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2010

Welcome to the NCEM’s educationand community newsletter – thespace for you to find out more aboutevents and activities.

In this issue find out who has beenshortlisted for the NCEMComposersAward, discover moreabout theVenus andAdonis on-lineteaching resource and see what theMinster Minstrels are doing next!

a chance for you to get involved!

ISSUE 8

Led by musicians Sam Dunkley andAndrew Passmore, the pupils from SouthHunsley School and Woldgate Collegefrom the East Riding and EgglescliffeSecondary School in Stockton-on-Teeswill have the opportunity to explore

the historically informed performanceof choral repertory by Haydn and

Mozart, and receive expert adviceon singing technique.They will be

accompanied by musicians fromthe University of York who

specialise in historicallyinformed performance

giving the young people

the opportunity to experience singing withperiod instruments.

The performance will include some choraldelights by Haydn and Mozart including Haydn’sdelightful ‘Little Organ Mass’ with guest sopranosoloist, Bethany Seymour.

The Chorus first performed in the 2009 Beverleyand East Riding Early Music Festival in aprogramme which included Gloria by Vivaldi andCome ye Sons of Art by Purcell.

This concert will take place on Saturday 29thMay, 5pm at Toll Gavel Methodist Church inBeverley.

BEVERLEY SCHOOLS CHORUS

www.ncem.co.uk

SHORTLISTSeven talented young composers from across the UK have been selected to takepart in the prestigious 2010 NCEM Composers Award in York on Thursday 20 May.This is the second year of the National Centrefor Early Music’s partnership with BBC Radio 3and The Tallis Scholars which will see the winningpieces, for unaccompanied voices, receive thehonour of being premiered by The Tallis Scholarsat the Chester Summer Music Festival onWednesday 30 June 2010. Highlights of thisperformance will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3’sEarly Music Show.

The short-listed composers are: Sarah Gait, 15from Cumbria, Owain Park, 16 from Bristol,TomHarrold, 18 from Manchester currently studyingat the Royal Northern College of Music, MarkGotham, 23 from Essex, a graduate of the Royal

Northern College of Music and University ofOxford, Peter Foggit, 25 from London, currentlystudying at Trinity College of Music, Emma-RuthRichards, 25 from Manchester currently studyingat the Royal Northern College of Music andAlexander Campkin, 25 from London.

Over 70 young composers entered the Awardthis year and the judges were impressed by theconsistently high standard of work.They wereparticularly delighted by the interesting choices oftext; bold uses of vocal texture and strikingmoments of harmonic or melodic invention.Above all, the judges were struck by thecompositional competence displayed in all the

works submitted and it took many hours ofdiscussion to arrive at the final seven pieces.

The finalists will work with composerChristopher Fox in a workshop at the NationalCentre for Early Music with the Ebor Singers onThursday 20 May and this will be followed by apublic performance and awards ceremony at AllSaints Church, North Street,York at 7.30pm.Tickets for this concert are available atwww.ncem.co.uk or by contacting the Box Officeon 01904 658338.

Information about the 2011 NCEM ComposersAward will be available in the autumn.

Pupils from several secondary schools will performin the Beverley & East Riding Early Music Festival.

Members of the MinsterMinstrels vocal ensemblewill have the privilegeof performing alongsidesuperstars of the earlymusic world in theTheatre of the Ayre’sproduction of JohnBlow’s Venus and Adonisas part of this year’s YorkEarly Music Festival.

The opera has several parts for Cupids,which were played by children in the original17th - century performance.

Elizabeth Kenny, director of Theatre of the Ayresaid: “We are really excited about working withthe Minster Minstrels. Cupids large and smallwill put girls’ and boys’ voices centre stage forthe first time since the original 17th-centuryproductions of this work.”

The Minster Minstrels are also currently lookingfor more young people aged 10 – 18 years tojoin the vocal or instrumental ensembles whichmeet on Saturday mornings during term time.

The Minster Minstrels are preparing for theirperformance of ‘A Festival of Marriage’ as partof the prestigious York Early Music Festival (Sun11 July, Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, Fossgate).The musicians will perform music that wasassociated with marriage from the 14thcentury to the 18th century including Englishopera, Florentine intermedii and Scottishfolksongs.

If you are interested in joining the MinsterMinstrels or auditioning for Venus and Adonis,please contact the NCEM on 01904 632220or email education@ncem.co.uk

MINSTRELSANDCUPIDS!

The NCEM has just launched a new on-lineteaching resource exploring John Blow’s Venusand Adonis, the oldest surviving English opera.

VENUS & ADONISON-LINE ANDON-STAGE

Elizabeth Kenny with pupils from Salisbury Cathedral School

The opera tells the tragic story of howlovers Venus and Adonis are separated foreverwhen Adonis is killed by a wild boar. It alsotakes a cynical look at relationships in theRestoration court of Charles II.

