NEWS
Electric violins in East Sussex
In July Yamaha UK once again supported East Sussex Music Service in its third electric violin course, as part of the annual Eastbourne summer school. Students at Grade 5 level and above took part, some of whom already owned electric violins, while others had the chance to try instruments provided by Yamaha from its range of 4- and 5-string Silent and electric violins. Course tutors Christina Woods and Jenny Benwell led the students in experimenting with special effects made possible with the use of the electric instruments and amplification. The group had two pieces to work on, with elements of improvisation
and accompanied by backing tracks. They then used some of their favourite digital effects in composing two more totally original pieces, combining rhythmic patterns, harmonic sequences and melodic ideas. The new SV255 5-string instrument, with the added low-C string of the viola, added depth to the harmony, providing a very effective bass line that is not normally possible with violins. East Sussex Music Service runs a regular
electric violin group based in Lewes and hopes that the summer school will inspire more students to use electric strings in school bands.
Cardiff Council Music Development Team and Yamaha in recorder partnership
This Autumn sees the launch of a new recorder resource in Cardiff supported by Yamaha Music UK. Cardiff Council’s music development team has been busy researching recorder playing in local schools and discovered whole-class wider opps-style teaching and lunchtime recorder clubs, with many teachers hungry for further guidance and professional development. As part of a city-wide strategy to raise the profile of the recorder, the team has put
together ‘Recorder Club in a Box’, containing a set of Yamaha recorders, fingering charts and playing tips, a book guide, star stickers and charts, some simple tunes and a CD with backing tracks for the sessions. Emma Coulthard, of Cardiff’s music development team told us: ‘We hope that this box will open up new experiences and give teachers the confidence they need to contribute.’
Yamaha encourages the next jazz generation at Music for Youth’s National Festival
Doncaster Youth Jazz Orchestra (DYJO) was awarded the Open Jazz Award, one of three Yamaha awards at this year’s Music For Youth National Festival in July. DYJO and its director, John Ellis OBE, are no strangers to awards and acclaim. This time around the judges, Issie Barratt and Mornington Lockett, noted the ‘exquisite and staggeringly mature playing’
in their performance of Hunting Wabbits, also citing ‘wonderfully colourful ensemble playing – as good as any professional band.’ Solos from trombone, tenor and soprano were also singled out for special praise for contributing to a ‘very professional, brilliant performance!’ Some 12,000 dynamic young musicians from across the UK
John Ellis OBE leads DYJO to Yamaha award success at this year’s Music for Youth National Festival
took over the city of Birmingham to perform in the week-long early-July event. Now in its 41st year, the National Festival embodies the UK’s thriving youth music scene, showcasing a wide range of music, spanning all genres and featuring exciting performances from 345 ensembles. In a year which has seen the latest crop of Yamaha jazz scholars record their CD for release this winter, along with the launch of the second Yamaha Jazz Experience programme, it seemed only fitting for Yamaha to provide all three of its National Festival awards to younger jazz musicians. Yamaha’s School Jazz award was given to St John Fisher Catholic High School in Harro-gate and the Music Centre Jazz award went to Camden Youth Jazz Band. Congratulations to all three.
More information from
www.mfy.org.uk
The House and Yamaha honour 2011 jazz scholars
The enormously successful partnership between Yamaha in association with Jazzwise, PPL and the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group celebrated the fifth year of its Jazz Scholarship programme at the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group’s annual ‘Summer Jazz’ event at the House of Commons in July. Following an inspired performance by the Joe Stilgoe Trio, the six outstandingly talented scholarship winners from six of the UK’s leading conservatoires put in an exceptional performance. Award winning Jazz FM presenter Helen Mayhew and Yamaha music education manager Bill C Martin presented scholarships worth £1000 each to Nick Costley- White, (guitar, Guildhall School of Music & Drama), Chris Eldred (piano, Trinity College of Music), Chris Hyson (double bass, Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama), Jonathan Silk (drums, Birmingham Conservatoire), Riley Stone- Lonergan (tenor sax, Leeds College of Music) and Josh Arcoleo (tenor sax, Royal Academy of Music). The Palace of Westminster event was attended not only by parliamentarians who are interested in jazz, but also by VIPs from the jazz community, press and music industry. This summer the six scholars and their bands each recorded tracks for The Yamaha New Jazz Sessions 2011 CD, with additional tracks from established jazz artists, to help raise the scholars’ profiles. The CD will be cover-mounted on Jazzwise magazine’s Christmas and New Year double issue, with a launch at London’s internationally renowned 606 Jazz Club on 7 December.
(L-R Rear): 2011 Jazz Scholars – Nick Costley-White, Josh Arcoleo, Riley Stone-Lonergan. (L-R Front):
Chris Hyson, Jonathan Silk, Chris Eldred 5
Photo: Geoff Davis
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