Edinburgh College Art & Design students will compete to impress an Edinburgh band with their design skills at a gig at The Mash House tonight.
Continue reading Students face the music with record cover designs
Tag: music
Fundraiser for Syrian refugees tonight
Stockbridge Church, Saxe Coburg Street 5pm
Entrance by donation
Get Circle’s Christmas single
CIRCLE Family Support Worker Bob Bell has released a Christmas single, ‘Receive Your King’, and sales of the record will raise money for the West Pilton-based charity. Continue reading Get Circle’s Christmas single
Epic awards nominations open
The UK’s body for championing participation in creative cultural activities, Voluntary Arts, has launched the Epic Awards
Thousands of people across the UK give up their time to share their passion for arts and creative activities. Leading groups of young and old, these people improve the lives of millions of people across the country.
The Epic Awards offer the opportunity to celebrate and reward these volunteers and groups and spread the word about the huge range of activities enriching our lives in all areas of Scotland.
- UK and Ireland’s premier award for amateur cultural groups, the Epic Awards opens for nominations.
- A winner and a runner up will be chosen from Scotland, England, Northern & Republic of Ireland, and Wales.
- Over 60,000 voluntary arts groups across the UK and Republic of Ireland are eligible.
- Groups can nominate themselves online at epicawards.co.uk
- Closing date for nominations is 7 December.
- The Epic Awards will be presented at a dinner in Cardiff on 2 April 2016.
- Once the shortlist is announced there will also be a People’s Choice award voted for by the public, a Peer award in which groups vote for each other and additional awards for excellent work with young people and disabled people.
- The Epic Awards are run by Voluntary Arts to recognise and reward excellence and innovation in the amateur cultural sector.
https://youtu.be/Ncad5dgSv2U
Are you involved in an arts or crafts group that is doing something new and interesting? Have you struck up an interesting collaboration, inspired others or solved a problem in your home town?
From singing to knitting, amateur dramatics to painting, over 60,000 amateur arts groups across the UK and Republic of Ireland are making a difference to lives in their local areas. The Epic Awards shines a spotlight on their achievements.
You can nominate your group for an award by filling in the form on www.epicawards.co.uk and put them forward for national recognition and a range of prizes from financial support to advice, partnership and performance opportunities.
Winning groups have usually run initiatives or activities that involve interesting collaborations, or engage with their local community or beyond, undertake creative activity that inspires others or increases participation, or use new ideas in innovative ways.
Last year’s Scottish winner, Kirkcudbright Art and Crafts Trail (below), is a volunteer-led arts trail which has grown to include over 100 venues filled with work created by over 200 participants attracting audiences from far and wide.
Kirkcudbright Art and Crafts Trail’s Pauline Saul reflected on what winning the Epic Award meant for the group. She said: “We were delighted to be short listed for the Epic Award for Scotland. When the email came saying that we had won we were extremely proud of our achievement, wanting to run outside and tell everyone!
“The Epic Award has given the trail some good publicity through local papers and town folk have been really pleased both for us and for Kirkcudbright. Following the Epic Award we have grown in confidence, and become more forward thinking, planning a Christmas event and our theme for 2016.”
Last year’s runner-up in Scotland DD8 Music is a group run by volunteers in Kirriemuir, which provides free lessons, jams and recording equipment for young people. DD8 Music also picked up the UK wide award for exceptional work with young people.
The public have their chance to vote and award a prize to one of the shortlisted groups through The People’s Choice Award. Last year’s winners were Knitted Knockers UK, a group of over 650 people across the UK who co-ordinate online to create and send 100 per cent cotton breast prostheses to women who have had mastectomies.
Jemma Neville, director of Voluntary Arts Scotland, said: “The Epic Awards demonstrate the scale and diversity of self-led creative cultural activity in Scotland. From volunteer-led festivals to community radio stations, and poetry groups to choirs, there are creative people across the country with the passion and initiative to provide opportunities for people to take part in voluntary arts activity. I strongly encourage groups thinking of applying to do so.”
Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop, said: “The Voluntary Arts Epic Awards showcase excellent examples of inclusive and local participation in the arts and the initiative and drive of many dedicated volunteers across the country who set up and run thousands of arts and cultural groups.
“Voluntary arts contribute much to Scotland’s rich and varied cultural life and Voluntary Arts Scotland’s support helps enable more people to get involved in creative activities.
“These awards demonstrate an ongoing commitment to ensuring that communities across Scotland are supported to create and participate so that all the hard work and imagination that contribute to the cultural life of our communities, often undertaken by volunteers, is recognised.
“I’m looking forward to hearing more about the exciting work taking place the length and breadth of Scotland in the run up to this year’s awards and encourage Scottish nominations to be put forward.”
The Epic Awards are supported by Spirit of 2012, an independent trust created to sustain the spirit and opportunities from London 2012, and are themselves supporting BBC Get Creative. Spirit has also helped to create two new categories of Epic Award as well as the Epic Places project. Voluntary Arts also acknowledges funding from Arts Council England, Arts Council Wales, Creative Scotland and Arts Council Northern Ireland.
Debbie Lye, chief executive of Spirit of 2012, said: “We at Spirit are delighted to be supporting the Epic Awards again in 2016. I was blown away by the sheer breadth of high-quality award nominations last year – it’s clear we’ve got a voluntary arts scene to be proud of.
“The Epic Awards really do showcase the cream of the UK and Ireland’s amateur artistic and cultural crop, and I am eager to see who’s in the running in 2016. Best of luck!”
Remember that closing date for nominations: Monday 7 December
Then play on … City of Edinburgh Music School Open Day
The City of Edinburgh Music School is holding on Open Day at Broughton High School on Saturday 7 November from 11am – 2pm.
Coming up: classical concert at st stephens centre
Beethoven and Brahms at St Stephen Centre this Friday
My ears are alight: College recording studio revamped
Former students helps shine some starlight on Edinburgh College recording studio
Edinburgh College’s newly star-spangled recording studio is giving up-and-coming local bands and musicians the chance to use their rehearsal space to unleash the power of music free of charge.
The studio at the college’s Milton Road Campus has been given a sparkling revamp thanks to the generosity of a generous former student and local musicians, and is ready to continue to support students, graduates and musicians from the community to create high quality music videos and recordings to rival the output of professional studios. Bands who have used the studio have gone on to get national radio airplay and perform at major music festivals.
Former HND Sound Production student Gerry Callahan presented course tutor Richie Harrison and the college’s sound department with a starlight curtain to use as a background to music videos. This adjustable stage backdrop of black cloth is peppered with LED lights ‘stars’ and is a welcome addition to the already state of the art studios. The curtain will act as an improved setting for the music videos filmed in the studio.
Gerry raised the funds for the curtain through sales of an album he recorded as part of his graded unit for his course. Gerry brought eight singer songwriters together to record his album to help raise the profile of the Listening Room, the second longest running open music night in Edinburgh. Listening Room organisers James Igoe and James Whyte also held a launch event to help raise more funds, and the album is still available to buy through the Listening Room website.
Local musicians Norman Lamont (above), Fiona Thom, John Farrell and Jason Pillay came into the studio on Friday to help launch the newly revamped studio and celebrate Gerry’s donation by recording music videos in the new space. These were filmed by another former sound production student, Darren Knox, who now helps run Edinburgh Undersound, an independent music organisation. Current students from Richie’s course were also on hand to handle the sound production.
Gerry said: “I wanted to make this donation as an expression of gratitude for everything that Richie and the sound department did for me while I studied here. I’m a bit above the usual student age bracket, but they were really good to me and made me feel extremely welcome on the course. I knew that Richie always wanted to decorate the space to make it a better location for filming music videos and I was happy to help.”
