Music charity Live Music Now are hosting their festive event this weekend in Cardiff.
Festive All! will be held in Portland House, Cardiff Bay on November 29 and is an all inclusive music event for all the family.
Let’s find out a little bit more about the event, and the charity itself:
So what exactly does Live Music Now do?
Live Music now is the UK’s leading musicians development and outreach charity, providing exceptional live music experiences for people with limited access to the arts due to disability, illness or social disadvantage.
Pianist, Rhiannon Pritchard from Live Music Now Wales, at a care home in Merthyr Tydfill
Participants benefit from the amazing therapeutic, social and emotional benefits of engaging with live music – an experience that transforms and enriches lives.
They annually audition exceptional early career musicians across all musical genres, train and develop them to bring interactive music performances to vulnerable groups across Wales. Main areas are health and well being, with an emphasis on the elderly and those living with dementia, and children and young people in disadvantage, with an emphasis on those with special educational needs.
They deliver concerts, workshops, residencies and projects in public and community settings.
Which high-profile musicians started their careers with the scheme?
Examples include, Tim Rhys-Evans (MD) and Craig Yates (Baritone) of Only Men Aloud, Jamie Smith and Matt Downer of popular folk group MABON, Phil Lloyd-Evans Lowri Porter from WNO chorus and orchestra, Peryn Clement Evans Director of Ensembl Cymru, and Hannah Stone, former Harpist to HRH Prince of Wales.
Picture: James Davies Tim Rhys Evans, the boss of Only Men Aloud
We hear you have a big event taking place in Cardiff. What is it in aid of and what can we expect?
Festive All! is an all age one day music festival taking place in the Grade II listed banqueting hall of Portland House in Cardiff Bay, sponsored by Hospital Innovations.
It is a chance to showcase the charity’s work, raise awareness and funds in order to reach even more people in Wales.
The event runs 12noon until 6pm with incredible live music performances from several artists, as well as workshops, pre-school music sessions, Christmas craft and food stalls, Santa’s Grotto, raffle and Silent Auction of some wonderful prizes.
Tickets include a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie and under 5s go free – it will be a brilliant way to start the festive season, support music development in Wales and the work of our charity, plus it is just a great family day out.
How do we get tickets?
There are a few tickets left, so if anyone would like to join they can book via wwww.festive-all.eventbrite.co.uk.
There’s also a closed event in the morning called “All Together Now” led by Triptych (soprano, piano, cello) – which is a special music session for families with children with special needs and disabilities to be able to enjoy together.
What are the five things you shouldn’t miss during the event and why?
Hannah Stone, harpist who will be performing at Festive All!
1. Hannah Stone Anne Denholm, harpists – A rare opportunity for the former and current harpists to HRH Prince of Wales to perform together in Wales.
This is Hannah’s last year on the scheme and she has gone on to phenomenal achievements musically. She will be delivering her last tour the week after in South Wales hospitals, and it may be one of the last chances to hear her perform in a community context.
2. Alma Duo – A phenomenal violin/viola duo who play with Welsh National Opera orchestra. They are both electrifying and moving when they perform, and will be opening the event at 12 noon.
Alma Duo
3. Project Jam Sandwich: family rhythm percussion workshop – Awesome world music group PJS are coming down from LMN in NW England to join us for the event, bringing three of the group (Violin, Cello, Percussion) for a main stage all age workshop. Kids can make their own shakers for it earlier in the day in the crafts section as well.
4. John Nicholas: Loop pedal techniques songwriting workshops – A gifted singer/songwriter, previously with up and coming Welsh folk/rock band Written In Kings.
He is performing on the main stage then running these two workshops, great for budding musicians of all ages.
5. Festive Folk! with CALAN and Will Pound Henry Webster – Our festive folk finale with high energy Welsh folk favourites CALAN and exceptional award nominated folk musicians Will (harmonica) Henry (fiddle).
There may even be a few ‘folked-up’ carols thrown into the mix!
Didn’t former director Gillian Greene recently receive a big honour?
Yes she keeps winning awards!
Gillian founded LMN in Wales 25 years ago and only recently semi retired as Director, although she still runs Auditions for the UK.
She was given an MBE for her achievements, and was delighted to be awarded the Bryn Terfel Foundation Award for Promoting The Arts In Social Care at the Wales Care Awards ceremony in Cardiff a few weeks ago.
In her own words she started as an “internationally unknown harpist” but has turned her talents to bringing music to those who most need it, delivering more than 6000 concerts across the country since starting with LMN.
We hear you are counting down to LMN centenary next year, what will the main celebrations be?
2016 is a special year for Wales, for not only is it Roald Dahl’s centenary but Live Music Now will also be celebrating their founder, Yehudi Menuhin, one of the greatest violinists of the 20th century, whose centenary is April 22.
Yehudi Menuhin World Famous Violinist gives demonstration to pupil
They hope to have an exciting new commission to tour across schools, a day of Wales-wide performances in unusual places on April 22, and Menuhin tribute concerts within our community settings.
How do young musicians find out more about joining LMN?
There are annual auditions in Cardiff – next year they are held on the February 18 and 19.
The deadline is January 8, you then get a chance to visit one of our community performances community to help prepare for your audition.
If accepted musicians stay on the scheme for 4-6yrs, and alumni can even be involved in training and mentoring new musicians.
If you’re interested in finding out more coming to Festive All! would give you a great chance to see the musicians in action and speak to the group directly.
You can also submit an EOI to Gillian Green, Auditions Director UK via www.livemusicnow.org .
And what about those groups which would like to invite LMN members to perform in their communities?
Live Music Now are always keen to take their work to areas yet unreached, and love working in new partnerships.
If you are a community group or venue, rural or SEN school, public arts venue, festival or events manager and want to know more just contact the office on wales@livemusicnow.org or call us on 029 2055 4040.
