Showcase Autumn 19
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Contact us Cover image: Yuliya Knowles. Tel: 01243 816000 Photo credit: www.chi.ac.uk Andrew Worsfold. AUTUMN 2019 Top Brass Top of the table at the National UniBrass Shield Competition Disclaimer Please note that the views expressed in this A large print, text-only copy is available by calling magazine are attributable to the contributor and do not necessarily reflect those of the 01243 816000 or emailing [email protected] University of Chichester. What’s On Listings for September 2019 PLEASE RECYCLE AFTER USE www.chi.ac.uk/events to January 2020 Welcome Welcome to Showcase, Autumn 2019 with coverage of student performances stretching from the Palace of Westminster to Washington DC. We take you into the heady triumph This is one of the largest performance of our victory at the national Unibrass communities in the UK. Have a look competition and have a glance at our at the ensembles, workshops, latest degree offering – Cabaret masterclasses, and the massive range Performance which is new this year. of musical, dance, and theatrical This edition’s tutor in focus is Edel shows happening on our two Quin who came to Chichester via campuses and elsewhere in outside Riverdance and Trinity Laban to lead venues across the region. For more our ground-breaking integrated about these events, as well as the Masters in Dance Science. latest news from our aspiring actors, dancers and musicians, visit our listings page www.chi.ac.uk/events. 2 | University of Chichester SHOW CASE | 3 Photo credit: Andrew Worsfold. Contents Welcome 3 News and Reviews 7 Our new Cabaret Degree 11 Read all What’s On In Focus: Edel Quin 12 About it Chichester listings from February 2019 On tour with the University 15 Our latest news to August 2019 and reviews PhD Season 19 Our Ensembles 21 7 38 Acts of Expression 32 BA Hons Musical What’s On 38 Dear Liz 54 Theatre and Cabaret Voice of the Future 55 Performance How to find us 56 Booking information 57 We introduce our exciting new degree route Diary of events 58 Disclaimer Back cover 11 Contact Us Back cover GET YOUR Acts of PhD Season FREE COPY OF Expression A season of recitals by our PhD students Showcasing a range SHOWCASE of artistic and cultural events In Focus For your free copy of Showcase in January and September join our 19 mailing list at www.chi.ac.uk/events Former “Riverdance” performer Edel Quin and leader of our Masters in Dance Science gives an insight into her life 32 12 4 | University of Chichester SHOW CASE | 5 News and reviews Our staff and students are a busy bunch. As well as studying, teaching and researching, they are out and about taking part in competitions, delivering workshops and developing partnerships around the world. Read on to find out more…. UniBrass shield A change of pace followed with Irish Tune Singing for Health by Emma Button from County Derry and to finish the band By Gillian Berry performed Wall of Sound by Paul Lovett In three short years the University of Cooper. Conductor, Emma Button, says Singing for Health have been in existence Chichester Brass Band has gone from the “The band worked incredibly hard in the run for over 6 years now, hosted by the bottom to the top of the table at the up to the contest. Having come 9th in 2017 University as a Community Project. The National UniBrass Shield Competition. and then 3rd last year we had our sights set benefits are not only for us singers, but The contest takes place annually and sees high for our weekend in Bangor with every also for those we go to in the Community, University Brass Bands from across the member putting in extra hours in order to and we are always looking out for fresh country compete in two sections for a produce a strong performance. I chose an places. We number between 25-30, our number of highly prized awards as well as ambitious programme for the band as I Conductor and our Accompanist both the overall prize of being the UniBrass know our players are more than capable of graduates of the University. Shield and Trophy Champions. tackling the harder repertoire.” We really do sing all sorts and in all places Competitors include student led society Their efforts were rewarded as they took - Nursing Homes where we place an bands as well as bands from prestigious home the prize for Best March, the emphasis on singing along with us, Rotary institutions such as Oxford, Cambridge playing of principal Trombonist Lars Charities, and sited at the top of the Above and below: UniBrass. and specialist conservatoires like The Thorkildsen was awarded the Best Soloist escalator of John Lewis – an elevated, but Photo credits: Andrew Worsfold. Royal Northern College of Music and and the Bass section awarded the prize not otherwise glorious position. We are Below right: Singing for Health. The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. for