The teaching resources provide materials tohelp teachers explore the opera withchildren in Key Stage 2.They give children achance to sing a scene from the opera, aswell as other songs from the time.Theypresent ideas to help children compose the‘missing scene’ from the opera, in whichAdonis fights the wild boar.The resourcesalso use primary sources to look at life inRestoration England, concentrating on whatschool was like for children in the lateseventeenth century, and exploring the roleplayed by music in communicating the newsacross the country. Children can even learn aRestoration country dance.

As well as imaginative activity ideas andnotated music, the resource includesrecorded examples of all the music used, andbacking tracks that can be downloaded asmp3 files or played from the website’s built-in media player.The resources are accessibleand enjoyable for young people, irrespectiveof whether they have seen the opera.

This new on-line resource can by seen onthe NCEM website by going towww.ncem.co.uk/venus and sign in with youremail address.

Continuing this theme, there is anopportunity to hear John Blow’s Venus andAdonis performed by the Theatre of the Ayreand directed by Elizabeth Kenny as part ofthe York Early Music Festival (Sat 17th July,7.30pm St Michael le Belfrey Church). As inthe original performance, the part of Cupid(Venus’ cheeky son) and the ‘Little Cupids’will be played by young people (in York, theseroles will be taken by the Minster MinstrelsVocal Ensemble). Cupid provides an elementof comedy, by giving his retinue of LittleCupids a lesson in spelling, poking fun at bothCharles’ courtiers and at school life in theseventeenth century.

To support this initiative, a series ofworkshops are currently taking place inschools across the country run by ElizabethKenny, one of Europe’s leading lute players, andCathryn Dew, Education Consultant for theNCEM. InYork, these will take place in NewEarswick and Dringhouses Primary Schools.

York Early Music Festival is now invitingapplications from young artists to take part inthe York Early Music International Young ArtistsCompetition.The Competition will take place atthe National Centre for Early Music from 14 -16 July, as part of the 2011 York Early MusicFestival and applications need to be submittedby Friday 21 January 2011.

Directed in 2011 by violinist Elizabeth Wallfisch,the competition is judged by some of theworld's finest early music specialists and offersa major boost to professional careers, offeringopportunities for touring, recording andbroadcasting.The competition is regardedas a key stage on the way to national andinternational recognition for young performers.

The winners will receive a cheque for £1,000;opportunities to work with BBC Radio 3;a concert as part of the 2012 York Early MusicFestival and a professionally produced CD byLinn Records.The competition is supported bythe National Centre for Early Music, BBC Radio3 and Arts Council England,Yorkshire.

Ensemble Meridiana – Winners of the 2009 York Early Music International Young Artists Competition

2011 YOUNG ARTISTSCOMPETITION ANNOUNCED

The NCEM has worked with The OrlandoConsort and Asian musicians Kuljit Bhamra tabla,Indian harmonium Jonathan Mayer sitar and ShahidKhan voice on a special education project whichran alongside Mantra – Musical ConversationsAcross the Indian Ocean national tour.

The inspiration for this collaborative project wassublime Iberian and Indian music from the early1500s. Portuguese missionaries and GoanIndians joined together in music as churches,built in the exotic land known as the 'Pearl ofthe Orient', resounded to the extraordinaryblended sounds of Europe and Asia.

Over the past year the musicians have visited 12schools throughout the country to teach youngpeople aged between 11 – 14 musicalcompositions and more about the origins of thismusic.These students also got the opportunity toperform with the musicians as part of this 10date national tour which opened at the NCEM inMay 2009 and closed in March 2010 at The Sage.

Matthew Haworth, Head of Music at EgglescliffeSchool in Yarm said he was privileged that hisschool got the opportunity to take part in sucha high calibre project. “We have never beeninvolved in a project of this nature before or

had the chance to work with such talentedmusicians.This project has really challenged ourstudents and also broadened their musical andcultural understanding.”

Angus Smith, from The Orlando Consort, whoinitiated this project was delighted with the results.“We have worked with some extremely talentedyoung people and have been really impressed bytheir imagination, their ability to learn the musicand to see how they have used a new knowledgepool to develop their own creations that have fedinto their own music studies. Having theminvolved in the performance added somethingmagical each time and witnessing the enthusiasmand energy they brought to the events was hugelyrewarding and stimulating for us as well!”

This tour was supported by Arts CouncilEngland and the PRS.

There is a Mantra Education Resource availablefrom the NCEM website atwww.ncem.co.uk/mantra.

