Training Young Musicians in Antigua and Barbuda

Training Young Musicians in Antigua and Barbuda

17th July 2019

From July 6th-16th, a group of talented young musicians and staff from The Purcell School and Wells Cathedral School will be travelling to Antigua and Barbuda with award-winning musicians from the Royal Over-Seas League to run training programmes with the Antigua and Barbuda Youth Symphony Orchestra.

All the young musicians involved in this programme have outreach leadership experience. Several of them are also members of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.

They will also be running a special programme called ‘Go Compose, Antigua’ for school-aged composers involved in the new pilot training programme for the Commonwealth International Composition Award.

Her Excellency, Karen-Mae Hill, the High Commissioner of Antigua and Barbuda has organised an exciting programme of masterclasses, rehearsals and performances for the visiting musicians.

In January 2019, Alison Cox visited Antigua and Barbuda to promote the new Commonwealth International Composition Award. The High Commissioner worked very hard to ensure that Alison was able to meet and speak to as many key partners in Antigua as possible. She was invited to speak the national radio and TV, including ‘Antigua and Barbuda Today’ with Patrice Martin and Khan Cordice. Also, Alison met His Excellency The Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda, Sir Rodney Williams and his wife, Lady Williams.

Watch this space for further information about this groundbreaking project.

Go Compose, Antigua!

Go Compose, Antigua!

24th June 2019

Antigua!

Go Compose is a 1-day training programme for young composers which was created by the UK’s most well-known new music organisation, Sound and Music and has been run in venues all over the UK for several years. In 2019, The Commonwealth Resounds visited Antigua to deliver a wide variety of musical outreach including several Go Compose sessions for composers on the island.

Go Compose offers the young composers a ‘crash course’ in composition, where in a single day, they are coached by expert composition tutors and professional instrumentalists and enabled to write a short piece of music, which is then rehearsed and recorded. This provides a very positive first experience for young emerging composers.

GO COMPOSE, ANTIGUA! included the following participants:

  • Alison Cox, Head of Composition, The Purcell School – Key Tutor
  • Khan Cordice, Steelpan Expert, Composer and Director of Music, The Clare School – Associate Key Tutor
  • Ka Youn Yoo, Alex Papp and Joshua Mock – Young Composition Assistants
  • Jordan Black, Alex Papp, Joshua Mock and Khan Cordice – Performers.
  • Young composers Teshanna, Brianna, Erienne, Deniko, Khadijah, Jahfari, Tatyana, Tasheka, Khara and Alliyah

The young composers wrote for four instruments – clarinet, viola, steelpan and cello, some of which were familiar to them and others which were not! There was a lot of lively discussion about combining and notating different musical techniques and special effects. Graphic scores were used by those who wanted to present their music visually in a different way.

All 10 young composers managed to finish their pieces in a single day, by working incredibly hard and making full use of the opportunity.

To close the project, there was a fascinating concert of new pieces written by the young composers during ‘Go Compose, Antigua! on the previous day!

The concert was attended by Their Excellencies the Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda and the High Commissioner, plus everyone in the ABYSO. Each young composer introduced their own piece before it was played.

The Governor-General and the High Commissioner chose three of the 10 compositions to be performed in the Commonwealth@70 Gala Concert on Sunday July 14th.

Everyone was extremely proud of ALL the young composers for their hard work and achievement.

Creativity in the Commonwealth

Creativity in the Commonwealth

15th May 2019

Creativity in the Commonwealth!

The Commonwealth Resounds at The Houses of Parliament

On Tuesday, 14th May, Alison Cox OBE, Founder and Chair of Trustees of The Commonwealth Resounds (TCR), was invited to the Houses of Parliament by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, UK to speak about Creativity in the Commonwealth. She was joined by Mr Gee the Poet and Daniel Hatton from the Commonwealth Fashion Council.

During the speech, Alison emphasized the importance of musical creativity and its impact on musicians and their livelihoods. She highlighted TCR’s latest high-profile project, the Commonwealth International Composition Award, and other projects such as the Commonwealth Pianorama and Panorpheus, which were run for CHOGM in previous years.

