Saxophone Workshop
7th June 2014
On Saturday 7th June 2014 a Saxophone workshop took place, led by Andrew Harvey, who will be teaching at the academy from September. The session was attended by around twenty young saxophonists, starting with a beginner’s taster hour in which complete beginners had the opportunity to try an instrument. The main body of the workshop then took place involving many saxophone students and teachers, in which Andrew led the group through jazz improvisation.
The session concluded with a performance to family and friends, and our thanks also go to Island Music for providing an excellent saxophone display of various instruments and books. We look forward to working with Andrew from September.
Liberation International Music Festival 2014
May 7th-11th 2014
The academy is proud to be involved in the educational side of the Liberation International Music Festival, as well as being the centre for all chamber music rehearsals during the week, and the accommodation centre for most of the visiting musicians. A whole range of educational activities took place during the week to help inspire the next generation of local young musicians:
Composition Project
In the weeks leading up to the festival, a small group of advanced students wrote compositions based on ideas from Sergei Prokofiev’s Sonata for Two Violins, and had the opportunity to hear these new works performed by the outstanding Retorica Duo on Wednesday 7th May at the Russian Miniatures pre-concert event outlined below.
Russian Miniatures
A large group of young pianists aged 8 to 13 each performed one work from the great canon of miniature educational masterpieces from mid-20th Century Russia, from composers such as Kabalevsky, Shostakovich and Prokofiev. This took place on Wednesday 7th May in front of an audience of family and friends.
Pre-Concert Platform at the Opera House
The opportunity to perform at the Jersey Opera House is always an important stage for a young performer, and this pre-concert event featured a quartet of violins performing Vivaldi’s Concerto for Four Violins, and the Flutasia ensemble led by Claire Boleat performing various popular works. All students stayed on after their performance to watch the wonderful Liberation Celebration concert which followed.
Masterclasses and Workshops
On the morning of Friday 9th May simultaneous workshops took place at the academy. Michael Collins led a clarinet workshop, in which various students performed and a Q&A session took place at the end:
Harriet Mackenzie led a violin workshop with the young violinists who had performed the Vivaldi Concerto for Four Violins:
Phillipa Davies led a flute workshop which combined tuition with a large flute ensemble playing session:
A morning of outstanding inspiration for the island’s young musicians!
Lunchtime Concert Series at 16 New Street
Each Tuesday in April 2014
A series of lunchtime concerts organised by the academy in partnership with the National Trust took place in the beautiful setting of 16 New Street, the National Trust’s Georgian property in the town centre.
April 2nd : Victoria College String Quartet
April 9th : Krystian Lamb, piano
April 16th : Isobel Osborne & Ella Huelin, piano
April 23rd : Hannah Scriven & Andrew Bastiman, piano
April 30th : Lillian Garnier, piano
The series opened with the Victoria College String Quartet, coached by Emmanuelle Dumas, who performed Handel alongside a Klezmer tune, as well as individual solos each:
The series continued each Tuesday with a different piano recital from local advanced young pianists, and through the retiring collections of each event the concerts raised £284 for the National Trust. Our thanks and congratulations go to all the young performers, and to the National Trust for providing a wonderful venue for these concerts.