Big Sing 2019 Presented by East Sussex Music in collaboration with Glyndebourne The University of Sussex School of English Dear Colleague We would like to invite you and your pupils to join us for the annual Big Sing. Please see overleaf for more details and how to take part. Places are limited and will be allocated strictly in order of application. Register now at www.bit.ly/esm-bigsing to secure your place. Bookings close in early September, but we usually sell out by the end of the summer term. Last year, the Big Sing was even bigger with over 60 schools, 2000 pupils and thousands of parents enjoying hearing young people sing in East Sussex This year, we offer a similar format to last year: Performances led by experienced, exciting conductors Free music and literacy CPD built in The opportunity for you and your pupils to work with Sussex University to create some readings for the performances This year, our conductor is Ash Beauchamp. You can read about him at www.ashleybeauchamp.com The Programme This year’s production is again presented in collaboration with Glyndebourne and the University of Sussex School of English. Each performance will be an exciting and stimulating celebration of the festive season, expressed through the unique beauty of young voices. Choice of programme – you can choose a religious or seasonal (non-religious) performance You can choose to take part in a religious performance which will include traditional carols and songs with religious lyrics, or you can opt for a ‘seasonal’ performance which celebrates the season without specific religious content. Linking with literacy We are delighted to be working again with the University Of Sussex School Of English. Emma’s team will be offering you and your pupils the chance to work with them to create some readings, poetry or prose which will be part of the performances. Enhanced CPD The launch day will focus on singing training, showing how the Big Sing repertoire can help improve your choir and how to tackle the challenges of teaching the Big Sing songs. Songs to Share, the East Sussex Music Education Hub singing CPD programme, led by Glyndebourne, will again offer additional CPD in preparation for the performances. All this CPD is FREE to you as participants in the Big Sing. Resources As in previous years, participating schools will receive a score and song lyrics on paper and recorded tracks to be downloaded from a new Big Sing website. Resources and links will be given out at the launch day. Schools also receive a visit from one of our vocal trainers. These are to support you preparing your singers. Cost There is no cost to participate in the Big Sing but schools will need to pay for transport to the rehearsal. What we ask of you in exchange for taking part in this remarkable and memorable occasion The cost of running the Big Sing is met entirely by East Sussex Music using public funding and income from ticket sales. There is no charge to schools. It costs East Sussex Music approximately £1000 per school to produce this event. So that public money is not wasted, we ask that school commit fully to the project. School will need to make sure that: - There are weekly rehearsals of the music, starting promptly in September so they are fully prepared for the performances - Parents are informed of the performances, letters sent home and ticket sales promoted to parents and friends - Communication with the music service administration and music leaders is prompt and efficient We are here to help at all times, so please ask if you start to find anything difficult. 2 How to take part You are welcome to bring as many singers as you wish. Some schools bring a choir of 10 or 50, other schools bring a class or year group, 30 to 120 and more – it’s up to you. However, we have to coordinate your singers into a combined group that results in a memorable performance for all the schools that you are sharing your performance with, so we ask for your understanding in that: It is important you give us an accurate as possible estimate of numbers of pupils when you apply so that we can manage demand from all schools. You can update your numbers nearer the time. We aim the scheduling at upper KS2, though you are welcome bring lower KS2 if you wish. If you suddenly turn up with very few singers on the day, or pull out at short notice, this not only wastes a lot of public money but also leads to a small choir for other school to sing with – this is disappointing for them. Please keep in touch about your pupil numbers so we can be prepared and make the performances as memorable as possible for all schools taking part. Dates Launch Date (meeting for school choir leaders) Tuesday 24th September. 