Calling all musicians!
Make Music Day 2022 will be back in our library buildings and we’d love to have you perform with us. All skill levels are welcome!
If you’re interested, please get in touch with the Music Library before Saturday 23rd April.
As Edinburgh’s Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds compete out in Beijing, back home David Aitken can reflect on his contribution to their journey with pride – as one of their ever first curling coaches.
David Aitken watched on as Mouat and Dodds lost out to a strong Sweden team in the bronze medal match. Despite not coming home with a coveted Winter Olympic medal, the team can be immensely proud of their performances in a world class field of opposition.
Representing GB and at an Olympic Games is the pinnacle of sport for the pair, but David can recall their first steps onto the ice having coached them from complete beginners to promising young curlers.
David reflected on the value of coaching, and what it means to ‘make an athlete’:
“I used to be a player myself, and initially started by just helping out with absolute beginners. At first, it was tricky to work out exactly how best to communicate some of the more technical things as I transitioned into being a coach – but eventually you develop that skill.
“When I first started coaching, it was just from a participation perspective – I wanted more and more people to play the sport that I enjoyed so much. But then as the players progressed, you see this opportunity for them to experience something at an elite level, and that journey is a magical thing to be part of.
“There’s so many opportunities through coaching to develop not just as a player but as a person. Bruce wasn’t from a ‘curling community’ – it was just a case of parents bringing a child along to try a sport that looked like fun. Part of the responsibility of a coach is to ensure that your sport is inclusive, that anyone can get involved.”
David is still very much involved – currently British Curling’s Performance Foundation Manager based in Stirling. And regardless of medals, he could not be prouder of the talent emerging from GB’s curling scene:
“Britain are good at curling, because we have a very well-funded programme thanks to The National Lottery, we have a lot of experience regarding coaching and the support staff, and that input towards athletes really highlights the team behind the team.
“The breadth of input was a real eye-opener for me as I became a full-time coach, seeing how the athletes can be supported to perform to their best.”
Following an encouraging showing from the British curling contingent in Beijing, Aitken will be hoping for even more to follow – and with all the right coaching behind the team, they have everything they need!
If you are inspired to get into coaching, visit www.ukcoaching.org for support and resources to start your coaching journey.
Leading entertainment industry training programme and talent management, Stagebox, has announced audition dates taking place across the nation from April 2022.
The annual search sees experts audition passionate performers aged 8-18 years old from across the country (and internationally), offering successful members the chance to benefit from world class training and opportunities in a contemporary supercharged industry accelerator for musical theatre, television and film.
Last year’s auditions saw the Stagebox team meet thousands of performers from across the UK and beyond, and this year they anticipate similar interest. This year, auditionees will be able to select whether they are auditioning for an acting or musical theatre membership and their audition day will see them be put through their paces in this discipline.
Many young performers training at Stagebox have already landed dream roles on stage and screen, thanks to the expert training and management.
Stagebox has secured their clients major lead talent screen roles in Oscar nominated and Emmy award winning productions, including Peaky Blinders (Netflix), Sex Education (Netflix), Robin Robin (Netflix), Ted Lasso (Apple TV+), Avenue 5 (HBO), The Power (Amazon Studios), Pistol (Disney +), BAFTA anthology Superdad (Channel 4), Gentleman Jack (Netflix/HBO), Lagging (BBC) and many more.
Stagebox management clients also continue to star in West End and UK Tour musicals including Frozen, Matilda the Musical, School of Rock, Annie, The Grinch, Mary Poppins and Tina the Musical to name a few.
To further the opportunities for their clients, Stagebox Management has also brokered agency partnerships stateside, working alongside Innovative Artists, Paradigm Talent, Luber Roklin Entertainment, Gravity Hill, KMR, Maverick and more.
Commenting on the upcoming 2022 auditions, Stagebox’s General Manager, Jasmine Quinlan Gardner, said: “We are so excited to begin our nationwide search for the stars of today and tomorrow.
“We are proud of our inclusive, diverse and extraordinarily talented community and we can’t wait to meet those who will join us on the journey.”
Kirsti Bagger, Head Agent at Stagebox, adds: “At Stagebox, the training is second to none, preparing our young stars for careers on the stage and screen. 2021 was one of our most successful years ever with Stagebox Management clients wrapping on global award-winning feature films and television series and critically acclaimed theatre productions.
“We’re committed to making auditions for Stagebox free as part of our ongoing dedication to inclusivity in the arts. We only open for auditions once a year, and we’re excited to see our 2022 auditionees’ incredible new talent!”
These auditions are guaranteed to fill up fast and limited spaces apply. To register your spot for your preferred audition date, please visit the Stagebox website to apply.
To find out more about Stagebox, please head to: https//www.stagebox.uk/
*Auditions will adhere to all necessary COVID-19 guidelines.
