Recent updates

ACE Grant Awarded

An update for Britten Saint Nicolas: A film celebrating live and virtual music making

Aug 29 2020

We are delighted to announce that we have been successful in our application to the Arts Council for this project. However, this grant alone will not allow us to go ahead with the project so we still need your help to make this happen. 

Thank you so much for all your support so far. With just 6 days to go, we ask that you please share the project with your like-minded friends to help us raise us much as possible in the next week to be able to bring Saint Nicolas into people's lives this Christmas. 

Introducing the City of London Sinfonia

An update for Britten Saint Nicolas: A film celebrating live and virtual music making

Aug 27 2020

Matthew Swann, Chief Executive of City of London Sinfonia, talks about the project and CLS's role in this video here: https://youtu.be/5F15QH-pfmU

The City of London Sinfonia will play the orchestral parts for the on-site recording in Snape and Aldeburgh and will also play for the guide tracks for the virtual orchestra.

City of London Sinfonia (CLS) is the orchestral home to over 40 outstanding professional musicians who come together in the shared belief that music has the power to transform the lives of people across all areas of society. They bring a distinctive, seriously informal style to everything they do, breaking down the barriers between their musicians and audiences – whether performing on a world-famous music stage or sharing musical, creative experiences with residents in care homes and hospital schools.

Led by Creative Director and Leader Alexandra Wood, CLS conceives and delivers innovative artistic programmes with associate partners and artists, including project leaders with specialist skills, musicians in classical, jazz, folk and contemporary music, and artists in film, dance or visual art. The imaginative concepts and themes – often relating to science, nature, history or philosophy – influence and inform their wellbeing and education projects just as much as their concert series, bringing the adventure, intrigue and enjoyment of these programmes to all their audiences.

A trip to Snape and Aldeburgh

An update for Britten Saint Nicolas: A film celebrating live and virtual music making

Aug 23 2020

Earlier this month, director Bill Barclay, photographer Matthew Johnson and I (executive producer Naomi Taylor) ventured to the Suffolk Coast to explore Snape Maltings and Aldeburgh and to look at how each of the potential venues might feature in the film. 

We visited the iconic concert hall at Snape first – a vast space with enormous potential. The bare brick walls and unvarnished wooden stage have a refreshing and inspiring simplicity about them – a blank canvas for whatever one's imagination may offer.

[Above: Concert hall from back (top left), Bill and Naomi discussing possibilities with Geoff (top right and bottom left), Concert hall from stage (bottom right)]

Geoff Spain, head of production at Snape Maltings, gave us a tour of the many spaces available at Snape, and after the concert hall we saw both Britten-Pears Building housing the Peter Pears Recital Room, and the Hoffman Building, home to the Britten Studio and the Jerwood-Kiln Studio – and also featuring some lovely relics of the Maltings themselves in their previous life. Again, some lovely spaces – my personal favourite being the Britten Studio, with its mix of concrete, stone and wood interior. 

[Above: Geoff and Naomi in the Peter Pears recital room (top left), the Britten Studio (top right), exterior of Britten Pears Building (bottom left), detail from the walls in the Britten Studio (bottom right)]

The final stop on our tour with Geoff was the Dovecote Studio – a tiny gem of a room, decked out entirely in wood with a high pointed ceiling, apparently often used by composers in residence… a comment that immediately made us all pine for a composer residency at Snape, such was the peaceful atmosphere in that small, bright room all on its own by the stunning expanse of marshland that the campus is perched on the edge of.

[Above: Dovecote interior details (top left, bottom left and bottom right), upper half of exterior of Dovecote (top right)]

We paused for a coffee break and to talk through some of the score at this point – enjoying the beautiful views, the sculptures in the grounds and the glorious weather we were fortunate to have during the morning (not so much in the afternoon!). 

[Above: Bill and Naomi walking towards the concert hall entrance (top left); view from Snape Maltings (top right); 'The Family of Man' by Barbara Hepworth (bottom left); Bill and Naomi discussing Saint Nicolas with Snape Maltings in the background (bottom right)]

Next it was on to Aldeburgh Church, to meet the vicar – who gave us a potted history of this beautiful building that featured so prominently in the lives of Britten and Pears and of course the Aldeburgh Festival. Saint Nicolas itself received its (unofficial) premiere here, opening the very first Aldeburgh Festival in 1948. While we were at the church we didn't miss the opportunity to admire John Piper's Britten Memorial Window and also to visit Britten and Pears' graves – side by side, and a row in front of Imogen Holst's grave (joint artistic director of the Aldeburgh Festival for 20 years and daughter of Gustav Holst).

