Winter Project Week – ‘Seriously Solos!’

1st-4th December 2014

This term’s Project Week gave all the students of every age and instrument the chance to perform a solo.  Four concerts took place during the week, focussing on the various instrumental disciplines of strings, woodwind, brass, piano and percussion, and in total the week presented over one hundred and fifty different performances!

At the end of each concert the teachers performed too, and each evening concluded with a ‘post-concert party’ for all to enjoy.  On the Tuesday evening the event concluded with festive performance given by Vocalize Choir (pictured below), our thanks go to them for their involvement. The retiring collections during the week raised over £200 for CLIC Sargent (Jersey).  Congratulations to all involved!

 

Jersey Youth Chamber Orchestra Winter Course

29th Oct  – 1st Nov 2014

In a contrast to previous years, the Jersey Youth Chamber Orchestra’s winter session was held as a half-term orchestral course.  Starting on the Wednesday of half-term the orchestra came together for four full days of musical activity.  Led by visiting conductor Robert Roscoe, the orchestra worked on Offenbach’s Overture to Orpheus in the Underworld, Malcolm Arnold’s Little Suite no.2, and Khachaturian’s Sabre Dance.

The additional rehearsal time afforded by the extended course meant that in addition to the regular sectional and tutti rehearsals the students also had the opportunity to learn a piece of Body Percussion music led by Russell Abraham, and took part in music quiz based on the music performed.  The lunchtimes and breaktimes gave the students the chance to enjoy the lawns, enhanced by some glorious sunshine.

The concert on the Saturday evening was enjoyed by a full hall, requesting an encore of Offenbach’s Galop Infernal.  Next year’s session will take place in partnership with Chetham’s School of Music in February, leading towards a performance at the Jersey Arts Centre on  8th February, conducted by Chets Director of Music Steven Threlfall. The JYCO is run through the partnership of the academy with the Jersey Music Service, and supported by the Strasser Trust and Dorothy Chapman Trust.

 

THE GREAT CHARITY PLAYATHON

26th-27th September 2014

On 26th September 2014, the Jersey Academy of Music hosted The Great Charity Playathon, a 24 hour event in aid of CLIC Sargent (Jersey) and Tearfund.

The Playathon was organised by Claire Boleat, flute teacher at the academy, with one of her senior students Lauren Gallaher (a talented local flautist and finalist in the Jersey Young Musician of the Year 2014).  The event involved hundreds of people and a huge variety of acts including Flutasia, Progressive School of Music, Beaulieu & De La Salle Big Band, Serenata Wind Quintet, Students from the Jersey Academy of Music, Keiran Brown, Alex Glendenning, B Vocal Jsy, Lillian and Grace Garnier, Eva Hsieh, Julie Robinson and Students, Sax Jam, and others too. As well as the performances, there were stalls for competitions, raffles, and a display from the music shop Broken Wind.

The whole venue was taken over with music from start to finish, with the 24hrs broken up into various themes: ‘Evening Drinks’ on the Friday, and the ‘Coffee Morning’ and ‘Family Fun Picnic’ on the Saturday, including a Samba Workshop with Alex Glendinning:

The event has raised almost £3000 for the two charities, CLIC Sargent (Jersey) and Tearfund. The Great Charity Playathon was supported by Dunells Wine Merchants, St. Peter’s Garden Centre, Le Quesne’s Nurseries, Murrays, The Fresh Fish Company, Ceri’s Cakes, Back to Balance, Adventure Diving Jersey, Chic Salon, Dye Another Day, Jersey Academy of Music, Aurum Jewellers and Harvey Music Jersey.

CLIC Sargent (Jersey) is a local charity who support the families of children and teenagers with cancer. They respond to the needs of sick children and teenagers, helping their families during difficult and stressful times with both financial and practical support. They aim to ensure that every Jersey child and teenager with cancer received the support they need.

Tearfund is a UK Christian relief and development agency passionate about relieving poverty which works in over 50 countries. In 2006 they launched a ten-year vision to see 50 million people released from material and spiritual poverty and since then more than 17 million people have been helped through community development projects. More than 175 unjust policies and practices have also been changed to deliver justice for poor communities. Lauren Gallaher (one of the event organisers) will be travelling to Cambodia in February to work for 6 months as a volunteer on one of their projects.

 

Musique et Aventure and Jersey International Masterclasses

28th July – 5th August 2014

A truly action-packed musical summer was presented with the combination of two music courses.  Musique et Aventure enjoyed its 8th successful year, involving thirty local young musicians aged 9-17 in musical mornings with activity-filled afternoons.  Simultaneously to this, Jersey International Masterclasses celebrated its second year, sponsored locally by the One Foundation, and involving twenty five music college students from many different countries led by an outstanding teaching faculty of international stature.  Utilising the combined facilities of Chateau Vermont, Grainville School, and Victoria College, with concerts at the Jersey Arts Centre, Georgetown Methodist Church, St Helier Methodist Centre, and of course Chateau Vermont itself, this was a truly spectacular way to end the academic year.

