Newsletter
Brighton Festival and Dome – SoundCity partner spotlight
Brighton Festival and Dome prides itself on its partnerships: from Brazilian carnival artists to head teachers’ organisations, from the babies in our foyer café bar to the over 80's at our Tea Dances – and one of the most valuable is with the Hub.
We welcome everybody who shares our passion for creativity and who celebrates the power of the arts to change perceptions and sometimes – lives. Our partnership with SoundCity is rich and many faceted and, as in the best of relationships, we complement one another's abilities, skills and interests.
The Hub brings to Brighton Festival and Dome cohorts of talented musicians, young people with a thirst for knowledge, a developing appreciation of the arts, and with skills and dedication which excite and inspire.
They remind us of why we do what we do – bringing the best artists into our city and providing the technical expertise, complementary programming, and the world class production values which enhance our audiences' experiences and deepen their understanding.
In sharing these skills with young people, and showing them how much we appreciate their ambition and achievements, we are ourselves inspired to achieve greater heights, creating a virtuous circle, a community in which everybody wins.
SoundCity showcase
In the past year we have been able to support the SoundCity showcase – creating a unique environment in the Corn Exchange upon which we have been honoured to host choirs and rockbands, string ensembles and percussion groups and the particular glory of the solo Euphonium player! The two stage set up is unique to this event and our crews, enjoying the challenge, pull out all the stops.
Schools and our Musician in Residence
Our two Brighton Festival projects are still in development. Firstly we have jointly appointed James Keane as Musician in Residence to our annual opening parade. Every school in Brighton and Hove comes out onto the streets to celebrate the start of the Festival at this much loved 25-year-old institution, which will be enhanced in May 2014 by original music and movement. James is currently working in four primary schools, and in future years we hope to extend the project to other schools and community settings. Fittingly the theme of the parade is the Arts, and music will weave its way through every promenading section.
Pitch Perfect – a showcase of young talent
On the afternoon of Parade Day – May 3rd – we have created a new opportunity for young performers from Brighton & Hove Music & Arts to showcase their talents, in Pitch Perfect. This simple concept embraces the idea of outdoor and indoor 'pitches', or stages - from the formality of the Royal Pavilion Music Room to the intimacy of the Museum Balcony and the flamboyance of an outdoor stage on New Road, different locations will offer young instrumentalists, singers and choirs a unique site-sensitive showcase. Our website describes it:
“A glittering showcase of young and emerging talent presented in and around the Royal Pavilion Estate, Pitch Perfect features music for every taste, from folk duos in the Brighton Dome Café-bar to brass and rock on New Road, choirs and wind ensembles in Brighton Museum and Art Gallery and classical music in the Music Room at the Royal Pavilion.”
As always the Festival itself, under the guest directorship of acclaimed choreographer and musician Hofesh Shechter, will feature world class performers in a variety of settings. It is fitting that on its first day we will have a chance to witness the talent of future generations, and that the city’s young performers will take their place at the forefront of the Festival experience.
Why not join in the fun!
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