingham (see picture, below). The Choir performed an arrangement of popular carol “Ding Dong Merrily on High” as well as the national anthem to an audience of film makers and Medway Locals which were well received by Director Lee Philips. The film is due to go online at the beginning of December.

The Medway Chamber Choir

UMCC are currently meeting on Monday evenings at 6pm in the Medway Building Studios, working towards the UMSA Carol Service on December 3rd.

Jack McDonnell

Good luck to our counterparts over in Medway – let us know when the film goes online!

A week of firsts…

So far, it’s been a week of firsts.

Moving into the new building on Tuesday, Tuesday night saw the first Chamber Choir rehearsal in the new concert-hall.

University Chamber Choir

Yesterday, Day Two of the move, saw the Sirocco Ensemble meeting for the first time this year in one of the upper rehearsal rooms:

Sirocco Ensemble

Following this was the inaugural rehearsal of the newest departmental ensemble, the University String Sinfonia, which became the first instrumental ensemble to use the new hall.

Strings attached: the String Sinfonia

And finally, in the evening, Concert Band and Big Band came into the new building for each of their first rehearsals here.

Band substance: Concert Band

Today is Day Three, which will see the Cecilian Choir rehearsing in the hall this afternoon, followed by the Symphony Orchestra tonight. Which will leave Chorus to meet in the hall on Monday of next week for the first time, and we’ll have run the gamut of all the current ensembles trying out the new building. Plus the development of the building’s social spaces as its furniture is installed.

What an amazing week; and it’s not over yet…

An en-Choir-ing mind…

It’s been a busy week with All Things Choral – the University Chorus continues its exploration of Orff and Handel, the Chamber Choir engages with Tavener and Finzi, and the first rehearsal for this year’s Cecilian Choir sees them getting to grips with Britten’s Ceremony of Carols.

Seeing stars…

And cake and biscuits…

Confused ? Check out all that’s been happening on the choral blog, Cantus Firmus, where you can listen to some of the pieces and see photos of cake. And biscuits too…