Following the announcement of our 2022 venue – the wonderful old Royal High School – we are now inviting submissions for our THEATRE and SPOKEN WORD programmes.
The old Royal High is a large, stunning complex in the city centre which we plan to transform into live music venues and performance spaces for theatre, dance and spoken word, alongside pop-up bars and a multitude of art exhibition and installation spaces.
We are running open calls to invite proposals for ambitious, innovative and experimental pieces, existing performances and works in development.
Alongside our call for theatre and spoken word artists, we are still inviting dance submissions. Also stay tuned for a local bands call coming soon.
| Following the announcement of our 2022 venue – the wonderful old Royal High School – we are now inviting submissions for our THEATRE and SPOKEN WORD programmes. The old Royal High is a large, stunning complex in the city centre which we plan to transform into live music venues and performance spaces for theatre, dance and spoken word, alongside pop-up bars and a multitude of art exhibition and installation spaces. We are running open calls to invite proposals for ambitious, innovative and experimental pieces, existing performances and works in development. Alongside our call for theatre and spoken word artists, we are still inviting dance submissions. Also stay tuned for a local bands call coming soon. |
SPIRITS at a Cramond care home have been lifted thanks to a local school pipe band treating residents to a fine performance.
Pupils from Cargilfield School, an independent preparatory school for boys and girls aged three to 13, visited Cramond Residence for an afternoon of traditional Scottish music for pipes and drums.
The performance is just one way the home is helping residents filter back into the local community following months of lockdown, while encouraging intergenerational conversations.
Angela Skilky, Lifestyle Co-ordinator at the 74-bedroom home, said: “Our main aim is always to provide fun, interactive and stimulating activities for residents to take part in, so we’re delighted to be able to resume in-person visits from members of the community.
“Residents thoroughly enjoyed the performance and the music has helped many reminisce fondly on previous moments in their life.
“We’re really thankful for the pupils coming along and taking time to entertain our residents. Creating intergenerational relationships are extremely important as they can help residents boost confidence, increase communication and improve memory.”
Cramond Residence holds a vast range of tailored activities that are open to all residents. Recent get-togethers have included arts and crafts, armchair aerobics and sensory sessions.
Cargilfield Headteacher Rob Taylor said: “It was lovely to see the residents smiling and tapping their feet along to the music.
“Some of the favourite songs included Highland Cathedral and of course ‘A Man’s a Man’ in honour of our Burns Night celebrations.”
The event kickstarted a week of Burns night activities, with residents enjoying a traditional Scottish menu including cock-a-leekie soup for starter, followed by a main of haggis, neeps and tatties with cranachan and a “wee dram” for dessert.
Jan Henderson, resident at the home, said: “Thanks to both Cramond Residence staff and Cargilfield School for organising such a wonderful afternoon. There were smiles all round and the performance was enjoyed by everyone.”
Cramond Residence offers high quality care for up to 74 residents offering a small-group living concept in nine houses, with all residents enjoying an exceptional range of amenities and activities, delicious food and bespoke care from a highly-trained team.
To find out more, call 0131 341 4037 or visit https://cramondresidence.co.uk/
The latest monthly Emergency Department (ED) performance figures published by NHS England for December 2021 show that four-hour performance at major Emergency Departments reached its lowest since records began at 61.2%, meaning nearly two in five patients were delayed by four-hours or more and nearly 1 in 4 admissions experienced a wait of at least four hours from the decision to admit them to admission.
The data also show the highest number of 12 hour waits ever recorded: 12,986 patients spent 12 hours or more from decision to admit to admission. This is a 22% increase on the previous month, November 2021, and it is 250% higher than December 2020.
Responding to the publication of NHS England quarterly and monthly performance figures, Dr Katherine Henderson, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: “The situation on the ground is extremely bleak. Staff are overwhelmed and burned out; it is increasingly challenging to provide timely and safe patient care.”
Latest Quarterly performance figures published by NHS England show that in 2021-2022 there were a total of 43,218 12-hour delays which is more than all the 12-hour delays over the previous ten years put together (39,608).
The data does not paint the full picture as NHS England record 12-hour waits from decision to admit. Our Winter Flow project, which started at the beginning of October 2021, has so far recorded 71,965 12-hour waits from time of arrival.
It is critical that NHS England commit to reporting 12-hour data from time of arrival and implement the Clinical Review of Standards.
Dr Henderson said: “The health service is in the middle of the biggest crisis it has ever faced, and staff are working harder than ever before with fewer staff and fewer beds.
“When the health service is overwhelmed, it does not cease to function, it is the standards and quality of care that fall. The figures published today show the extent to which these standards have fallen already.
“Performance metrics are intended to hold clinical services to account. They are meant to identify areas in which services are failing with the aim of improving them quickly and effectively.
