music – Page 65 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

And a song for May Day

North Edinburgh activist Willie Black has been immortalised in song!

Lifelong socialist Willie (pictured below), who’s from Granton, hit the national headlines back in March when he famously harangued DWP minister Iain Duncan Smith at an Edinburgh hotel. The story made the national news broadcasts and proved to be a big internet hit, and the incident has now been captured in ‘The Ratbag Song’, which you can hear here:

It’s thought unlikely that Citizen Smart, the song’s composer and performer, will be appearing on ‘The Voice’ any time soon!

Edinburgh College students hit the right notes

Students Hit the Right Notes When It Comes To Music Business

Inspiring Edinburgh College students are hosting an event in the capital to showcase the culmination of a year’s worth of work. As part of the HND Music Business course students were required to set up their own independent record labels, scout for new artists and host a single launch party to showcase the results of final year project.

To highlight the artists and some of the most exciting new labels emerging on the east coast, the launch event will be held

this Friday 3 May at The Underground in Teviot Row

Seven independent record labels have been set up by the HND Music Business students, who hand picked artists from across Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Colin McGregor, from Edinburgh, is a student on the course and he will release a single titled ‘September Weekend’ by Glasgow band The Maybes. Colin, who says that the experience has been a real eye opener, will launch the single through his independent record label, Offtrack Records.

He said: “It has been a great experience working towards the single launch and setting up our own record label has been rather surreal. As I have a lot of experience performing, I began this course to get a more rounded knowledge of the music industry and it has been a huge learning curve for me. Edinburgh College has given us real working life experience in that we have had to do everything from setting up our own official record labels and talent scouting for artists to marketing, finance and management.”

During the course, students gain invaluable experience of how an established record label operates, giving them a vast amount of inside knowledge of the music industry.

Singles from each of the artists were recorded at the state-of-the-art CRE:8 Studios at Edinburgh College’s Milton Road campus and they were released simultaneously on Monday (29 April) and are now available for download through iTunes.

The tracks were produced, mixed and mastered by former students from the College’s Sound Production course, and engineered by current Sound Production students facilitating a unique collaborative approach to establishing the labels.

Paul Turnbull, Music Business lecturer at Edinburgh College said: “We constantly strive to provide students with projects that will bring together a variety of disciplines and different strains of knowledge. The students have done an outstanding job in what they have achieved so far and I know the launch night will be a huge success. The experience the students have gained will ensure that students have the relevant knowledge to be successful in the industry.”

Edinburgh College has its own record label, Feast, which was created by three lecturers in late 2010 and is synonymous with the Feast Blog which strives to promote new independent music in Edinburgh and across Scotland. Feast was born through an initiative called Bright Ideas and was set up as a sustainable business from an educational perspective – giving past and present students invaluable experience for future employment opportunities.

Those on the label and at the college have access to its vibrant creative centre which has outstanding facilities for students and musicians, sound engineers and TV Producers and has already been used to host London punk rock band The King Blues amongst others.

The modern fully equipped auditorium allows performance space for gigs, films and other events. Through this affiliation with Feast, the courses at Edinburgh College bring together managers, musicians, bands, engineers and even the filming students in line with education to create original music and videos.

Students at Edinburgh College benefit from study and performance opportunities unrivalled in the sector. Previous students have performed live at the O2 Arena and collaborated in a concert with Jon Lord at the Usher Hall, Edinburgh while recent students have attended master classes in music and sound production with the producer of Oasis.

Students are assisted to find employment through a partnership with ‘Music for Scotland’ or provided with the opportunity to start their own business in a college commercial incubator unit.

Love music? Sing out at community choir!

Edinburgh’s largest community choir is about to take shape in a new collaboration between Love Music Productions and the Usher Hall. Love Music Community Choir hopes to attract 250 enthusiastic singers to Edinburgh’s premier concert hall. The first choir session takes place on Tuesday 5 February.

The choir is open to anyone who wants and loves to sing. There are no auditions and no age restrictions (although anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult). Everyone is welcome, whether complete beginners or regular crooners.

A range of music will be enjoyed and programming will reflect the broad presentation of concerts at the Usher Hall. World, jazz, classical, rock and indie, folk, gospel, opera and all things in-between.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Convenor of Culture & Leisure commented: “I’m sure there are lots of would-be singers in Edinburgh who would really enjoy this opportunity to come out and join in. So I hope they won’t be shy but take the first step and get in touch”.

Love Music Director and the choir’s conductor, Stephen Deazley said: “We’re delighted that the Usher Hall is joining with us in this exciting new project, opening up this wonderful venue to the people of Edinburgh so that we can sing together and inspire each other with amazing music”.

The choir will meet every Tuesday with the first meeting taking place on Tuesday 5 February from 7pm – 9pm.

For further details and to register, visit www.choir.lovemusic.org.uk

Choirs to sing out at Sainsbury’s!

Fancy some seasonal sounds while you do your Christmas shopping? Sainsbury’s Blackhall will ring out with all your festive favourites with visits planned by three different choirs in the run-up to Christmas!

