A Busy Weekend!

Last Friday we had a remarkable day at the Musical Brain conference ‘Why Music’ in London. The day was absolutely fascinating and included talks and discussions on whether music was different to the other arts and whether neuroimaging was important for our understanding of aesthetics and our responses to art. The day was rounded off by a beautiful concert by Ian Brown and the Sacconi Quartet. 
On Sunday we were yet again astounded by what can be achieved in a day. We were joined by 106 musicians of all ages and instruments at Hills Road Sixth Form College for a day of Orchestral music making. Led by the charismatic Russell Keable the orchestra made their way through the whole of Mahlers 1st symphony and some of Massanet’s Le Cid. Thank you to everyone who took part on both days for making them such a success.

Pictures to follow. 

Horn Day with Tony Halstead

In January 2012 we welcome you to join us for our first ever Horn Day with the Tony Halstead Horn Ensemble.

As a horn player Tony Halstead has held Principal positions with the London Symphony Orchestra, the English Chamber Orchestra, The Academy of Ancient Music, the English Concert, The Hanover Band and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. We welcome anyone who plays the French horn to join us for a truly exciting music making experience. 

For more information visit http://www.acefoundation.org.uk/courses/course-Horn2011%20.html

Photos!

Bury Farm has been progressing well over the last few months and we have now added a photo update on our flickr and facebook pages. 

We have also added pictures from both our summer schools that have been running during July and August. 

To have a look follow the flickr link on the right hand side of the page or visit https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-ACE-Foundation/181610685751

Orchestral Day.

Places are selling fast for orchestral day with Russell Keable on the 9th October. 

Flute & Harp places have now SOLD OUT! 

There are currently spaces for all other orchestral instruments but we advise booking now to avoid disappointment!

Why Music? Is Music Different from the Other Arts?

There are now only 4 student places left on the Musical Brain Conference at Queen Square in October. Student places are £45, book now to avoid disappointment! 

Full price places at £95 still available. 

http://www.acefoundation.org.uk/courses/course-musicalbrain11.html

Orchestral Day.

Have you booked your place on Orchestral Day with Russell Keable? 

Music includes Mahler's first symphony. Suitable for players of all ages and all orchestral instruments, grade 6+.

Bookings can be made online, by phone or by post please see our website for details. www.acefoundation.org.uk 

Places for each instrument are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. 

Harp Places already sold out! 

Music Courses.

We are now taking bookings for 3 more music courses in 2011.

On the 17th July we are joined by Alan Barnes & Brigitte Beraha for a Jazz Day.

On the 9th October we welcome Russell Keable to conduct Mahler's 1st Symphony & Massenet's Le Cid for our first Orchestral Day.

Finally on the 27th of November we are joined once again by Prime Brass for our Brass Day 2011.

For more information or to book a place please see our website www.acefoundation.org.uk

or call us on 01223 499707

Literature Courses

We still have a few places on our Creative writing and Playwriting courses at Cambridge Central Library. If you have an interest in writing or know anyone with an interest in writing tell them to check out our web page, under Courses - Arts.

The Musical Brain- Arts, Science & the Mind, Conference 2011

We are now taking bookings for The Musical Brain 2011 Conference, Why Music? Is Music different from the Other Arts?

In a day of talks, discussions and performance, leaders in the fields of science and the humanities examine the value of music to the human being in comparison with the other arts.

Please see our website for further details and to book a place.

Photos!

Photos and videos of Flute Day, Bassoon Day and Clarinet Ensemble Day are now available to view on flickr and facebook.

More videos to follow on Facebook shortly!

A Forest of Bassoons & a Choir of Clarinets

Thank you to all those who attended Bassoon Day with Philip Turbett & Graham Dolby and Clarinet Ensemble Day with James Rae on the 10th April.

44 Bassoon players attended and 4 contra bassoons. As well as playing as a full ensemble, we were also treated to some music by smaller ensembles including my particular favorite, flight of the Bumblebee by the senior players.

Intermediate and advanced Clarinet players had the chance to work on some advanced clarinet choir pieces including music by James Rae and music arranged by Jon Halton.

Videos and Pictures of both events will be posted shortly on our Flickr and Facebook pages.

String Day Photos.

A selection of photos from String Day are now available to view on flickr, please click on the slide show on the right.

Ever fancied writing a short story or even a novel?