“The consistent and continuous decline of urgent and emergency care performance, standards, patient experience and patient safety show how this intended function is now entirely lost. With each publication around performance, we commentate with shock and dismay at the latest decline, but our comments are, more often than not, met with inaction or short-term fixes. There needs to be acknowledgment that there is a major public health crisis in emergency care.
“It is the core ability and function of the health and social care service to deliver high-quality and effective care to the acutely ill or injured that is at risk.
“We must now see a vision for recovery and a vision for the health service that includes a vital transformation of the urgent and emergency care system. There must be a plan to implement a framework that is centred around patient care, that drives action and improvement.
“The current framework is simply documenting the health system’s failure to deliver a quality service, and the failure of this framework leaves urgent and emergency care in a performance vacuum.
“We need a decision about either a phased implementation of the findings of the Clinical Review of Standards or an honest discussion about how we performance manage urgent and emergency care differently.
“The current challenges facing the health and social care service are the result of years of stagnation and decline, they are made worse by, but are not just a consequence of, the pandemic. Recognising this is vital to any step towards transformation.
“It is time we saw bolder political willingness to engage on these critical issues. Without action, performance will continue to decline, and this would be a disservice to patients and staff.”
The latest data from The Royal College of Emergency Medicine’s Winter Flow Project 2021/22 show that since the beginning of October 2021 there have been 56,096 patients delayed by 12 hours or more from time of arrival in Emergency Departments.
In comparison, last year’s Winter Flow Project 2020/21 didn’t record over 50,000 12 hour stays from time of arrival in Emergency Departments until February Week 3.
Data also show that in December 2021 Week 2, four-hour performance fell to 56.3%, the lowest ever recorded.
Dr Katherine Henderson, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: “The data show a deepening crisis. We’ve now reached 50,000 12-hour delays, a figure we didn’t reach until February last winter.
“It is hard to communicate the enormous strain NHS staff are under and how deeply the pressures affect patient care. The latest Winter Flow Project report details some of the harrowing conditions patients find themselves in and conditions in which staff are delivering care. This winter is already far worse than last winter, with the coming weeks set to take us deeper into crisis.
“Trusts are already doing all they can, opening every last bed where safely possible. The government must ensure adequate support is given to social care, as difficulties in discharging patients following their treatment has knock-on effects throughout the system and causes exit block in Emergency Departments, ambulances handover delays, and prevents ambulance crews from returning to the community and responding to emergencies.
“The public must be cautious and sensible over the Christmas period and take care of themselves and those around them. Using facemasks, washing hands, avoiding spending long periods of time in very crowded places, getting tested if you develop Covid symptoms, and getting boosted – all these practices will make a real difference in the coming weeks.”
Some of Edinburgh’s most promising young performers will be appearing on the West End this festive season, as Stagebox members take to the stage as part of the star-studded casts of West End Musical Christmas and West End Does: Christmas.
Boasting a long line of successful members and clients, Stagebox is an award-winning programme for theatre, film and TV training and management, responsible for the nation’s most promising young performing talent. With centres across the UK including Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Edinburgh and London, Stagebox’s current clients have enjoyed success on both stage and screen, from the BBC and Netflix to the West End and Broadway.
Appearing in West End Musical Christmas (13th & 20th December) alongside stage legends John Owen-Jones (Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera), Michael Xavier (Phantom of the Opera, The Sound of Music), Emma Hatton (Wicked, Evita) is Stagebox’s Arwen Seilman, who trains at the Edinburgh centre.
The West End show will excite all musical theatre fans, featuring the nation’s favourite Christmas and showstopper numbers performed alongside a live band and dance ensemble.
Stage veteran and national treasure Maureen Lipman will host West End Does: Christmas on 19th December, with Gina Beck (Wicked, Showboat), Liam Tamne (Prince of Eygpt, Wicked), Aisha Jawando (Tina the Musical) and many more.
The performance will feature a mix of traditional and contemporary Christmas carols and songs to get the audience into the festive spirit.
The star-studded cast will be supported by a choir formed of Edinburgh Stagebox members Alexandra Bruce-Dickie, Chloe Bloice, Circe Miller, Hazel Craig (Nativity! The Musical), Laura Koechlin, Layla Davies and Tommy Thompson.
Jasmine Quinlan-Gardner, General Manager at Stagebox, says: “This is a huge moment for our wonderful members who will be representing us on a world-famous stage this December.
“After such limited interaction last Christmas, we’re looking forward to lighting up both the Lyric Theatre and Cadogan Hall alongside some stage legends!”
Stagebox auditions for 2022 will soon be opening.
West End Musical Christmas takes place at 8pm on Monday 13th and Monday 20th December. For tickets, please visit: www.westendmusicalchristmas.co.uk.