The Commonwealth Resounds also organized some imaginative cultural entertainment for the Parliamentary Association. A spectacular Commonwealth juggler, Emmanuael the Magnificent, juggled with bowls, spinning plates, skittles, and even with Parliamentary chairs! Emmanuel’s performance was enhanced by young jazz musicians from The Purcell School, who created improvisations to accompany the performance

Launch of the Commonwealth International Composition Award

30th April 2019

Launch of the Commonwealth International Composition Award

The Official Launch of the Commonwealth International Composition Award was held at Marlborough House on Tuesday 30th April. It was attended by many distinguished guests from the music profession and the Commonwealth and hosted by Zeb Soanes, BBC Presenter and Author.

Speakers included Her Excellency The Secreatry_General of the Commonwealth, Her Excellency the High Commissioner of Antigua and Barbuda, Geoff Parkin, Artistic Director, Royal Over-Seas League, Michael Elliot, Chief Executive, ABRSM, Paul Bambrough, Principal, The Purcell School for Young Musicians, Daniel Spreadbury, Marketing Manager, Dorico, Kuljit Bhamra, Composer, Tabla Explorer and De-mystifier of Indian Music and Alison Cos OBE, Founder and chair of Trustees, The Commonwealth Resounds.

Two exciting new pieces by young composers were presented. ‘Tiger Teeth’ by Sasha Scott aged 17 (cultural background from Barbados, Jamaica and the UK) performed by a school-age string quartet from the Purcell School for Young Musicians and ‘Adam’s Peak’ by Vionthya Perinpanathan (cultural background from Sri Lanka) performed by Kuljit Bhamra – tabla and Léonie Adams. – cello. Léonie is the Musical Director of Dionysus, Ensemble-in Residence for the Commonwealth Resounds.

There was a great deal of lively discussion! Guests had plenty of time in between speeches and music for networking and conversation. Everyone was treated to tasty snacks and canapés, prepared by Roberts Macnaughten and wines form Commonwealth countries, New Zealand Australia and South Africa!

The Composition Award is already running in four pilot countries – Antigua and Barbuda, India, Rwanda and New Zealand. Young people are being trained to compose their own music, and other countries (including Cyprus and Sri Lanka) are hoping to join them for the second phase of the award.

“A Connected Commonwealth is a Composing Commonwealth!”

Her Excellency, Baroness Patricia Scotland

Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

“Composition is a very special and personal thing. I am excited to see what the results will be from the four pilot countries!” 

Geoff Parkin

Artistic Director, Royal Over-Seas League and Patron of the Commonwealth Resounds

“I have no doubt that the Composition Award will flourish and deliver some life-changing experiences for young people across the globe.” 

Paul Bambrough,

Principal, Purcell School, the oldest specialist music school in the Commonwealth.

Concerts to support hurricane victims

Concerts to support hurricane victims

15th August 2018 | 0 comments

In 2017, Hurricane Irma created great devastation, especially in the Commonwealth countries of Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis and Dominica.

Before CHOGM 2018, The Commonwealth’s Secretary-General appealed to all Commonwealth Accredited Organisations, asking them for some help and support. The Commonwealth Resounds, as a musical organisation wondered at first how we could possibly do anything to help. Then we had an idea!

We contacted many of our musical outreach partners in the UK – primary and secondary schools, individuals, music hubs and others – and asked them to consider running their own Hurricane Support Concerts, educating children and audiences about the Commonwealth, the Caribbean and hurricanes, and raising funds to rebuild cultural programmes in affected countries. There was a very positive response to this appeal! Schools in London, Hertfordshire, Manchester and Norfolk responded and created excellent concerts, raising funds for the hurricane victims.

The Commonwealth Hurricane Support Concerts programme is making excellent progress, and more concerts will be taking place in schools  throughout 2018 and 2019.

To offer a concert, find out more or to support for the programme in other ways please email Alison Cox OBE, Founder and Chair of Trustees, The Commonwealth Resounds at alisonresounds@gmail.com Alison will be delighted to hear from you, and will be able to answer all your questions.