FOUR SHIRES v MUSIC
MUSICAL VOLUNTEERS NEEDED AT COUGHTON COURT
Local National Trust property, Coughton Court, is looking for musical volunteers to make a visit to Coughton really special, by playing the piano in the magnificent Saloon.
Fairport Convention (left to right): Gerry Conway, Simon Nicol, Dave Pegg, Ric Sanders, Chris Leslie. Photo by Ben Nicholson
CROPREDY 2012 LINE-UP ANNOUNCED
Britain’s friendliest music festival, Fairport’s Cropredy Convention, has announced the line-up of artists appearing at this year’s event. Twenty acts will play more than thirty hours of live music over the festival’s three days and there will be an emphasis on emerging talent.
Fairport’s Cropredy Convention takes place on Thursday 9, Friday 10 and Saturday 11 August 2012 at its usual site on farmland north of Banbury, Oxfordshire, three miles from Junction 11 of the M40 motorway.
Tickets will go on sale from today (Friday 17 February). As in previous years, the festival offers one-day, two-day and three-day tickets which are exclusively available from
www.fairportconvention.com with a substantial discount for early booking.
Headliners for 2012 include Big Country, Joan Armatrading and Squeeze. The customary Saturday night closing performance from host band Fairport Convention will be preceded by a set from former Dr Hook frontman Dennis Locorriere. Former Fairport member Richard Thompson is a regular at Cropredy and this year he will be playing a solo set on Friday evening. Folkrock orchestra Bellowhead and reggae band Legend both return to the festival by popular demand.
As well as established big name acts, this year’s Fairport’s Cropredy Convention will showcase up-and-coming young bands. There will be a set by the winner of the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award, Ioscaid, a six-piece traditional Irish band. Other emerging young bands include Calan, Ellen And The Escapades, Larkin Poe and Brother & Bones.
“ Cropredy has always thrived on variety,” says Simon Nicol, Fairport’s lead singer and festival co-organiser, “and we are particularly proud to feature so many younger artists this year. The music we’ve selected ranges from pop and rock to reggae and folk, a line-up to appeal to most tastes and age groups.”
“We don’t usually put tickets on sale until March,” Mr Nicol says, “but because demand has been so heavy in recent years we’ve opened our box office earlier than usual. We advise festival- goers to get their orders in quickly.”
Musical highlights from Fairport’s Cropredy Convention have been broadcast on Sky Arts 1 HD television channel for the past two years and the 2012 event will also be recorded for transmission later in the year.
Fairport Convention is celebrating 45 years as a working band during 2012 and will feature in a hour-long music documentary to be broadcast on BBC Four television this summer.
68 FOUR SHIRES v MARCH 2012
Volunteer piano player Pat Ellis, at the grand piano in the Saloon at Coughton Court (pictured above, courtesy of Sylvia Edwards) said:
‘It’s very special to hear this Broadwood grand piano being played, and the acoustics are really good in the Saloon so you can hear the music drifting through the house. Visitors love to hear it being played and it really adds to the atmosphere.
‘I don’t often get the chance to play a grand piano, and it’s a great privilege and wonderful experience to play in such a beautiful room, and with such an appreciative audience.’
Anyone interested in finding out more about this role should call the volunteer recruitment team, who can be reached on 01789 400777.
For those non pianists out these we have a wide variety of volunteer opportunities including room guiding, helping with events and welcoming visitors to Coughton. Volunteering with the National Trust is ideal for anyone looking to make new friends or develop an interest, and it can be great work experience for those who have just finished college or who are looking for a career change. Full training is provided; all you need is enthusiasm and a willingness to get involved.
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