Musique et Aventure 2014

The participating students of piano, violin, viola, cello, saxophone, flute, percussion and brass were led by the Jersey Academy of Music’s team of teachers including Claire Boleat (flute), Pippa Lumbard (brass), Young-Pyo Lee (violin), Emmanuelle Dumas (cello), Chris George (piano), Eva Hsieh (percussion), supported by Grace Garnier (theory/aural) and Natasha Ronayne (theory/aural).  The mornings were spent at Victoria College with a fully-timetabled mix of one-to-one lessons, ensemble coaching, percussion workshops, and individual practice.

The course linked together with Jersey International Masterclasses in various ways, with the students attending a music-college student lunchtime concert, joining in with various activities, and participating in a joint ‘Improvisation Workshop’ with the young students from the masterclasses.

 

This was led by Hugo Ticciati from the Lilla Akademien, Stockholm, and gave all the students the opportunity to create wacky improvisation-based ensemble compositions which were performed at the end of the session.

During the afternoons everyone could let off some steam, and we had some lovely weather for the Surfing, Banana Boat and Crazy Sofa rides, Lawn Games, and Aquasplash.

The week culminated in the end-of-course concert at St. Helier Methodist Centre, and hats off to all for a wonderful concert!

Jersey International Masterclasses 2014

Once again, Artistic Director Viktoria Grigoreva was able to assemble an enviable line-up of outstanding teachers for this year’s masterclasses, including Nina Balabina (violin – Lilla Music Akademien, Stockholm, Sweden), Dimitri Bashkirov (piano – Russia), Boris Berman (piano – Russia/USA), Leonid Gorokhov (cello – Russia/Germany /UK), Leonid Margarius (piano – Accademia di Imola, Italy), Mark Messenger (violin – Head of Strings, Royal College of Music), Hugo Ticciati (violin – Lilla Music Akademien, Stockholm, Sweden), Maria Tarasewicz (piano – Ukraine/Belgium).

The participating students included various Jersey students who are currently studying at music colleges in the UK, alongside visiting students from many different countries, staying at the Runnymede Hotel, our partner hotel this year.  A full programme of concerts, lectures, masterclasses and workshops took place over the course, and students enjoyed private practice facilities inbetween lessons.

Jersey International Masterclasses is very grateful for the support of the following organisations: One Foundation, Vladimir Spivakov International Charity Foundation, Tsukanov Family Foundation, the Broun family, the Mensah family, Bedells legal support, and the overall guidance and support of the Royal College of Music and Jersey Academy of Music.

PARTICIPATING STUDENTS 2014

• Geoffroy Chapelle, piano, from Belgium

• Katherine Chulack, violin, student at St Pauls School, London

• Alberto D’Algo, piano, student at Accademia di Imola, Italy

• Cristina Dimitrova, violin, student at National Conservatory of Lisbon, Portugal

• Rhys Evans, violin, violin, student at Sussex House, England

• Line Faber, violin, student at Royal Conservatory of Brussels, Belgium

• Igor Ferlan, violin, student at Royal College of Music, London

• Mila Ferramosca, violin, student at Royal College of Music Junior Department, London

• Finlay Hare, cello, student at Royal Northern College of Music, from Jersey

• Elise Johnson, violin, student at Lilla Music Akademien, Sweden

• Yoko Johnsson, violin, student at Lilla Music Akademien, Sweden

• Liav Kerbel, cello, from Belgium

• Krystian Lamb, piano, student at Royal College of Music, from Jersey

• Giulia Rossini, piano, student at Accademia di Imola, Italy

• Iona Russell, cello, student at Chetham’s School of Music, from Jersey

• Lara Sallavuard, passive participant, from London

• Elliot Samphier, violin, Royal Northern College of Music, from Jersey

• Karin Sandström, violin, student at Lilla Music Akademien, Sweden

• Laura Van Der Heijden, cello, student at Royal College of Music JD, London

• Miklós Veszprémi, piano, student at Royal College of Music, London

• Daryna Bezkosta, violin, student at Kharkhov specialist music school, Ukraine

• Hannah Von Bergen, violin, student at Lilla Music Akademien, Sweden

• Téa Von Bergen, violin, student at Lilla Music Akademien, Sweden

• Julie Ye, piano, student at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London

• Polina Zheliba, piano, student at student at Moscow Central Music School, Russia