Best Section. But nothing prepared not, any of us, in the first flush of them for the moment they were youth…. far from it, but we all benefit Having taken part in the contest for the announced as the overall winners of the enormously in health from singing previous two years the band were no UniBrass Shield Section 2019. The together every Monday night. It is an strangers to what it would take to go competition will be held in Bangor again in extraordinary thing, that whilst we may home with the prizes on offer, opening 2020 and the band has been promoted arrive for Monday night’s rehearsal, a bit their 20-minute set with Steve Sykes to the Trophy Section, competing against tattered and worn, we always go home arrangement of Caravan - a technically the bands from Conservatoires and refreshed and charged with energy – demanding piece made even more so by Universities from the heartlands of fabulous! If anyone wants to know more, the entire band memorising the finale. Brass Banding. A challenge, but we please contact me, Next came Death or Glory, a march most thrive on challenges! [email protected] recognisable from the film Brassed Off. 6 | University of Chichester SHOW CASE | 7 PUSH Opera performance in stage, made up of local choirs and the The performance at Speaker’s House, the Houses of Parliament University of Chichester Concert Westminster was again, something truly By Kiera Smitheram Orchestra. Chichester’s MP, Gillian Keegan unique. The confined performance space was in the audience, and proposed to the gave that final piece of intensity that was On 28th January 2019, five singers from Speaker of the House, John Bercow, that needed, the audience were a mere metre the university (Lars Thorkildsen, Eleanor the opera be performed in Parliament. away. Being able to perform and engage Farmer, Ciaran O’Donovan, Kiera with the audience so close was special. We Smitheram and Howard Weyman) set off We were in a magnificent red room, were able to see their emotions and from Chichester to perform an opera in draped with damasked fabrics, oak reactions, making them just as involved in the Houses of Parliament. ‘PUSH’ by carvings, and life-sized portraits of the opera as we were.” Howard Moody was performed in previous Speakers of the House. Chichester Cathedral last January for This production was the first opera to Holocaust Memorial Day. It tells the Our Green Room was the Royal have been staged in Parliament, but it story of Simon Gronowski, who was Bedchamber, which houses the bed that was performed by amateur singers, pushed by his mother from a cattle car the Monarch sleeps in the night before students, and children. None of us except headed to Auschwitz in 1942, in order to their coronation. A Monarch hasn’t the professional band were paid. We just save his life. The opera also touches on actually slept there since 1910, but it was did it because we needed to. Now more other historical injustices and terrors such still pretty cool! Lars played Simon, the than ever, the message behind art must as the Battle of Hastings and the Calais man whose story the show was based on. take precedence. Migrant Crisis. “Playing the role of Simon has been both a We joined the production to get some privilege and an absolute pleasure. extra stage experience, and do our part Partaking in this opera has given me the to commemorate the 6 million Jews and chance to develop my skills both vocal and the unknown numbers of other acting, especially with the sublime guidance minorities who were killed. It was a sold- of the creatives: directors Jill and Kate, and out event with over 100 performers on Howard Moody himself. Charity Concert for Stonepillow. Photo credit: Andrew Worsfold. Charity Concert for Stonepillow The concert was in aid of the charity see such talent and to enjoy such entertaining Stonepillow which provides support for and beautifully performed music. A great In February 2019 the University Chamber the homeless in the Chichester area. As privilege. This enabled the charity to help Orchestra performed a sumptuous one of Susan, Duchess of Richmond’s more people at their time of despair.” concert in the ballroom of Goodwood chosen charities she was delighted to have House. Billed as a concert celebrating the chance to publicise the work of The programme of light classics featured love and St Valentine the musicians and Stonepillow in this way as well as raising waltzes, tangos and opera favourites singers delighted a packed house who several thousand pounds. conducted by our head of orchestral enjoyed an afternoon tea before and studies Crispin Ward and our visiting champagne reception after the Susan, Duchess of Richmond said of the conductor, from Romania, Andrei Racu performance were fulsome in their concert: “The concert given by the University and featuring soloists from our talented praise at the talents on display.