Richie Harrison said: “Gerry’s donation will allow us to continue improve upon the quality of the music videos we produce in the studio to show off the emerging talent from the college and surrounding communities. The recording studios already have cutting edge equipment, with consoles made by Solid State Logic and Toft, the same as is used in the world’s top recording studios including Abbey Road and New York’s Electric Lady Studios. Local musicians are very welcome to get involved and can contact me via my college Richard.harrison@edinburghcollege.ac.uk email address.”
The college offers the studios at its Milton Road Campus for free as a place for local bands and young musicians to develop their skills, make recordings and film music videos. The studios are home to Feast, the college record label. Set up as a sustainable business giving past and present students invaluable experience for future employment, Feast brings managers, musicians, bands, engineers and filming students together to create original music and videos.
Bands who have used the studio have gone on to national radio play on BBC radio stations, including Radio 1, Radio 6 Extra, and Radio Scotland, and some have played T in the Park’s Introducing Stage. Fatherson, Ded Rabbit, Vukovi, Tijuana Bibles and Man of Moon have all used the studio for videos and recordings. These bands are well on their way to breaking through in the music scene. The Scottish Alternative Music Awards have also shot videos with artists in the studios.
Pictured (top): Listening Room organisers James Igoe, James Whyte; musicians Jason Pillay, John Farrell, Fiona Thom, Norman Lamont; former student Gerry Callahan and Edinburgh College Sound Production lecturer Richie Harrison.
Stage is set for Showcase 2015
Showcase aims to raise £250,000 to aid Macmillan Cancer Support in anniversary year
Following the hugely successful Showcase 25, charity Showcase Musical Productions is now in rehearsals for its regular annual show-stopping performance.
From 22-26 September, Showcase returns to the Church Hill Theatre to continue celebrating its 25th anniversary raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support. This will be a double celebration as this year also marks the 50th anniversary of the Church Hill Theatre.
Director, Andy Johnston, describes the programme as: “An eclectic mix of old and new including songs from throughout the lengthy career of Sir Elton John and a tribute to the genius that was Jacques Brel.
“We celebrate the recent reunion of classic 1970’s megastars Fleetwood Mac and perform some of the most celebrated cover versions of all time, including songs from artists as diverse as Pet Shop Boys, Faith No More and J2.
“We even manage to squeeze in songs from classic shows such as Les Miserables, Priscilla – Queen of the Desert and Cabaret, alongside songs from current West End hits Gypsy, The Kinks Musical; Sunny Afternoon and Carole King’s Beautiful.”
Showcase is one of the biggest fundraisers for Macmillan Cancer Support in Scotland, having raised over £230,000 in the last 25 years. Showcase hopes to raise sufficient funds from this anniversary year to reach their £250,000 target.
This is a cause that is close to all Showcasers’ hearts, many of the company and supporters have first-hand experience of the tremendous work of Macmillan.
Jayne Forbes, Macmillan Fundraising Manager for Edinburgh, said: “The support of Showcase is pivotal to Macmillan’s presence in Scotland. We couldn’t have developed services in the way we have without them. And with more people living – and not dying – from cancer, the need for our support is greatly increasing.
“It’s great to work with Showcase. They are fantastic fundraisers but more than this they are truly passionate about, and dedicated to, Macmillan. We couldn’t wish for better advocates and supporters and we would like to thank each and every one of them for their commitment to us.”
Showcase 25 was a phenomenal success and it helped to kick off the 25th anniversary celebrations for Showcase. All Edinburgh Theatre’s Thom Dibdin felt that Showcase ‘rose to the challenges of staging a big choral show on the King’s stage with significant success.’
Showcase 2015 is already shaping up to be just as exciting and is a show not to be missed. Vice President Alan Hunter sums up why tickets should be bought for this performance: “By coming along and buying a ticket, you are genuinely making a difference to somebody’s life, and what could be better than that?”
Young talent brings the city together in a celebration of music
Edinburgh Youth Music Festival this Saturday
Edinburgh Youth Music Festival, a vibrant showcase of youth music talent, is welcoming children, young people and their families to participate in this year’s event.
