Young Instrumentalists Needed for Young Persons Orchestra

YOUNG INSTRUMENTALISTS NEEDED FOR A REMARKABLE PERFORMANCE IN SEPT 2012 at Bignor Park, West Sussex.

Conducted by DAVID JONES (English National Opera, Welsh Royal College of Music, Paris Opera).

A London 2012 Games Cultural Olympiad Inspire marked event, part of the Ahead of the Game Festival 2012.

THE CHILD AND THE MAGIC

We are creating a one-off young persons orchestra by audition to perform Ravel’s one-act, forty-five minute children’s opera masterpiece, L’Enfant et Les Sortileges (performed in English as The Child and The Magic).

The opera will be presented within a Big Top auditorium in the unique setting of Bignor Park within the South Downs National Park under the internationally regarded conductor, David Jones and artistic direction of Karen Howard.

We are looking for young instrumentalists aged between 11 and 25, currently performing at a standard of Grade 7 and above that would love the challenge!

West Sussex has a wealth of young and aspiring musicians and this would be a great opportunity to work with a professional artistic team that includes:

Director Karen Howard (Scottish Opera, Opera North, University of Chichester)
Assistant Conductor Adam Hoskins (University of Chichester)
Designer Atlanta Duffy (Lyric Hammersmith, The Lion and The Jewel V&A)
Animator, Mark Charlton (BBC’s Cunning Little Vixen, Richard Durrant)
and professional singers from the international opera circuit

Practical Information

The brilliant score takes in twenty-seven pieces of music in forty-five minutes telling the story of a young boy who, driven by boredom to destroying the objects and taunting the animals he loves, unleashes a magic spell bringing them to life in a phantasmagorical parade, to teach him a lesson.

AUDITION DATE: Saturday 23rd June, 1pm-4.30pm

AUDITION VENUE: University of Chichester, Chichester*

Rehearsal schedule**
Sunday 1st July 10.30am-1.30pm
Sunday 8th July 10.30am-1.30pm
Sunday 22nd July 10.30am-1.30pm
Sunday 29th July 10.30am-1.30pm
Saturday 25th August 2.30pm- 5.30pm
Sunday 26th August 10.30am-1.30pm
Sunday 9th September 10.30am-1.30pm
Saturday 15th September 10.30am-Sitzeprobe
Tuesday 18th September 2.30pm Stage and Orchestra, 7.00pm DRESS ONE

Performances - 19th-23rd September
Wednesday 19th 3.00pm DRESS TWO and PREVIEW – 7.3Opm
Thursday 20th PERFORMANCE 2 – 7.30pm
Friday 21st PERFORMANCE 3 – 7.30pm
Saturday 22nd PERFORMANCE 4 - 2.30pm and PERFORMANCE 5 - 7.30pm
Sunday 23rd PERFORMANCE 6 - 2.30pm and PERFORMANCE 7 - 7.30pm

*Campus location to be confirmed when we acknowledge your email
**If you are on holiday during one or two of these dates, please audition anyway as we are aware that you may be able to make up the practice

AUDITION DETAILS

Please prepare one short piece or excerpt of music of your choice. You can do it from memory if you wish but it is not essential.

Once you have registered your interest, we will send you a short excerpt from Ravel’s L’Enfant et Les Sortileges for your instrument – you don’t need to memorise it, but please familiarise yourself with the music.

You will be asked to play your chosen excerpt/piece and if shortlisted will work with the conductor to play through the Ravel section in an orchestral setting.

Audition timetable
1.00pm Arrive and welcome – all audition participants
1.15pm Excerpt audition begins – one participant at a time
2.30pm Shortlisting announcement – if not shortlisted you will be free to leave.
2.45pm Tea break – time to ask questions and mingle
3.00pm Rehearsing short section from L’Enfant et Les Sortileges
4.00pm Present short section
4.30pm FINISH

How you apply? It’s simple…

Please write to Lizzie Gerard - Ahead of the Game Festival 2012 Administrator, on lizzie.gerard@westsussex.gov.uk expressing your interest and confirming your attendance on the audition date. The audition is FREE.

Please also state your instrument, what grade you are on, or standard that you play at if you have not gone through the grading system and provide your contact details, name and address.

Please let us know if you require any access support, including large-print documents. All our spaces are wheelchair accessible.

You will be e-mailed with confirmation of your audition, followed by the music excerpt for your instrument part and we will notify shortlisted applicants the audition results by Friday 29th June via e-mail. Thank you for your interest in this thrilling new way to experience Ravel’s colourful and comic masterpiece!

Paul Ackerley – Producer
Karen Howard – Artistic Director

For more information about the project and Ahead of the Game Festival 2012 please go to www.westsussex-aheadofthegame.com and www.magicopera.co.uk (goes live in June).

AHEAD OF THE GAME FESTIVAL 2012

The Ahead of the Game Festival is the culmination of four years of cultural activities in West Sussex inspired by the London 2012 Games and is a programme of spectacular outdoor events between May and September 2012.

Presented in woodland, farms, parks and gardens throughout the county and online, they include pop-up festivals, carnival parades, a children’s opera in a big top, singing in woodland under moonlight and a theatrical treasure hunt of the grandest proportions. Created by more than one thousand residents working with hundreds of creative partners from Shoreham to Shanghai!

Funded by the West Sussex Arts Partnership: West Sussex County Council, Crawley Borough Council, Horsham District Council, Mid Sussex District Council and Arts Council England. Inspire Marked by the London 2012 Games.

For more information visit http://www.magicopera.co.uk/