A spokesperson said: “We are delighted to welcome some members of the congregation of our local Church, Blackhall St Columba’s, to our store on Sunday (9 December) at 2pm to sing carols for our customers and colleagues. We are also looking forward to a visit from Stockbridge Primary School choir, who will be singing for us on Wednesday 12 December at 4pm, and the Edinburgh Jubilio Choir on Tuesday 18 December at 6pm.”

City of Edinburgh Music School Open Day this Saturday

The City of Edinburgh Music School at Broughton High School, East Fettes Avenue will throw open it’s doors on Saturday (3 November) to welcome people in to see for themselves what makes this renowned school so popular and successful. Between 10.30 and 12.30 students, staff and parents will be on hand to answer questions and demonstrate various activities that take place throughout a normal week.

The City of Edinburgh Music School is unique. It is the only specialist Music School that covers the whole age range from 4 to 19 and is totally funded by the Scottish Government, so it does not charge any fees. Entry is by audition and the gifted children selected receive specialist tuition in all aspects of music while based full-time at newly built state-of-the-art facilities in Flora Stevenson Primary and Broughton High Schools.

The school was selected to become the first UK All Steinway School of Excellence in the UK and has 25 Steinway pianos – at least one in every teaching space. There are also professional standard recording studios, rehearsal rooms and performance spaces seating up to 500.

Students from the school were recently invited to perform at the 2012 Olympic Celebrations in London, accompany the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq’s first British tour with Julian Lloyd Webber, take part in both the International and Fringe Festival and have also been featured on national radio and television programmes!

Sir Simon Rattle, CBE is the patron of the Music School. Financial assistance is given for travel if students live further afield, and there is also a trust fund to provide scholarships and resources for specialist music students.

With all the advantages of expert individual tuition and the social mix of a large, successful state school – each child’s gift for music is developed in a well-balanced and happy environment.

For more information contact:

Tudor Morris (Director) 0131 332 7805

www.edinburghmusicschool.co.uk

musicschool@broughton.edin.sch.uk

Mela’s G-Code crew launch album

Edinburgh Mela is based at North Edinburgh Arts Centre, and the organisation has been working with young people in North Edinburgh on various projects that were first performed at the Mela festival in September. The Mela’s G-Code project has been running on Thursday evenings, working with young local musicians on developing new music.

The G-Code project has flourished over the past few months with the young people taking part in a variety of performances including performing alongside Tinderbox Orchestra at the Dalai Lama’s World Peace event.

The participants also wrote and produced two tracks – ‘Inner Peace’ and ‘Journey’ – and the young musicians showcased their musical achievements at North Edinburgh Arts Centre last Friday where they hosted an album launch, music event and exhibition before being interviewed by young people from Muirhouse Youth Development Group.

For more information about the Mela G-Code project contact Angela on 0131 315 2151.

Broughton welcomes Iraqi Youth Orchestra

Broughton High School welcomed the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq yesterday.

Tudor Morris, who is Director of The City of Edinburgh Music School based at Broughton, explained: “This is the orchestra’s first ever visit to the UK, where they are performing at the Edinburgh Festival with Julian Lloyd Webber, Khyam Allami and players from the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra, conducted by Paul MacAlindin.

“The National Youth Orchestra of Iraq is a remarkable project set up by a brave 17-year-old Iraqi, Zuhal Sultan, just four years ago. Although many musicians had fled the country during the war, Zuhal was determined to create a national youth orchestra, which has since enjoyed great success in Iraq and abroad.

They were featured in a Channel 4 documentary last week and have been on several news programmes this week, and we are delighted to welcome them to Broughton.”

The Iraqis are spending three weeks working with the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra
before the 26 August concert at Greyfriars Kirk. They will join cellist
Julian Lloyd Webber and their repertoire will include a concerto by Scottish composer Gordon McPherson.

Find out more at www.nyoiraq.com.

Criminal profits from communities – no more!

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill joined the Proclaimers and young musicians who are developing their career skills thanks to cash seized from crime.

North Edinburgh Arts Centre is one of eighteen studios from across Scotland to have received investment to allow 12 to 25 year-old musicians to record their first demo tracks and allow them access to professional standard recording and rehearsal facilities.

It’s part of Creative Scotland’s Cashback for Creativity project which uses crooks’ cash to benefit young people of Scotland through a series of cultural diversionary activities. Over three years £2.25 million is being invested into dance, film and music programmes.

During 2012 in the Year of Creative Scotland, the CashBack for Creativity programme will create opportunities for over 8,000 budding young film-makers, dancers and musicians to develop their skills.

The CashBack for Communities Programme takes funds recovered from the proceeds of crime and invests them in back into communities, putting young people on a positive path in life by providing opportunities for them to take part in thousands of free activities and projects – over £46 million has been reinvested to benefit over 600,000 young people since CashBack began.