West End Does: Christmas takes place at 2:30pm and 6:30pm on Sunday 19th December. For tickets, please visit: cadoganhall.com/whats-on/west-end-does-christmas-2021/
For more information about Stagebox, please visit: www.stagebox.uk
As the year draws to an end and festive cheer starts to build, Dance Base celebrates all things dance by hosting a new showcase, SNOW MOTION: three evenings of live performance back in the glorious Studio 1 space.
This December, Dance Base is delighted to welcome a fantastic array of dance artists from across Scotland to bring their work back to the stage and to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Dance Base making its home in the Grassmarket building.
Each artist joining the company has a deep connection to the Company having developed work with Dance Base over the years through residencies, Festival performances and sharings. This new showcase also marks the first major Dance Base project for the company’s new Artistic Director, Tony Mills, which is set to showcase his bold new vision for the organisation.
With a different programme each evening, there is truly something for everyone, from playful takes on office life, to lyrical explorations of an enchanted Hebridean world, to a delightful tale about food (and being eaten!) for younger audiences.
Featuring new and reimagined performances by Bridie Gane, Jen Wren, Kirsten Newell, Mamoru Iriguchi, Taylor Han and Tess Letham, SNOW MOTION celebrates storytelling and connection, showcasing an array of live music, physical theatre, spoken word and contemporary and traditional dance.
Click here for more information on each performance.
SNOW MOTION is a celebration of Dance Base in its 20th year in the Grassmarket. As well as featuring artists connected to the organisation, it will also showcase the organisation’s history, and hugely popular programme of dance classes.
Audiences are encouraged to arrive early and take part in a fun and uplifting dance class suitable for all levels. A bar will be set up so if a class doesn’t appeal, there’s also the chance to chat with friends over some festive drinks and follow Dance Base’s history with a brand-new exhibition display in the building.
SNOW MOTION is an evening for us to come together again, raise a glass to all that has been, get in the Christmas mood, and – most importantly – dance!
This event has been made possible thanks to support from Creative Scotland and funding from Scottish Government through the Performing Arts Venue Relief Fund.
This December Scottish Ensemble will take its annual Concerts by Candlelight on tour to locations across Scotland for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Taking place at venues in Aberdeen, Inverness, Perth, Dundee, Edinburgh, and Glasgow from the 2 – 8 December 2021, Concerts by Candlelight: Music for Warmth and Restoration is the perfect pre-Christmas musical feast set against a backdrop of shimmering light.
For the first time ever the incisive and dynamic presence of violinist and director Matthew Truscott will lead proceedings and Concerts by Candlelight: Music for Warmth and Restoration will offer something for every taste, with a selection of music spanning centuries, inclusive of a variety of genre and styles.
A web of connectedness binds this string programme around its central work, Beethoven’s taut and beautiful ‘Heiliger Dankgesang’. A song of thanks for recovery from illness it is one of the most celebrated, profound and joyful pieces of string music from any period, and its intimations of past, present and future make it a very fitting tribute to the past 18 months, as we emerge into the ‘new normal’ and enjoy live music all together, once again.
From the gorgeous musical balm of Henry Purcell to the warmth and generosity of Brahms, the touching music by Biber, and the thick, treacly sonic textures of Julia Wolfe’s Four Marys, wherever you are in Scotland this winter, Concerts by Candlelight is the perfect outing for both families and friends.
Violinist and director Matthew Truscott said: “I am very much looking forward to working with Scottish Ensemble to help bring some warmth and restoration to audiences across Scotland with Concerts by Candlelight this December.
“The programme features music that channels sentiments of courage and overcoming adversity, which seems fitting this year, and I can’t wait to perform in front of live audiences in Scotland once again.”
Concerts by Candlelight Ticket Details
2 December – St Machar’s, Aberdeen
3 December – Inverness Cathedral, Inverness
4 December -St John’s Kirk, Perth
6 December – Caird Hall, Dundee
7 December – Greyfriars’s, Edinburgh
8 December – Wellington Church, Glasgow
Available from www.scottishensemble.com
Repetoire
Henry Purcell In Nomine in 7 parts, Dorian
Julia Wolfe Four Marys for string orchestra
Heinrich Biber Balletti Lamentabili a 4
Johannes Brahms Adagio from String Quintet No.2 in G major
Franz Schubert Der Leiermann (The Hurdy-Gurdy Man) from Winterreise (arranged for string orchestra by Dobrinka Tabakova)
Henry Purcell
Symphony and Here the deities from Welcome to all the pleasures
Fantasy on One Note
Ludwig van Beethoven Molto Adagio (Holy song of thanksgiving) from String Quartet No.15
(arranged for string orchestra by Iain Farrington)
Anon In Nomine in 6 parts