The NCEM works in partnership withAimhigherYork and NorthYorkshire to runmusic-based projects for Key Stage 4 musicand non-music students from Scarborough, theNorthYorkshire Coast, Selby and Skipton.Theaim of the scheme is to widen participation inhigher education by raising the aspirations anddeveloping the abilities of young people fromunder-represented groups.

The Found Sound project led by members ofBackbeat Percussion Quartet has just finished.The musicians worked with young people fromSherburn High School (Sherburn in Elmet),Holy Family RC High School (Goole), SouthCraven School and Aireville School (Skipton),Harrogate High School, Raincliffe School andScalby School (Scarborough), over two

academic years using percussion instrumentsand a variety of every day objects to createa piece of music which included basketballs,plastic bins and broomsticks!

As well as making music, the workshopsoffered information about the benefits ofcontinuing to higher education and Backbeatgave an insight into the lives of professionalmusicians.

Sue Robinson, music teacher from Holy FamilyRC High School said the young people haddefinitely benefitted from being in a differentsurrounding and that projects of this naturewould increase their self esteem andencourage them to consider going touniversity. Another music teacher,

Sylvia McBriar, from Sherburn High School, saidthat the project had been really useful inhelping the young people to develop theirskills and to learn to work alongside others.

FOUND SOUND

Simone Rebello from Backbeat shows how to play the vibraphone

MANTRA FINALE AT THE SAGE

Egglescliffe students perform at The Sage, Gateshead

latest news

For further information about any of the activities, events or resources mentioned in this Newsletterplease contact the NCEM on 01904 632220 or email education@ncem.co.ukTo book tickets for events, please contact the Box Office on 01904 658338 or visit www.ncem.co.ukNational Centre for Early Music, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate,York YO1 9TL

All details are correct at the time of going to press but we reserve the right to amend the published programme if necessary.Promoted by York Early Music Foundation Registered Charity No. 1068331

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NEW FUNDINGFOR MUSIC4UMusic4U - the Humber RegionAction Zone -co-ordinated by the National Centre for Early Music,has received a grant for £120,000 fromYouth Musicto enable it to carry on its music-making activitiesacross the Humber Region for a further year.

Music4U, launched in September 2001, is one of 21Action Zones set up byYouth Music to providemusic-related activities including workshops andperformance opportunties for young people underthe age of 18 years who would not normally havethe chance to make music.The Zone is inpartnership with the East Riding ofYorkshire,Hull,North East Lincolnshire and North LincolnshireCouncils.

Plans for 2010 -11 will include a rock tourextravaganza; a national early years trainingconference and a slot in this year’s MusicportFestival held in Bridlington.

To find out more about Music4U's activitiesgo to www.ncem.co.uk/music4u

OAK APPLE DAYThis year’s musical play in a week is ‘Oak AppleDay’.The play tells the story of Charles II’sreturn to London in 1660, after the death ofOliver Cromwell.A great celebration is plannedfor the occasion, but, as a band of youngperformers soon discover, everything is not as itseems, and the king himself is in great danger.Can they uncover the plot and rescue the kingin time?

This is the perfect project for young peoplewho enjoy acting, making music and thrillingstories from the past. It is open to young peopleaged 9 – 14 and is led by theatre director PaulBirch and musicians Cathy Dew and AndrewPassmore.

It will take place at the National Centre forEarly Music from Monday 16 – Friday 20 Augustwith a special performance for family andfriends on the Friday evening. No previousexperience of singing or acting is required, justcome along with lots of enthusiasm! The costfor this year’s musical play in a week is £80.00.To book a place ring 01904 658338 or emailboxoffice@ncem.co.uk

SINGERSNEEDED FORCORAM BOYThe NCEM is recruiting young singers aged12 – 18 to form a choir to perform with theYork Theatre Royal’s Youth Theatre productionof the ‘Coram Boy’ in August 2010.Aaron, theabandoned heir to a great estate and his friendToby, saved from an African slave ship, seek theparents who left them at The Coram Hospitalfor Deserted Children. Eighteenth centuryEngland closes around them as Handel's Messiahsets the tone and tempo in this outstandingpiece of contemporary drama.The NCEM choirwill perform music by Handel at various pointsthroughout the play. Rehearsals will take placeat the NCEM from Saturday 21 August –Wednesday 25 August with performances onThursday 26, Friday 27 and Saturday 28 at theYork Theatre Royal.The cost for participants is£80.00 for the week.

REGISTER FORFREE LEARNINGRESOURCES

The NCEM has recently launched a new websitewith a whole section devoted to teaching andlearning. Within this section there is informationabout current and past products plus a wholerange of early music teaching resources (whichcan be downloaded) – some of which are free.To access information you need to register bygoing to www.ncem.co.uk/teachingandlearning

MUSICAL PLAYIN A WEEK

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