4.30 – 6.30 Led by Ash Beauchamp Venue: Glyndebourne Concerts will take place on the following dates and times; we shall do our very best to ensure that schools perform at the theatre of their choice. However, performances are allocated in order of receipt, so apply early to get a better chance of your first or second choice. Performances will, dependant on school demand, be allocated either a seasonal or religious theme. These are provisionally shown by (S) for seasonal or (R) for religious in the following list of performance times. This is a provisional allocation and may need to change if school demand is different. Wednesday 20th November – Assembly Halls, Tunbridge Wells. Performances at 5.30pm(S) and 7.30pm(R) Thursday 28th November – De La Warr Pavillion, Bexhill. Performances at 5.30pm(S) and 7.30pm(R) Monday 2nd December – White Rock Theatre, Hastings. Performances at 5.30pm(S) and 7.30pm(R) Tuesday 3rd December – King’s Centre, Eastbourne. Performances at 5.30pm(R) and 7.30pm(S) Wednesday 4th December – King’s Centre, Eastbourne. Performances at 5.30pm(S) and 7.30pm(R) Thursday 5th December – King’s Centre, Eastbourne. Performances at 5.30pm(R) and 7.30pm(S) 3 The performance/rehearsal options are outlined below: Option 1 7.30pm performance 10.00am – 12.00 noon - Rehearsal at the venue 12.00 noon – 12.30pm - Packed lunch at the venue (if required – teachers to supervise) 12.00 noon or 12.30pm - Return to school 7.00pm – Parents bring pupils to the venue (to be met by their teachers and supervised until on stage) 7.30pm – Concert (teachers to supervise their pupils in the wings) 8.30pm – Pupils return home with their parents Option 2 5.30pm Performance 2.00pm - 4.00pm - Rehearsal at the venue 4.00pm - 5.00pm - Packed snack at the venue (teachers to supervise until pupils are on stage) 5.00pm - 5.30pm - Parents arrive 5.30pm - 6.30pm - Concert (teachers to supervise their pupils in the wings) 6.30pm - Pupils return home with their We intend to offer a religious and seasonal performance at each venue. This depends entirely on school demand. We ask you in the application form which format you would prefer; we will then do our best to meet the wishes of all schools. If you would like to join us please register online at www.bit.ly/esm-bigsing by 15th September at the latest, but places usually sell out by the end of the summer term. Booking is now open and places will be allocated strictly in order of receipt of your application - early response is advised. With best wishes, Simon Lock Senior Manager East Sussex Music 4 Glyndebourne Glyndebourne is recognised internationally as one of the great opera houses; a reputation that stems from a passion for artistic excellence encapsulated in founder John Christie’s insistence on doing ‘not the best we can do but the best that can be done anywhere’. John and his opera singer wife, Audrey Mildmay, founded the Glyndebourne Festival in 1934. In 1968 the Glyndebourne Tour was established to bring opera to new audiences across the country and create opportunities for talented young singers. Today Glyndebourne is a year-round operation. The Festival runs from May to August with a programme of six operas in a 1,200-seat opera house. The annual Tour takes place from October to December and a widely respected education programme is active year round staging new work and delivering projects to enhance the understanding and enjoyment of opera. Together the Festival and Tour present 120 performances annually to an audience of 150,000 with many more people experiencing Glyndebourne’s work through its yearly programme of cinema screenings and free online streamings. Glyndebourne has pioneered specialist recordings to share its work with a global audience through these channels and as part of this mission to reach new audiences, also offers reduced-price tickets to under-30s. Since it was founded, Glyndebourne has remained financially independent and, whilst receiving valued Arts Council support for the Tour and education work, the Festival receives no public subsidy. As a registered charity Box Office income, membership and supporters fund Glyndebourne’s work. University of Sussex School of English The School of English at the University of Sussex combines an illustrious history with a commitment to innovation and interdisciplinarity that places it at the forefront of the discipline. We are a flagship School within the University, set in the stunning South Downs National Park only minutes away from Brighton, one of Britain’s most cosmopolitan cities. Our programmes cover the whole range of English Studies, from Medieval and Renaissance Literature to contemporary Avant Garde poetry, incorporating the study of Drama, American Literature and English Language.