[Above: interior of Aldeburgh Parish Church (top left); the Britten memorial window (top right); Britten and Pears' graves, with Imogen Holst's grave in between in the row behind (bottom left); vicar Mark with Bill and Naomi in the churchyard (bottom right)]

Our final appointment of the day was with Lucy Walker, head of public engagement at The Red House – where Britten and Pears spent much of their lives together. Although the interior spaces here are small and don't offer huge amounts of potential for filming, we didn't pass up the opportunity for a quick tour, stepping back in time and imagining the two great men living their lives in this charming house. We learnt during this tour that the house didn't originally have a porch when Britten and Pears moved in – but the one we see today was built in anticipation of the Queen's visit (for tea!) following the opening of Snape Maltings Concert Hall in 1967. 

[Above: selected shots from the interior of The Red House, featuring some of Pears' extensive art collection]

The potential locations for filming here are the beautiful exterior and the gardens, and the library – which is still home to Britten's piano. 

[Above: the main entrance to The Red House, including the porch built in honour of a royal visit (top left); Bill at Britten's piano in the library (top right); one of the many flowerbeds in the gardens of the Red House (bottom left); Bill, Lucy and Naomi in the back garden of the Red House (bottom right)]

By now it was around 3pm – high time for a bite to eat! – so we headed down to the seafront, where we sheltered from the sudden unexpected squall with a late lunch and then made our way down the beach to Maggi Hamblings' memorial to Britten. This takes the form of an enormous scallop shell, into which a quote from Peter Grimes is cut, reading "I hear those voices which will not be drowned", which we all felt – given our mission with this project to connect voices in song after an achingly long silence – was rather apt. 

[Above: Bill and Naomi on the seafront in Aldeburgh (top left); the monument to Britten (right); Bill and Naomi on the beach at Aldeburgh (bottom left)]

We headed home, full of ideas, excitement and inspiration... ready, with your help, to make this project a reality. 

Photos: Matthew Johnson Photographer

Introducing Nicky Spence

An update for Britten Saint Nicolas: A film celebrating live and virtual music making

Aug 19 2020

In this video we hear Nicky Spence talk a bit about Saint Nicolas and what makes the work so special – and you'll also hear him singing excerpts from Britten's beautiful arrangement of 'O can ye sew cushions?' https://youtu.be/Pvk448cdY9Q

Nicky will sing the role of Nicolas in the film, expertly telling the story of the patron saint of children, seamen and travellers.

Opera Singer Nicky Spence is one of Scotland’s proudest sons and his unique skills as a singing actor and the rare honesty of his musicianship are steadfastly earning him a place at the top of the classical music profession.

Nicky was schooled locally in Dumfries and Galloway before receiving a scholarship to the Guildhall School as their youngest singer at 17 years old. During his training, he won a record contract with Decca Records before taking a place at the National Opera Studio and latterly a position at the English National Opera as one of their inaugural Harewood Artists. Nicky recently made his role debut as Parsifal with the Hallé orchestra under Sir Mark Elder. Described in The Times this year as ‘a tenor who combines heroic tone and a poetic sensibility that takes the breath away’, Nicky has recorded prolifically and is a regular featured recitalist at the Wigmore Hall, London though he can mostly be found on the International stages of Opera de Paris, Covent Garden and the Metropolitan Opera, New York.

Introducing Robert Hollingworth and I Fagiolini

An update for Britten Saint Nicolas: A film celebrating live and virtual music making

Aug 16 2020

Here we meet Robert Hollingworth, who tells us about I Fagiolini's role in the project and what makes this project stand out: https://youtu.be/nKrr1DyAqak

Photo: Matt Brodie

I Fagiolini will sing the choral parts during the on-site filming in Snape and Aldeburgh, partaking in the staged elements of the production as well. They will also provide the choral lines for the guide tracks for the virtual choir.

I Fagiolini is internationally renowned for its genuinely innovative productions: “The group are musical shapeshifters, following Hollingworth’s giddy, eclectic imagination wherever it leads” (The Spectator). Signature projects have included The Full Monteverdi by John La Bouchardière; Tallis in Wonderland, a new way of hearing polyphony with live and recorded voices; Simunye, the South African collaboration; How Like An Angel (HLAA), with Australian contemporary circus company C!RCA for the 2012 Cultural Olympiad and performed at the Perth International Arts Festival, New York and in cathedrals across Europe; and Betrayal: a polyphonic crime drama (with John La Bouchardière), an immersive theatre piece sung to the music of Gesualdo with dancers and singers set in ‘crime scenes’. I Fagiolini has been working with Polyphonic Films to create music videos since 2003 and a large number of these are available to view on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/user/thelittlebeans.

Robert Hollingworth founded I Fagiolini in 1986 and has spent much of his life thinking around how to present music of a different time and context to contemporary audiences.  He has presented all the group's signature projects but also directed the English Concert, Academy of Ancient Music, BBC Concert Orchestra and some of the world’s finest chamber choirs including Accentus, NDR Chor, BBC Singers, RIAS Kammerchor, Capella Cracoviensis, VOCES8 and the Danish National Vocal Ensemble. He is also Artistic Director for the Stour Music festival, and is Reader in Music at the University of York where he directs ‘The 24’ and runs an MA in Solo-Voice Ensemble Singing.  He likes Monteverdi and Monty Python.

