|
BMS Flute Choir
The BMS Flute Choir
is made up of flautists aged 8-18 who live or attend school in the
London borough of Brent - many of the current members are also receiving
instrumental tuition from Brent Music Service through their
school. The Flute Choir offers the
flautists of Brent the opportunity to experience the joys and challenges
of playing in a massed flute ensemble, with alto and bass flutes, whilst
intensively working on various aspects of flute technique.
The ensemble learns and performs a wide range of musical styles,
and gives its members a great opportunity to experience the wide variety
of sounds the flute family of instruments can produce.  What
does the BMS Flute Choir do?
This specialist ensemble was only set up in September 2009 and it has
already grasped the interest of a great many of the young flautists in
the borough. The ensemble is a
fantastic way of improving your playing and meeting others with a
similar interest. When the flute choir comes together it learns
new pieces, breaks down into groups of various sizes to try out new
ideas and pieces, the tutors offer musical guidance and support and the
group's first formal concert appearance will take place at Wembley Arena
in July 2010 as a feature in the Brent Makes Music 2010 event.
What
Are The Flute Choir Workshops?
There
are three weekend flute workshops for the BMS Flute Choir. The weekends offer master classes in various aspects of flute
technique and the wonderful experience of playing the flute with some
fifty or so other flautists using flutes that vary from the tiny piccolo
to the huge and wonderful sounding alto and bass flutes.
We hope the weekends will be truly inspirational and a fantastic
learning experience So far the results of the workshops have
been a resounding success - playing and musicality has improved,
understanding of the instrument has developed and a lot of new friends
have been made! Get
insider information by reading the workshop reviews
from two of the participants, Jessica Julien and Resma Mathiyalagan by
.  Who
Runs The Workshops?
The
workshops are run by Jocelyn Campbell, BMS tutor and Head of the BMS
Queens Park Evening Centre
and visiting tutor, Melanie Orriss, both of whom have a
wealth of knowledge and experience in teaching, music arranging and flute
choirs.
The
success of the flute choir is due to the collaboration and team work of
Jocelyn and Melanie - they first met at Chetham’s
School
of
Music
in
Manchester
, where they studied ‘A’ levels and flute together.
They were finalists and semi-finalists, respectively, in the
BBC’s Young Musician of the Year competition and they both studied
under Peter Lloyd at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Their alliance continued and they were both members of the prestigious
European Community Youth Orchestra, playing under internationally
acclaimed conductors in some of
Europe
’s major concert halls. Their
study and experience, combined with their twenty-five year friendship,
sees them inspiring one another, which in turn inspires their students,
giving the students of Brent a unique opportunity and insight into their
own potential as flute players.
Bespoke
Music Arrangements by Melanie Orriss
Melanie’s flute choir arrangements provide tailor made music that sees
each child performing to their abilities and beyond, with music that is
fun. Just as importantly, the arrangements concentrate on aspects
of technique specific to the learning intentions of the weekend
workshops. Children develop
tone, breathing, articulation, posture and flute technique throughout
the weekend and show a marked all-round improvement in their playing.
They come away inspired by their achievements, keen to practice,
look forward to the next workshops and meeting up again with their new
friends.
 What
instruments are included?
The
BMS Flute Choir aims to incorporate the complete flute family of
instruments, including the piccolo, standard, alto and bass flutes.
(Visit our Instruments
section to get further information on woodwind instruments).
When
does it take place?
The next workshop
is taking place on 13th and 14th March, followed by another on 19th and
20th June, culminating in a public appearance at the Brent Makes Music
2010 showcase at Wembley Arena on 8th July 2010. How
old do I have to be?
The BMS Flute Choir is open to all 8-18 year olds who are of a standard
of between Grade 1 - Grade 8.
How much
does it cost?
It's free!
How
do you join?
If you live in or are schooled in the London borough of Brent and are
interested in joining one of the forthcoming workshops, please contact
Jocelyn Campbell, Head of the Queen's Park Evening Centre.
Something
to think about ...
The importance of music in every child’s life is unparalleled.
Music provides opportunities for self-expression, creativity and
achievement. By learning an
instrument or learning to sing and participating in musical ensembles,
not only is it fun, but important life skills are developed in problem
solving, teamwork, goal-setting, self-confidence and self-esteem.
The
BMS Flute Choir can help you make that difference and make new
friends along the way!
|
A Brent
Council Service