It is with great regret that I have to inform you that we have had to make the very hard decision to cancel next Tuesday’s Christmas Festival at The Coro.  I realise you will be disappointed – we are all gutted!  However, we will try to film each of the groups that were going to have performed next Tuesday and then produce a virtual concert, the link for which I will send you once it has been put on Youtube.

As soon as I have drawn up a filming schedule I will post it here, but WIND BAND will definitely be recorded on Monday after school (in their usual rehearsal slot). Please could ALL players bring their pink band shirts (and spares if they have them) to change in to after school as well as tinsel/Christmas hats/antlers etc. to make the filming as festive as possible. Please could ALL players do their best to attend?

We are in desperate need of Wind Band shirts – if anyone out there has got any spare pink band shirts that they are willing to either give or lend (please stipulate if it is the latter so that I can arrange for its return after Christmas) please, please, please could you sent it/them in as soon as possible.

As we have not yet been able to make a decision on when the next tour will be, let alone where, we have not been able to release any new shirts to sell, and about half the band is new this year!!!

HELP!!!!!!

Tomorrow’s Swing Band rehearsal is cancelled due to all the yr13s being unavailable. I thought everyone did a great job at Dickensian on Saturday – well done!!!!!!

This afternoon’s scheduled Combo rehearsal is cancelled. Sorry!

Wind Band is cancelled tonight due to personal reasons. All students have been informed.

Congratulations to the Combo/Little Big Band for today’s first gig! You all did brilliantly and it was very well received by the venue and audience. The first performance of the year is always the hardest (and most nerve-wracking), but as you were a totally new band with only a few weeks of rehearsals behind you (and 20-odd months of no group playing at all) you really did exceed all expectation and did yourselves proud!!!!

Next stop – Dickensian Festival!

P.S. – many thanks to those who came to school afterwards to help unload the van – I am afraid I will have to ask for assistance every time we do a gig as I am not currently allowed to lift anything heavy. In the future (including next week) I will again have to ask for assistance if we are to re-establish our calendar for the Combo and the Swing Band. So … if any members of the Swing Band are able to come to school after next week’s performance to help unload, please do so.

AYM are continuing to welcome applications from young musicians to their Awards programme. Whatever musical genre they make or create in, an AYM Award provides:

• Financial help
• Opportunities, events and advice
• A UK-wide musical community

Young musicians hoping to join the programme and access funding from January 2022 should apply by the end of November. If you’re supporting a young person to apply for an Award, now would be a great time to remind them to complete their application here:

www.a-y-m.org.uk/apply

Award winners will receive between £100 and £2,000 towards their musical costs and access our programme of opportunities. We’ve some exciting plans for 2022, including:
 

·         Regular online events, including creative workshops, careers, fundraising and other advice 

·         Q and As with professional performers, composers, producers, songwriters and music leaders, and more! 

·         In-person music making, including our 2022 Awards Day and other get togethers  

·         Mentoring programmes with some exciting music industry partners  

·         Performance and composing opportunities
 

The Awards programme is means tested and open to young musicians age 5-17. Updated information on eligibility and how to apply can be found via these links: 

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