Summer Music Gathering in Stockton

Thursday 17th July: Drop-in event from 2-8pm.

Music groups invited to celebrate another year of music making in style!

Making Music has teamed up with Platform to provide a flexible mix of workshops, discussion groups, performances and networking to voluntary music groups in the North East.

Held at the Georgian Theatre, Stockton, on Thursday 17th July, the format of the event will be informal and flexible. With drop-in workshops and discussion groups from 2pm to 8pm, music groups and musicians can simply come to the sessions they want to, when they want to.

Everyone is invited to come along, and thanks to funding from Making Music and Stockton Borough Council the whole event is entirely free, including drinks and nibbles.

Workshops will include:

• Conducting
• Fundraising
• Music and organisational development
• Sponsorship

All from 2.50-3.50pm, repeated 6.30-7.30pm

Discussion groups from 5-5.45 pm will address questions such as:

• How do we raise the profile of classical music making?
• How can we work more effectively in the region to develop our audiences?
• How do we encourage more people to join in?

There will also be opportunities to chat informally to representatives of MusicLeader, Northern Cultural Skills Partnership, the Community Foundation, the Sponsors Club for Arts and Business, Making Music and Platform, and find out more about the facilities available to community groups at Green Dragon Studios.
Community groups are also invited to perform at the event. Provisional slots are at 2pm, 3.50 or 5.45, and will last for around half an hour but groups are also invited to get in touch to arrange a time that suits them.

Join us to celebrate another year of music making!

For more information, including a full timetable and booking form contact Penny Appleyard at Platform on 01642 384687, mail@platformteesvalley.org.uk.

Choral Workshop and Masterclass with Mike Brewer OBE

Middlesbrough Town Hall, 2.30 - 4.30pm

Free entry

Be part of something big!

On August 24th the Olympic Torch comes to the UK. To celebrate, local singers and choirs will lead the public in massed song up and down the nation.

In preparation for this, the composer of the national song, Mike Brewer, will give a series of regional workshops for the participating singers.

• Sing in a masterclass
• Teach other choirs what you know
• Practice both performing and leading
• Represent your own choir
• Learn the skills you need to lead the singing at a national music event, from a world famous composer and conductor!

What it's all about...

• Platform Tees Valley and Middlesbrough town Hall are co-ordinating with Sing the Nation to bring this free event to the region, in preparation for the Torch handover ceremony on the 24th of August. This ceremony will be broadcast worldwide and one of the regional big screens will be in the Central Square, Middlesbrough.
• At that event, various local choirs will lead the general public in singing a regional and a national song, as well as performing a song of their own choice. The regional song has yet to be decided upon, and choirs have the opportunity to suggest, share and teach one at this initial workshop.
• During the course of the workshop Mike Brewer will teach participants the national song, and then teach them how to teach it themselves...a great opportunity to perform, share, learn and develop your musical leadership skills for the future.
• The event as a whole is about joining together in song and linking the nation together. To this end, the workshop may be filmed so that other choirs in other regions can watch online and learn the music too.

Mike Brewer is an acclaimed Musical Director and conductor. He has conducted several award winning choirs, is the director of the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, and has produced highly successful publications for fabermusic including the conductor's manual Kickstart your choir. His programme of concerts and workshops regularly take him to South East Asia, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand as well as within Europe. He has composed the National Song for the torch handover ceremony this year.

To request a booking form for an individual or choir, contact Penny Appleyard at Platform, mail@platformteesvalley.org.uk, 01642384687.

Using the Arts with Juvenile and Young Offenders

BALTIC, Gateshead, 10.00 - 4.15pm

Artsplan is pleased to be delivering the one day course 'Using the Arts with Juvenile and Young Offenders' at the North East Artsplan Training Centre - BALTIC.

This training course provides an overview of delivering the arts to young people known to the criminal justice system, including those within the community and those within the secure estate. Participants will examine the issues that need to be considered when planning a project with juvenile and young offenders, highlighting the practical and safety issues associated with working in a secure unit, including appropriate behaviour, security and CRB legislation guidelines. The course will identify the skills needed to successfully implement an arts based project with these young people and understand the importance of good partnerships with prison education staff and youth offending teams.

A professional trainer with specialist experience in using the arts with juvenile and young offenders will be delivering the course. Artswork provides continual support towards the professional development of each trainer, guaranteeing courses remain relevant and informative, enabling us to deliver quality training.

All participants will receive a certificate of attendance and a FREE copy of the Artsplan 'Using the Arts with Juvenile and Young Offenders' guidelines, a useful resource for anyone working in this area.

Prices for each course, which include lunch and refreshments, range from £150 to £110, with limited bursaries available. All members of ENYAN can also request a 5% discount on all training!

For more information on the course and to book a place, please contact Jay Barron, Artsplan Development Manager, on artsplan@artswork.org.uk or call 023 8063 0960. To subscribe to ENYAN visit www.enyan.co.uk.