U3a Carrick Singers seek a new Musical Director

U3a Carrick Singers are looking for a new Musical Director when their current director, Liz Grant, moves to Norfolk at the end of May. Carrick Singers is a lively four-part community choir that has always sung a cappella, and enjoys singing a wide range of music “from Bach to Buddy”. We have always sung from music [apart from a couple of very short pieces] and would prefer that to continue, while at the same time being open to new ways of doing things......bearing in mind that the average age of the choir is probably about seventy! Currently there are over 70 signed up members of the choir [usual attendance being in the mid fifties] and we meet at Kea Community Centre in Playing Place on a Wednesday afternoon between 2.00-3.45. Over the last seven years Liz has arranged all our music for us, so we already have a substantial library of her music. This has enabled us to give local concerts 2 or 3 times a year which have been very well received. An active Working Party deals with the day-to-day running of the choir.

We are looking for an experienced and able musician to lead this group which is used to working hard, while at the same time having a lot of fun in rehearsals; so we would love to find someone with a great sense of humour and a lot of energy! If that’s you....... our group leader, Andrew Julian, [ andrewjulian@hotmail.co.uk  ] would be delighted to hear from you.

Cornwall Music Service Trust Pupil of The Month - December 2017 Winner

Congratulations go to Ella Simms who has been awarded the CMST Pupil of The Month award for December, 2017.

Ella is a keen flautist who is taught by Verena Watkiss, CMST woodwind teacher and woodwind team manager, and has made great leaps in progression at this early stage of her musical career.

When speaking to Mrs Watkiss she commented that “Ella is a fantastic musician and is lucky to have great support at home. She has been learning the flute for a couple of years and is still only in year 4.”

Mrs Watkiss continued to comment that “Ella works extremely hard in her musical studies and has already passed her copper, bronze and silver medal tests and is now working towards grade 2. She plays in school concerts and has taken part in the Cornwall County Music Festival. She has made such fantastic progress in such a short amount of time and is a pleasure to teach.”

Gareth Churcher, Head of Service for CMST, said “It is great to see that the CMST Pupil of the Month award is acknowledging all levels of musicians. Whether they are just finishing their learning with us and moving on to study music at higher education or just embarking on this exciting path of musical exploration. Ella has made a great start to her playing and it is a pleasure to hear of the family support, congratulations to you all.”

Ella’s award sees the end of the 2017 Pupil of the Month Award, with all monthly winners now being automatically eligible for the CMST Pupil of the Year 2017 award. Exciting! The monthly winners are now in the hands of an independent adjudicator who will be announcing the overall winner in the next few weeks, so watch this space…….

We will be embarking on the 2018 awards in due course but thank you to you all who have taken the time to be involved in this amazing initiative that allows us to recognise the exemplary work of pupil and teachers from CMST.

Cornwall Horn Festival 2018

Cornwall Horn Festival is an exciting opportunity for ALL horn players in Cornwall and the South West. Further details can be seen below and the flyer can be downloaded here. 

An application form for this event can be downloaded here in word format or here as a pdf

Festival of Cornish Brass

CMST Autumn Newsletter

Our Autumn 2017 Newsletter is available to download here

Singingworkshops Fundraising Concert

We are pleased to share the following update from Singingworkshops:

 

Hello everyone

Just to wish you our very best for a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Peaceful New Year to you and your family.

Please see attached poster details for our Fundraising concert on Jan 6th at St Endellion church.

Maria  is down in Cornwall especially for the evening and has put together a delightful selection of songs for this Concert, which will be performed by some of the past Award recipients, and our 2017 winner Laurence Kilsby, who will also be receiving his 2017 Chris Treglown Foundation Fund Award.

I am sure that it will be a very special evening with Maria and such talented  young performers and I do hope that you are able to come along - it will be great to see you - please share with friends , family and anyone who might be interested.

The Chris Treglown Foundation Fund Award auditions 2018 are open to local youngsters aged 16 to 26  and will take place in April 2018 - if you or someone you know is interested more details can be found on the Fund website  www.christreglown.co.uk  or contact juliatreglown@hotmail.com or by phone 07815 987172  

As for Singingworkshops next year, following on from the success of “Seussical the Musical”, we will be looking forward to making plans with Maria in the New Year for another set of Youngsters and Adults Workshops and Shows for 2018.

Thank you once again for all those who were involved for your enthusiasm, hard work, and help in making

“Seussical ” and the Youngsters and Adults workshops such a success - we all had so much fun !

We will be back in touch just as soon as we have details for the 2018 workshops, and to invite you to book your place.

In the meantime we hope that you have a lovely festive break.

All our very best wishes

Julia & Rob at Singingworkshops, and Maria and all at MJUK

Penrice Academy Christmas Concert

Well done and a big thank you to the St. Austell Chamber Orchestra string players who opened the Christmas Concert tonight at Penrice Academy. Many thanks also to CMST teachers Karen Frost, Ben Hoadley and Steve Watts. We wish you all a very Happy Christmas. 

Cornwall Music Service Trust Pupil Of The Month - November 2017

Congratulations go to Alistair Sutton-Freckelton who has been awarded CMST Pupil of The Month for November, 2017.

Alistair is a keen Flautist who is taught by Rebecca Sampson, CMST woodwind teacher, and has a real passion for is music making as you will read below.