Introducing: Ken Burton, Conductor

An update for Britten Saint Nicolas: A film celebrating live and virtual music making

Aug 12 2020

Here we meet Ken Burton with a mini biography, and a short film as he talks about the project. See Ken's video on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfwQzBde-yA&feature=youtu.be

Ken will conduct the project both at the recording in Snape and Aldeburgh and also as part of the guide tracks for the virtual choir and orchestra.

Ken Burton’s musical activities cover a wide range of genres and roles, internationally. He regularly directs two choirs - the London Adventist Chorale, and Croydon SDA Gospel Choir. He is also a guest conductor of the newly found London Youth Choir. He has appeared and worked extensively on some of the biggest programmes on British television and internationally, among them Songs Of Praise (BBC), Britain's Got Talent (ITV), Prom At The Palace (BBC), Soul Noel (BBC) and numerous others. His roles on the programmes have included performing, vocal contracting, conducting, arranging, musical directing, and production.

He also has a strong background of classical music, and has worked as a chorusmaster training choirs to sing large-scale works such as Verdi Requiem, and Brahm’s Deutsche Requiem. He has conducted, written and arranged numerous choral and orchestral works for orchestras including London Mozart Players, CBSO, Orchestra Of The Swan, and various BBC orchestras. He conducted the 60th annual performance of Handel’s Messiah at the Metropolitan Baptist Church in Washington DC. He was a 2012 guest on Proms Plus, preceding a concert which included Tippett’s A Child Of Our Time, and has conducted and performed at the Proms.

Pay-What-You-Can Community Cafe Coming Soon

An update for Stokes Croft Food Project

Jul 18 2020

Thanks the generous supporters of our ongoing crowdfunding campaign, alongside the help we are receiving from the Bristol Food Union, Stokes Croft Food Project is delighted to announce the opening of a "Pay What You Can Community Cafe" on Monday 27th July at Jamaica Street Stores, 37-39 Jamaica Street, BS2 8JP.

We will continue to distribute free food to the hungry on Tuesdays and Sundays, but we will also be offering lunch to the whole community from 12-2pm, Monday to Friday.

We have chosen the Pay What You Can model to allow us to continue providing mouth watering and nutritious meals to the economically vulnerable, while expanding our offer in an inclusive and sustainable way. This project builds on the mutual aid principle that has allowed so many people in Bristol to make it through the pandemic. We don't need top down charity to 'help the needy' - we need strong, well fed and resilient communities that support one another.

Thank you for helping to make this vision a reality.

Covid precautions mean this will start as a take away service, but our long term vision is to develop this cafe into a shared eating space where everyone can sit and eat together. A space to provide the kind of affordable community hub that Stokes Croft really needs. We will also make an area of the cafe available as a food bank where people can donate or request groceries.
 

Are you hungry? Come down, get some lunch.

Cafe opening hours: 12-2pm Mon-Fri at Jamaica Street Stores, 37-39 Jamaica St, BS2 from Monday July 27

New target unlocked!

An update for Community Care Package

Jul 11 2020

Thank you for helping us get to our target of £20,000! 

Our new target is £30,000. Let's go!

Thank you from PRSC

An update for PRSC's School of Activism 2

Jul 8 2020

Dear generous people who donated to our School of Activism fundraiser back in the mists of time before Covid put everything on hold.

I'm sorry it's taken us so long to get in touch but we are a small busy organisation and what with all the Covid changes you lovely people slipped through the gaps with everyone thinking someone else was talking to you.

Anyway, thanks to your wonderful generosity, the PRSC can confidently plan to reschedule the School of Activism knowing that we have a £500 pot to cover workshop expenses, subsidised spaces and othe project needs. So thank you again!

Some of you are going to be wondering where your gift bags are - don't worry, we haven't forgotten them, we have them prepared in our venue ready to send out.

We were hoping to invite you to a thank you party where we could present you with the gift bags in person, but that's madness in this cimate, so here's our suggestion:

If you can email events@prsc.org.uk and let us know your name and an address you want your prizes delivered to then we will cycle round Bristol delivering the gift bags by hand.

Thank you very much.
We are still really excited about the School of Activism and it will happen sooner or later.

Lisa
Events Manager
PRSC
events@prsc.org.uk

WE CANT BELIEVE IT !

An update for Help Save Trattoria Domenico Italian Restaurant

Jun 3 2020

We just want to say from the bottom of our hearts a BIG THANK YOU to You All for all your generosity and support we have had the last month of our campaign, We are all very happy to say that we will be staying up and we have raised enough funds to get us through this pandemic. We cant wait to see you all back here at Trattoria so you can all use your great rewards you have all pledged for. 

We couldn't do this without your support and we are so very grateful for all the help and care we have had with so many people. We cant wait to see you all back ! 

Giuseppe, Family & Staff @ Trattoria Domenico 

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