Somerset Music Board

Somerset Music Achievements June 2009.

South Somerset Musical Spectacular Four nights at Westlands Leisure Complex in Yeovil saw this years South Somerset Spectacular. With performances from the Somerset County Youth Choir, and 42 schools including Ansford, West Coker, Ashill and Grass Royal.

Mid Somerset Musical Spectacular In collaboration with the Lions Club of Street, Glastonbury and Wells, the Mid Somerset Spectacular took place at Strode Theatre over 3 nights. A packed programme with performances from Ashcott, Crispin, Cheddar Valley Music Club and Beckery Resource Centre.

SCYCB Easter Concert Once again SCYCB delighted their audience with a successful Easter course at Westlands in Yeovil. As they had done at Christmas, this course was open to younger players who made up a Junior Wind Band. They also performed at the evening concert, on their own and with SCYCB. SCYCB are off to Berlin for their summer tour in July.

String Things Following the last meeting of the board, our String Consultant Hywel Jenkins has been extremely busy organising a variety of events for young string players in the county. So far we have seen successful Advanced String Day, Intermediate String Day, South Somerset String Day and the annual Kilve Residential. All of these events involved 123 players. Coming up we have Taunton Junior Strings and the Mendip Junior Orchestra day (with 33 players signed up).

SCYO Easter Concert Millfield Concert Hall saw SCYO perform at their Easter concert. Once again conducted by Andrew Sherwood, highlights included Arnold’s A Grand, Grand Overture, Wagner’s Siegfried’s Death and Funeral Music from “Götterdämmerung” and the “unplayable” Barber’s Concerto for Violin and Orchestra. SCYO are in the Black Forest for their annual summer tour in July.

SCC Christmas Celebration Concert, Wells Cathedral 2009 Preparations have already begun for the annual Christmas Celebration Concert, this year taking place Monday 7 December 2009. Some performance places have been allocated to area choirs whilst the remaining 3 places are open to schools across the county by audition. This year will see the successful schools perform alongside the Somerset County Youth Choir and Somerset County Youth Concert Band.

Frome CLP Concert The FCLP Celebration Concerts took place 9th June at the Cheese and Grain. This concert is an opportunity for newly formed CLP groups to perform including steel pans and West African drummers. Supported by the Rotary club, there were approximately 400 performers across the 2 concerts. Schools involved included Frome College, Oakfield Middle, Christ Church First, St Louis, Vallis First and the CLP steel pan group. The organisers are now hoping to make the concert an annual event.

Taunton Area Concert Took place 5th May at North Street Church in Taunton. This is an annual event with approximately 130 children taking part. Participating schools included Cheddon Fitzpaine, Ruishton, North Curry and Bishops Lydeard.

Coming Soon…. Somerset County Youth Choir Mini-Tour to Somerset Schools, 20 – 21 July, schools to be confirmed Somerset Music Staff Inset Day, 4 September with guest presenter Dick Hallam (National Music Participations Director)

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