Sign up for our 8 week introduction to creative writing with award winning local author Jo Browning Wroe. For more information or to book a place please visit our website

http://www.acefoundation.org.uk/courses/course-creativewriting.html

Flute Day flight of the Bumblebee now on Facebook!

Watch the video of Flute day Flight of the Bumblebee rehearsal on our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-ACE-Foundation/181610685751

NOW BOOKING! Playwriting with Fraser Grace

We are excited to announce that we will be running our first play writing course with acclaimed local playwright Fraser Grace. The course will run at Cambridge Central Library every Wednesday evening from Wednesday 1 June until Wednesday 6 July. Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment. For more information or to book a place please go to http://www.acefoundation.org.uk/courses/course-Playwriting.html

For further information about Fraser Grace please see his website http://www.frasergrace.co.uk/

Thank You Flautists!

Last Sunday we were joined by Ian Clarke and 104 flute players for a fantastic day of music making. Participants experienced playing Zig Zag Zoo and Walk Like This as a full ensemble as well as playing standard repertoire in smaller ensembles. We were all treated to a fantastic and beautiful concert by Ian Clarke, where we were astounded by his huge range of techniques and prolonged circular breathing! At the end of the day friends and family were able to appreciate the days work with impressive performances of Ian's pieces as well as the small ensemble work including Flight of the Bumblebee. Photos of the day will be posted shortly as well as a few video snippets of the days highlights.

String Day Success!

On Sunday over 140 violin, viola, cello and double bass players gathered at Hills Road Sixth form College for the Steve Bingham String Day. Despite a few logistical headaches like trying to work out if it was possible to get 11 double basses, 37 cellos 11, violas, 38 violins and an audience in the recital room, the day was a great success. All the participants coped admirably with challenging music and the concert at the end of the day was testament to this. Its amazing what can be achieved in a day! I would like to thank all the participants and tutors for making the day so enjoyable. Pictures on flickr to follow.

String Day - Violins grade 4 to 8 sold out!

There is a waiting list for violin places, in the intermediate and advanced orchestras for string day on the 13th March. If you have not yet booked for string day and would like to be added to this list please email ace@acefoundation.org.uk or call 01223 499707.

We are still taking violin bookings for the junior orchestra (grades 1 to 3) and for violas, cellos and double basses of all abilities.

Clarinet & Saxophone Day

Photos of the day and of Lesley's artwork are now available to view on our flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/acefoundation/sets/72157626110698506/

Between the Books.

Cambridge Central Library and Great Shelford Library hosted our Book Arts exhibition – Between the Books. The exhibition was a great success entertaining and delighting people of all ages. The artworks were produced by twelve enthusiastic participants who attended our 10 week Book Arts course - Between the Pages. The artworks were displayed in Cambridge Central with the books interwoven amongst the regular collection. Although some visitors didn't have time to find all the books many people enjoyed exploring the library, on the hunt, whilst others were delighted to stumble upon them by mistake. The Book Arts then moved to Great Shelford Library where they were again entwined amongst the regular books.

The exhibition had a fantastic response (comments from the comment book included below!) and we are delighted that so many people appreciated the hard work that went into each book.

See pictures from Cambridge Central on Flickr, Pictures from Shelford to follow! www.flickr.com/photos/acefoundation

It was also featured in a lovely blog in December please see the link http://wandering-the-dream-space.blogspot.com/2010/12/between-books.html

Thank you to course tutor Candida Bradley and all the book artists who contributed for your hard work and enthusiasm.

A few comments from the comments book:

‘An inspiring exhibition –I enjoyed the creativity and variety of the books..’ Diane W

‘I spent a pleasant hour discovering the various little book treasures!...’

‘Excellent-innovative & inspirational..’ Margaret

‘Thank you for a wonderful & inspiring exhibition’ M.P

‘The ‘treasure hunt’ slowed me down-lovely feeling-time to enjoy the calm and to admire the creativity & ingenuity of the book makers’

‘Very inspirational and thought provoking…’ Jennifer D

Calling all Viola Players

Viola players, have you booked your place on String Day with Steve Bingham on the 13th March?

Places are going fast for String day but we still have space for some viola players!

Intermediate ensemble will be playing Elgar's Serenade and Grainger's Mock Morris and if your up for a challenge, why not play with the advanced orchestra who are tackling Schoenberg's Verklarte Nacht and Richard Strauss's Capriccio.

