Tag: 2020

8Jun 2020
News Comments Off on Diversity Arts Network: Zoom meeting

Diversity Arts Network: Zoom meeting

Looking to the future: The New World
How to create, contribute, commission and promote in the future.

Tuesday 16th June: 2 – 3.30pm

What challenges do we face and how we can help shape the future? The DCMS have established a task force to look at how artists and arts organisations, museums, libraries can operate in the future and it has been criticised for its lack of diversity of its membership.

  • It is up to each one of us to feed into this national discussion – how will we need to adapt ?
  • How will these change affect us?
  • Who will lose out? How will artists from BAME backgrounds, or with disabilities or vulnerable conditions be affected?

Invariably smaller regional organisations and individual artists get left out in these national debates, and we should be able to communicate these challenges to key regional and national organisations and funders. For example how are community-led organisations with very limited budgets going to conduct large cultural events and festivals with social distancing measures in place? There are many challenges that face our sector, and working in partnership may become more crucial.Let us know if you would like to join this discussion and share your thoughts.
We are limiting numbers but plan to schedule further zoom meetings.

Let us know if you would like to join this discussion and share your thoughts. Register for Zoom meeting.

 

29May 2020
News Comments Off on Tango Workshops – Online

Tango Workshops – Online

Course: Tango Techniques and Style
Date: Fri 26 – Sun 28 June 2020
Tutor: Caroline Pearsall

Dive into the exotic world of Argentinian tango music with two 1.5 hour sessions daily –filled with romantic melodies, pounding bass and exhilarating syncopations. Tango is a rich fusion between Italian opera, Spanish habanera, African rhythms and Eastern European gypsy music.

Caroline Pearsall has been working as a professional tango violinist for the past 17 years, touring all over the world with various tango groups and shows and currently runs the London Tango Orchestra and Caminito Orchestra Escuela. This course will show you some of the unusual percussive instrumental techniques used in tango playing as well as introducing you to some of the most famous orchestral styles (Canaro, Di Sarli, Pugliese, D’Arienzo…). There will be some pieces by Astor Piazzolla and you will discover more about where he came from and the kind of interpretive freedom needed to fill his music with tango soul straight from Buenos Aires!

Tango music is filled with syncopations and dramatic phrasing, and has its own unique swing to it. You will learn about what makes tango tango and discover new ways of playing expressively on your instrument. Learning to play tango also invites you to learn more about improvising and discovering your own musical voice. We’re looking for strings, flute, clarinet, piano, bass and bandoneons (or accordions) to recreate the sound of a typical tango orchestra. The arrangements can be made to cater to all levels so if you fancy a bit of tango don’t hesitate to join us, whatever your level. Ability to read music necessary.

Find out more and book tickets
29May 2020
News Comments Off on Nepalese Sakela Festival

Nepalese Sakela Festival

The Nepalese Sakela Festival is an annual celebration of nature every May at the start of the Spring season in Nepal.
The Sakela dance is the main dance that is performed as part of this festival and several communities of Nepalese people come together to celebrate this. The dance is a representation of nature and the dance movements reflect the movements of trees, plants, flowers, animals and birds.
In the UK the Sakela Festival has an attendance of around 10,000 Nepalese from all over the country except this year when it was cancelled and they all celebrated it with their families at home. We are looking forward to it next year! 

29May 2020
News Comments Off on Zal & Phoenix by Shohreh Shakoory

Zal & Phoenix by Shohreh Shakoory

Zal & Phoenix iss a composition with illustrations by Meysam Mousavi, narrated by soprano April Fredrick. This multi-media production is based on an ancient Persian tale adapted for children for a live performance created by composer Shohreh Shakoory.

Shoreh Shakoory is an Iranian British pianist composer, who moved to the UK in 1993. She has performed her compositions  in several venues in London as well as numerous festivals in the UK, Belgium, France and Iran. Shohreh has been working on ‘Zal & phoenix ‘ project for over 3 years and will be developing this show for small-scale theatres as well as outdoor spaces and other flexible settings including schools.
Meysam Mousavi  is an Iranian painter based in Tehran. Meysam is a self taught  artist  who has participated  in several  exhibitions and festivals in Iran and throughout the world .
His Illustration work has been published over 200 children’s books, and he was the winner of Biennale Illustration Bratislava in 2011.
American soprano April Fredrick is passionate about nuance, text and character, performing regularly as an orchestral and oratorio soloist and premiering and recording multiple works including the role of ‘Jane’ in Joubert’s Jane Eyre, for which she received international acclaim. She is a founding member of Dei Gratia Baroque Ensemble.
Canberk Ulaş is a Turkish professional duduk player. He graduated in Istanbul Technical University Turkish Music State Conservatory. Ulas has contributed to many albums with his duduk throughout his career. He founded the band “Canberk Ulaş Quartet” in 2015 and released his  album titled “Telafi” in 2017.
18May 2020
News Comments Off on Sea Folk Sing Virtual Workshops

Sea Folk Sing Virtual Workshops

Interested in music, singing, doing new things and connecting with others online? 
Join our new free online workshops for anyone aged 55+ living in Medway or Swale. Work with a professional musician to explore Hope and Connection. You’ll try out new ideas and techniques and no previous musical experience is needed.
Workshops are on Wednesdays, starting 20th May.

More about the project

Sea Folk Sing is our successful two-year project that started in 2018. We helped create and tour new songs in Kent, written and performed by amazing people and professional musicians from our local communities. We’re now giving you the chance to take part in Sea Folk Sing virtually with our online workshops. You can take part in one workshop, a few, or all of them!

Places are limited to 16 people per each workshop and are on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.

Workshops are on Wednesday afternoons.

When you book you will be given the time of your workshop. If we get more than 8 people in a workshop, we will run the workshop twice on the same day.

Workshop Schedule:

  • Workshop No.1: Wed 20th May
  • Workshop No.2: Wed 27th May
  • Workshop No.3: Wed 3rd June
  • Workshop No.4: Wed 10th June
  • Workshop No.5: Wed 17th June
  • Workshop No.6: Wed 24th June
  • Workshop No.7: Wed 1st July
18May 2020
News Comments Off on Diversity Arts Network

Diversity Arts Network

Creating a digital platform for diverse artists, organisations, and community groups

We will be undertaking a mapping of local organisations and artists and for this purpose we would like you to email us the following information.
  • Name and contact details
  • Website / Facebook/Twitter links
  • Brief description of your work/ organisation
  • Brief description of current projects
  • Future projects that you are developing or would like to develop in relation to diversity

The information collected will be part of an online directory of organisations, venues, community groups, artists and performers in the region, what projects are being developed and where the gaps are.  We are aware that due to the Covid-19 crises most projects would have been cancelled or postponed, and some may not happen in the same way afterwards but for the purposes of our mapping exercise it would be useful to know what these projects are.

Deadline for sending us information is:  30th May 2020

We are holding 1-1 skype/zoom sessions over the next couple of weeks in relation to DAN and if you are interested do email us on:

Any questions please email diversityartsnetwork@equatorfestival.com