Mr MacAskill (pictured above) said: “CashBack gives young people the chance to get creative and broaden their horizons. I was delighted to meet Jack Hincks and his Band from Biggar who have been given the chance to record professional music at CP Productions in Edinburgh and develop their personal, social and career skills. And who better than the Proclaimers – one of the most successful and popular Scottish bands of all time – to be on hand to share their skills and some of the secrets of their success.

“Jack Hincks and his Band are some of scores of young musicians from across Scotland who will benefit from professional standard recording facilities – and some might follow the likes of the Proclaimers in making a successful career in the music industry.

“Providing opportunities for young people to get involved in the arts, theatre and cultural activities can help improve confidence and give them a sense of achievement whilst also demonstrating that there is more to life than petty crime. Investment in our young people and their communities will always be money well spent.”

David McDonald, Youth Arts Manager at Creative Scotland, said: ‘The CashBack for Creativity programme has allowed recording studios across the country to open their doors to over 161 young bands and acts. The experience of recording in a professional recording studio with experienced producers at such an early stage in their development will hopefully inspire them to achieve their potential in their future careers, perhaps even the music industry.

“The CashBack programme has also given thousands of young film makers and dancers the opportunity to shine and express themselves creatively. Taking part in creative activities can make a real difference to the lives of our children and young people, it can help build confidence, enable them to make friends and teach them how to work as part of a group.”

The Proclaimers’ Charlie and Craig Reid (below) added: “We are delighted to continue to support the Scottish Government’s imaginative policy on community based funding for worthwhile projects, using the confiscated funds from criminal activity.”

Return of the King

Edinburgh Elvis fans have an opportunity to enjoy music, rare video and memorabilia at a dance at the Taxi Club in Beaverhall Road on Saturday 18 August from 7.30pm ’til late.

It’s hard to believe it’s now almost 35 years since Elvis Presley’s untimely death – but for members of Edinburgh Elvis, the official local Elvis Presley Fan Club, this will be a celebration of the great man’s life and music, not a wake. So get on your blue suede shoes and go party with The King!

For further information see the Edinburgh Elvis Facebook page or email edinburghelvis35@gmail.com

Triumphant Technophonia!

Triumphant Technophonia! Local students perform Olympic music

Disabled musicians using new technology took centre stage with City of Edinburgh Music School students when they performed Technophonia, an orchestral arrangement to celebrate the Olympics, to great acclaim recently.

The disabled musicians played specially designed, weird and wonderful instruments – with brilliant names like skoog, soundbeam and brainfingers! – which detect tiny movements, making it easier for people with disabilities to perform. The ensemble rehearsed weekly at Broughton High School, home of the renowned City of Edinburgh Music School, the new wave instruments playing in harmony with the conventional.

The children have been working with the charity Drake Music Scotland, established in 1997 with the ethos that ‘disability is no barrier to making music’. DMS’s Thursa Sanderson said: “We had no pre-existing link with the school, but our artistic director knew Tudor (Morris, head of the City of Edinburgh Music School). When we were applying for the New Music 20×12 funding for the commission, we thought it would be great to approach Tudor and ask if pupils from the City of Edinburgh Music School would like to be involved as they are recognised as the best young players from Edinburgh and the surrounding area.”

She went on: “It makes a huge difference for our young musicians with disabilities to play in an ensemble with them, because they rarely, if ever, get the chance to play or perform along with their peers, so it is a great experience for them. I think it works both ways, as it opens the eyes of the CEMS students to the technology and what you can do creatively with it, allowing them to see how young people with disabilities are able to play music – they just need the right resources and support.”

Tudor Morris said: “We were delighted to be involved in this initiative with Drake Music Scotland. It has been an incredibly rewarding project and a really great experience for our students.”

Scots composer Oliver Searle (pictured above) was one of twenty composers commissioned to write a twelve-minute piece to celebrate the Cultural Olympiad. He said: ”Part of this project was trying to write specifically for these instruments so you could say: this is a skoog piece, this is a piece for soundbeam and chamber ensemble, or this is for brainfingers. Not only have we used these instruments, but there are also solos for them!”

The soloists were Anthony Swift and Chris Jacquin, who both have cerebral palsy, and Stephanie Forrest on soundbeam, brainfingers and skoog respectively.

Andrew (15) said: ”When I was wee all I wanted to do was play an instrument. It’s just so amazing to get the opportunity to show people what I can actually be capable of.”

Technophonia, Scots composer Oliver Searle’s specially commissioned piece, was premiered in Edinburgh’s Queens Hall on 15 June, followed up with a Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on 22 June before a gala performance at London’s Southbank Centre on 15 July as part of the New Music 20×12 Weekend Celebration.

The performances received great acclaim. Triumphant Technophonia!”, “momentous achievement”, “brilliantly conceived” and “astonishing demonstration” were just a few of the many glowing comments on the three performances.

Technophonia demonstrated just how technology can aid disabled musicians perform on an equal footing with their peers, and that skoogs, soundbeams and brainfingers could become a regular sight in orchestras and bands. And yes, that disability is no barrier to making music. Congratulations to all concerned – bravo!