When speaking to Mrs Sampson she commented that “Alistair has always been a very hard-working and enthusiastic flute student. He practises regularly and participates in school ensembles and also Carrick Winds.”

Mrs Sampson continued to say “But it is how Alistair spent his Autumn half-term that really showed me his love for his instrument. Many students will be too distracted during school holidays to pick up their instrument.”

“The lesson before half-term we had played through the first two pages of a Grade 8 piece (Devienne Sonata). The lesson after half-term Alistair played to me all five pages of this same Grade 8 piece, with attention to not only the notes but also the articulations. He showed me a real hunger for learning, not to mention a real enjoyment of the piece. I was really taken aback and applauded him, with ‘Bravo!’ Since then, Alistair has memorised another Grade 8 piece (CPE Bach Sonata in A minor, the first one we learned).”

Gareth Churcher, Head of Service for CMST, said “Alistair was one of many very strong nominees this month but his conscientious approach to music making really stood out. He shows a real passion for his own personal performance but demonstrates a huge commitment to ensemble music making too. Well done Alistair!”

December will see the final opportunity for pupils to be nominated by their teachers for the 2017 awards. From this one lucky pupil will be recognised as the CMST Pupil of the Year for 2017! So parents and pupils give your teachers a little nudge if you feel you are worth of a nomination and remember that all applications must be in by the 20th of December to be eligible.

Fund-raising Concerts in aid of Cornwall Music Therapy Trust

We are delighted to be able to advertise two fund-raising concerts for the Cornwall Music Therapy Trust:

Saturday 16th December @ 7:30pm

Duchy Singers sing Handel’s Messiah

St Marys Church, Penzance

Sunday 17th December @ 3pm

Camerata Kernow will be performing music for Advent and Christmas

Roselidden Farm, Helston

And if you are shopping in Truro Waitrose on the evening of Monday 18th December, perhaps you could pop some change (or paper money) in the collecting buckets as a group of gents will be singing their hearts out to raise funds for us. Please give them a clap and say a big ‘thank you’ on our behalf.

String Groups perform at St Austell Festival of Music & Speech

Congratulations to all our string players who performed solos at the St.Austell Festival of Music & Speech this morning. Outstanding performances from Jake Montgomery-Smith, Millie Montgomery-Smith and Emma Sage, who all came 1st in their respective classes. The adjudicator, Richard Deering, was impressed by everyone taking part.

The afternoon continued with some enjoyable performances from 3 of our string string orchestras; Restormel Junior Strings, Newquay Strings and the St. Austell Chamber Orchestra. Well done everyone, we’re proud of you all!

Cornwall Youth Brass Band Christmas Course and Concert

NEW MUSIC FOR THE CHRISTMAS COURSE, WITH PRINCIPAL TRUMPET OF THE LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.                                                                            

Around 40 young musicians of the Cornwall Youth Brass Band will be spending four days of their Christmas holidays, from 27th to 30th December, rehearsing and studying under the baton of their Guest Conductor Dr Stephen Cobb, Staff Bandmaster of the International Staff Band of The Salvation Army, with his son Philip, Principal Trumpet of The London Symphony Orchestra as Guest Soloist.  

Aged between 10 and 21 all the musicians also play with a local brass band and devote many extra hours to their membership of the Cornwall Youth Brass Band, rehearsing monthly with their team of local Conductors and Tutors in preparation for the twice yearly residential Courses, held at Truro High School for Girls. 

Returning to the CYBB after a successful visit in 2007, Stephen and Philip Cobb will be directing and joining the Band in a wide range of music, including the World Premiere of The Great Storm Cat by Paul Saggers.

Paul is currently a Cornet player in the Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines Plymouth. This sparked his interest in composition and he successfully undertook a Bachelor of Music Degree which is available for members of the Royal Marines Band Service. He is now continuing his studies with a Masters Degree in Composition. 

As part of this he entered the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama’s 2017 Composition Competition where his piece The Roar of The Khamsin was shortlisted and performed live by the Cory Band. As a former member of Cornwall Youth Brass Band he invited the Band to give the world premiere of another of his pieces, which is based on the famous traditional Cornish tale of the Mousehole Cat, focussing on the Storm Cat element of the story. 

The Band was founded in 1955 and has a record of encouraging many aspiring young composers amongst its ranks by giving first performances of their music, such as now well known composers, Simon Dobson, Christopher Bond and Daniel Hall. Over the years the CYBB has given first performances of music and commissions by composers such as Eric Ball, Sir Malcolm Arnold, Goff Richards, Elgar Howarth, Philip Harper, Darrol Barry, Paul Sharman and Andy Scott.  

At the end of the Course the Band will give a Gala Concert at St Michael’s Church in Newquay on Wednesday 30th December at 7pm.  

The Band will also be repeating its successful Open Rehearsal and Audition afternoon at 1-30pm on Friday 29th December. This gives young musicians interested in joining the Band an opportunity to observe the Band in action and talk to the local Team of Conductors and Tutors about the simple procedure required to join the Band. Full details of all the events can be found on the Band’s Web Site, www.cybb.co.uk    

Inaugural Cornwall Youth Jazz Festival Hailed a great success!

Last weekend saw the first Cornwall Youth Jazz Festival hosted at Truro College. CMST's Team Manager for Keyboard and Jazz - Andy Bilham - has written a full report on the workshops, masterclasses and performances that took place and is available to download here