SPRING MUSIC WEEKEND 30TH APRIL – 2ND MAY 2010
AT ALSTON HALL, LANCASHIRE

26 people have now signed up for the Spring Music Making Weekend at the delightful Alston Hall in Lancashire. Tutors for the weekend are Paul Medina for Jazz and Dave Payn for the Instrumental Group.

There is still some accommodation available in this lovely hall and with plenty of rehearsal rooms also available we can spend most of the weekend enjoying playing music in various groups of various sizes.

Music for various styles of Jazz will be available and we can supply music for any combination of instruments within the Instrumental group so we may well find ourselves involved in some eclectic groupings at times but always guided by our tutors to produce some interesting music from within the groups.

If you are considering applying for the weekend please do so without delay. Please send your applications to Audrey Brown, tel. 01904 425256 , 54 Bad Bargain Lane, York, YO31 0QL or email - audrey@m4p.org.uk

SUMMER SCHOOL 2010 (31 JULY – 6 AUGUST)

We are delighted to see that applications for summer school are coming in at a good steady pace.

Just a reminder that places on the Jazz Piano and Jazz Vocal courses are limited, so don’t leave it too long to complete and post your application if you are interested in these courses. Also, if you wish to sign up for Opera, remember that applications have to be in early to allow the tutor to cast the piece.

Don’t forget to pass on information about the school to all your musician friends!

CHANGE OF TUTOR FOR BRASS BAND/ CHAMBER BRASS

We are sorry to have to let you know that Dave Payn is unable to be with us this year; however, we are pleased to report that we have been fortunate enough to secure the services of Leeds-based conductor/composer Robert Collinson as a replacement.

Rob plays cornet and studied music at University of Hull where he wrote compositions for the Allegri String Quartet and the University Choir amongst others. After university he taught privately, and composed and arranged for a variety of ensembles, also performing with a range of brass ensembles, big bands and musical shows. He then took a PGCE and worked as a music teacher in a Leeds High School for several years.

In 1997 he became conductor of the Clifton and Lightcliffe Band near Brighouse in Yorkshire for eight years, all the while continuing to compose works that have been performed by such well-known bands as Grimethorpe, Brighouse and Rastrick, the Ransome Band and the Leyland Band, for whom he is associate arranger.

His current projects include the completion of his Cornet Concerto and a large-scale work for Choir and Brass Band whilst running, together with his partner Kristina, Broadnib Music, a company providing a variety of services to the music industry.

Rob is very much looking forward to joining us at Giggleswick.

AIDAN TO LEAD CHOIR SESSIONS

It is with mixed feelings that we have to report that Louisa Ridgway will not be with us this year. We are delighted that her career accompanying for stage musicals is taking off in such a big way, but sorry that it means she will not be able to join us at Giggleswick. As a result, Aidan Broadbridge will now be taking Choir in addition to his other classes. Those of you who attended the school last year will remember that Choir rehearsals were great fun and that Aidan drew a terrific performance from the class.

Please note this also means that there will be no Warm Up With Louisa sessions!

We wish Louisa every success in her future career.

BUDDIES REQUIRED

Yet again this year, we are receiving applications from new students. It would be great if the students who have been to the School before could “buddy” with one of these new students to help them to settle in. All that is required is for you to meet with him / her and to make them feel welcome over the first 24 hours.

We shall need about 50 buddies. Please could you volunteer by contacting me on 0845 619 1689 or emailing me at kevin@m4p.org.uk.

Your help will be greatly appreciated.

LIEDER GROUP AT SUMMER SCHOOL?

I am wondering whether there might be enough interest this year for a few students (and staff/tutors?)to get together to sing solo songs from the German Lieder or other so-called 'art-song' tradition -this is generally taken to mean songs of poems written in any language from the 19th century onwards, as opposed to operatic arias, sacred works etc..

What I have in mind is a smallish group - say around 6, maximum 8 - of reasonably confident and experienced singers, plus accompanist (please!) that could get together perhaps 3 or 4 times over the week to sing this type of repertoire to each other, hopefully with a bit of constructive feedback time built in. I am thinking that this could possibly be after choir in the evening for an hour or so, or any other agreed time when all of us were free. Virginia Rushton has offered her assistance where possible.

The general aim of the group would be to share our enjoyment of singing this wonderful genre, and give ourselves the opportunity to perform solo in a small supportive group.

Participants would need to come to summer school with their own music - a personal selection of Lieder, or other songs, that they have already spent a bit of time working on.

If you are interested in this idea, please contact me as soon as possible so I can see whether there would be enough people keen to set this up, ready to go when summer school starts. I'd be happy to talk on the phone or take emails.

MARION ADLER email: marionadler@hotmail.com tel. 01273 550820