I have to admit that I hadn’t really been on the ball on this one this year, and I only just noticed that they were going to announce the exclusives later today! Still, now I know the date (16/4) I can make sure I don’t miss it. Apparently the exclusives list is going to be published at 6:15pm today, so I’ll be looking out for that.
Category: Events
Things are going on all the time!, This category is about things I’ve been to or sometimes would have liked to have been to. Also, it’s about events I’m a part of or have had some hand in running.
School of Noise at the Festival of Imagination last month
I’ve talked about the school of noise before. What they do is incredible, and the two videos above just show a little of what they can achieve in getting kids to experiment with sound.
It was an absolute pleasure to work with them at the Festival of Imagination a couple of weeks ago, and if you ever get the chance to see them in action I’d recommend taking a look.
If you want to know more about them, check out their site schoolofnoise.com, and also the PalmSounds page about them here.
SoundLab wins Best SEND Resource at the Music Teacher Awards for Excellence
I posted a lot of detail about this over at PalmSounds, and if you’re really interested then please do go and take a look over there, there’s plenty of information there. But I just wanted to add the photos here and say how important this is to me, and how great it is to be a part of this team.
Festival of the Imagination with School of Noise
This was a wonderful day just over a week ago. It was so much fun to be a part of and to see so many children have a great time just making sounds and experimenting.
Seeing Louis Andriessen at the Barbican
I’ve liked the music of Louis Andriessen for some time. Years probably, and I haven’t heard any of his music performed in a very long time, so when the opportunity came to get tickets to this at the Barbican, and at an amazingly reasonable price too (thanks Sound and Music) then it was to be jumped at. Two of the pieces were premieres too, which was was of course great to hear.
Overall it was a really good concert.
Not long until the Music Education Expo awards
In some ways I still can’t quite believe that we were nominated at all, although of course it’s great to be nominated for anything. In case this isn’t making any sense at all, SoundLab has been nominated in the SEND resource category. I’ve very glad to say I’m going to be there, both at the expo and also at the awards too. I haven’t been to an awards do in ages, so it’s bound to be fun.
Lee Thompson’s Ska Orchestra at the Jazz Cafe
What a great night out this turned out to be. I really enjoyed seeing this band. The sound was lovely, and atmosphere was fun and pretty lively at time. Ska has never been a big thing for me, but perhaps I should do a little more digging to find out a bit more and do some more listening.
SoundLab is nominated for an award
It’s great to be nominated for anything, but this is excellent news, and I had no idea until last week. SoundLab has been nominated in the SEND resource category. I’m glad to say I’m going to be there, both at the expo and also at the awards too.
Gawain Hewitt at the Roundhouse
I was really pleased to be invited to this gig by my friend Gawain Hewitt. It’s always a lovely experience to see new music, and also to visit the Roundhouse. It was a really interesting performance. Improvised and based around field recordings of water that Gawain had taken in London, Norway, and Bangladesh.
It was at times very interesting and beautiful. I’m so glad that I got to go along.
Hello 2016
So, here we are in 2016. I often think it is strange that we somehow cross this imaginary boundary into a new year, but today is a day very much like yesterday in many ways and for many people. It is just a day, and yet we like to make it special, a new beginning, a new start.
I’m not immune to this feeling, but I also see the continuity of it as well.
Having said all of that, a very happy new year to you, and I sincerely hope that the year brings all you wish for.
I am Ashley Elsdon 