Run in conjunction with a city wide network of youth music organisations such as Totally Sound, Reel Youth Media and Edinburgh Youth Music Initiative, this year’s event is organised by #artcore youth arts and is supported by Creative Scotland’s Time to Shine youth arts fund. It will be a celebration of the quality and diversity of opportunities available for ages 0 to 25.
The Edinburgh Youth Music Festival, organised by #artcore Youth Arts, is a partnership event bringing together youth agencies and projects from across the city. Partners include Totally Sound, The Tinderbox Project, Canongate Youth Project, Edinburgh Youth Music Forum, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Edinburgh College, City of Edinburgh Council’s Youth Music Initiative, Pulse of the Place and the Academy of Music and Sound.
A main feature of this year’s festival is up and coming musicians such as headliners Beeches (above), who will be sharing the stage with exciting young performers from all across Scotland that will cover the full musical range from hip hop to traditional.
The festival is happening at the South Bridge Resource Centre on Infirmary Street, on Saturday 12 September from 12 – 5pm and offers a chance to get into everything; from songwriting to Samba drumming, to advice on pursuing music as a career.
The schedule includes bands Paisley Row, Cameron Jay, Rachel Alice Johnson and headliner Beeches.
Workshops include a Frozen Singalong with the Youth Music Initiative, for ages 5 – 10; Creative Pathways into the Music Industry with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, for age 14 + and Rock techniques with the Academy of Music and Sound for ages 11-25 years.
Further details of the event including a full listing of performers and workshops can be found on the Youth Music festival website:
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#artcore Project Manager, Johnny Gailey, said: “‘We’re really excited to be able to present this year’s Edinburgh Youth Music Festival line up, which sees a host of Edinburgh’s young talent take the stage. Whilst Edinburgh band Beeches are starting to make a name for themselves, it’s just as important to us to highlight all local young talent. Everyone starts somewhere, and there are many budding young musicians in the city.
“Music is crucial to the lives of young people and the festival is a fantastic opportunity for all to be inspired by peers and to work with lots of highly skilled professional musicians and organisations. We want to thank all those involved, who are as excited and enthusiastic about the value of youth music as we are and who made the event possible.”
The Southside’s alive with the sound of music …
Fire safety message taken to Edinburgh Mela
Thousands see fire safety displays at city music and dance festival
City firefighters joined revellers at the Edinburgh Mela over the weekend to raise awareness of the support available to help the public prevent fires and the tragedies they cause.
Thousands of people enjoyed live music at Leith Links on Saturday and Sunday, making the annual festival an ideal opportunity for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) crews to share potentially life-saving information.
Watch Manager Steve Scott said: “Our community action teams and crews from Marionville and McDonald Road Fire stations had two great days of engagement with the public.
“We had more than 1,200 people visit the SFRS Mobile Museum and they loved getting dressed-up in fire kit and getting selfies. It’s popular with young and old alike but of course the main drive is making our communities safer.
“All these visitors saw displays that make you very aware of common hazards within the home as well as the steps you can take to prevent them causing a potentially devastating fire.”
The SFRS crews offered free home fire safety visits, which involve local firefighters helping householders identify hazards and taking simple steps to address them.
With early warning known to be vital if a fire does happen, the SFRS crews also check smoke alarms are working and even provide and install the devices if they are found to be needed.
Free home fire safety visits are available from SFRS by calling the freephone number 0800 073 1999, by texting ‘FIRE’ to 80800 or by filling in an online form at www.firescotland.gov.uk.
Watch Manager Scott added: “We would much rather take 20 minutes to help someone stay safe than attend a fire that could have been prevented.
“Fire in the home is devastating. Even where no-one is seriously hurt, the loss of cherished possessions, the financial impact and the emotional trauma can all be horrific for those involved.
“We want to hear from anyone who thinks they or someone they know could benefit from some friendly, expert advice and support from their local crews.”
Pictures: Edinburgh Mela