Artist Lesley Fotherby - Paintings of Clarinet & Saxophone day and Brass Day.

During some of our music courses you may have noticed artist Lesley Fotherby painting scenes from the workshops throughout the day. Here are two of her beautiful paintings from our events, more of Lesley's work can be found at the Chris Beetles gallery in London.

Thank You Clarinet & Saxophone Players!

Thank you to those of you who attended the Clarinet & Saxophone Day at Sawston Village College yesterday.

The day went well thanks to everyone's hard work and cooperation. Reports from participants and tutors were very positive and many new skills were learnt. Participants enjoyed workshops with James Rae as well as ensemble playing and a mouthpiece and reed clinic by Thomas Dryer-Beers. At Lunchtime we were treated to a concert by Simply Reeds and the day was completed by a fantastic concert including pieces performed by the full reed choir, some 85+ players!

Photos to follow shortly!

Lucy Bunce Concert.

On the 5th of March harpist and vocalist Lucy Bunce will be performing a concert in Stapleford Church. Our Musical Director Trevor Barlow will be performing on clarinet and sax as well as Barry Hart on guitar and Joanna Hall on flute. Come along and enjoy some great music.

Exhibition in aid of Alive and Kicking-Stapleford

Catherine Spencer is having an exhibition of her paintings at Johnson Hall in Stapleford, to raise money for an African educational charity; Alive and Kicking.
Catherine Spencer has chosen to support this charity because one of her grandsons tragically died of cancer last year aged 13, and his Father set up a Foundation in his name to raise money for a variety of causes to help young people in Third World Countries.
Please support this occasion in any way you can.

ACE Foundation Book

Trevor Barlow, ACE Foundation Musical Director and artist, has produced a beautiful book documenting the first year of the ACE Foundation's latest project.

Bury Farm 2009 - 2010 | Make Your Own Book

You can also see the book, and order it online, from our website:

http://www.acefoundation.org.uk/about/

ACE composition scholar - Concert

Luke Styles was the ACE Foundation's first composition scholar at Kings College London. We are delighted to see he is continuing with his composition and would like to draw your attention to the following performance of his work 'A Stratagem for Light'.

Consortium5 and Juice

A Stratagem for Light

Venue: Grosvenor Chapel, South Audley Street, London, W1K 2PA

7:30pm Saturday 29 January 2011

£8 / £6 concessions / under 12's free

Website: www.consortium5.com, www.juicevocalensemble.net

Tradition meets innovation as two renowned ensembles team up for a striking new collaboration. Recorder quintet Consortium5 and vocal trio Juice join forces to perform 'A Stratagem for Light' music by Luke Styles, text Jacob Sam-La Rose, newly commissioned with the generous support of the PRS Foundation, RVW Trust and the Britten-Pears Foundation.

‘A Stratagem for Light’, where light and dark meet, where the human voice and the instrumental blend and depart. Fusing the traditions of these two distinct ensembles, the new work will be performed alongside vocal inspired instrumental Renaissance works (Dowland, Byrd, Tye, Victoria) performed by Consortium5 and contemporary vocal works (Robinson, Hellawell, Oates) performed by Juice.

This refreshingly eclectic programme sets out to explore, question and emphasise the concept of the recorder as the closest instrument to the human voice.

Subsequent performances include:

St. James's Piccadilly, London 1.10pm 6 April 2011 Consortium5 premiere of the instrumental

version of 'A Stratagem for Light'

Nonclassical club night in July. Check website for details: www.nonclassical.co.uk

For more information about the performance, press tickets, interviews and photos of the

performers, please contact Roselyn Maynard of Consortium5; 07771604177

roselynmaynard@gmail.com

Book...

...Arts

Our Book Art exhibition is now installed at Great Shelford Library where it has already received great admiration.

We are also delighted to note that one of the books that was sadly not able to be included in the exhibition has in-fact won a runner up prize in the Guardian Calendar Competition (see link below)! Well done Kate!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2010/dec/17/g2-calendar-2011-runners-up#/?picture=369816234&index=6

...courses

We have had a fantastic response to our music courses and they are filling up fast.

So far this year we have courses suitable for string, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon and flute players. Make sure you book your place asap. to avoid disappointment.

Book Art Exhibition moving to Shelford

Don't forget that the Book Art Exhibition will be moving to Great Shelford Library on Monday, so make sure you have seen it at Cambridge Central or are prepared to visit it in Shelford!