posted by Cptn
You youngsters out there, ever fancied singing for your super, or singing just before your supper? A series of vocal workouts for those between eight and 18 is being organised by the folk folk from Wren Music.
Based in Exeter (St Sidwell’s Centre, to be exact), the Campus Choir singing sessions will take place between 5pm and 6.30pm from January 24. There’s none of the pseudo x-factor stuff – no experience of singing is necessary, there are no auditions, no reading music, and it is not a competition.
And who is the vocal focus of this singing soiree? While Sarah Owen and Jim Causely, of course. Both have heaps of experience, one has combined voice with electronics and the other has been favourably compared to gravy. Go along, and work out which is which (answers on an email to info@peoplesrepublicofsouthdevon.co.uk, you could win, err, something, perhaps).
For more info on the Campus Choir, contact Wren Music on 018037 53754, or email admin@wrenmusic.co.uk
January 14th, 2008
posted by Cptn
What shenanigans there are about the Northcott Theatre, Exeter. Due mainly, it seems, to the Arts Council sitting in its ivory tower and not looking to take any responsibility for its decisions. Pah, you say, it’s a sign of the times. Well, yes. But there’s jobs, resource, skills and the little matter of nearly a couple of million spent on what will be a dead duck.
In response, Exeter City Council is getting ready to reach for the legal stick to cajole sense out of the Arts Council. To quote the Observer, where you can read the rest of the story: ‘Richard Ball, the council’s head of tourism, told The Observer: “We believe there is a case to pursue and are taking advice on the best way to take this forward.”‘
Not surprising, since according to another report from The Observer: ‘… the [Arts] Council had written to Exeter City Council in 2006 pledging full commitment to the theatre’s future.
‘On that basis, the city council invested £750,000 in the refurbishment…’
So far the response from Nick Capaldi (head honcho of the south west Arts Council) et al, has been along of the lines of - yeah, but we told you there needed to be changes and because of the refurbishment you can now get private money to fund you. But heck, if there was a responsible management of funds, these issues should have been broached right from the get-go, not wheeled out after the threat of pulling the grant had been made.
The Observer also has a response to the cuts from the Northcott’s acting chief executive Claire Middleton and a good quote from Caroline Quentin supporting the Exeter theatre.
Maybe the Arts Council is responding, trouble is they’re up there in there ivory cloisters and us on the ground just can’t hear them. They meet next week to make their final decisions.
If you want to make your feelings known, sign up for support of the Exeter Northcott Theatre.
January 14th, 2008
Here’s another of Beachcomber’s images for the 366 challenge. If you’ve got images from a year-long campaign or just an interesting one off, then get in touch, or visit the PRSD gallery to upload your own pictures.
January 14th, 2008
