The story of Christmas in words and song
December 3, 2009
The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is a format for a service celebrating the birth of Jesus which is traditionally followed at Christmas.
The story of the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus is told in nine short Bible readings, interspersed with the singing of Christmas carols and hymns.
The format was based on an Order drawn up by Edward White Benson, later Archbishop of Canterbury, for Christmas Eve (24 December) 1880 in Truro, Cornwall.
It has since been adapted and used by other churches all over the world.
Splendour in the Grass to be held at Woodford in 2010
November 25, 2009
Splendour in the Grass will temporarily relocate to Woodford in Queensland for its 10th anniversary event in 2010, but organisers say that Byron Shire is the festival’s ‘permanent home’.
Splendour in the Grass has been working toward establishing a permanent sustainable event venue to stage the festival. The chosen 660 acre North Byron Parklands site at Yelgun in the Byron Shire is undergoing the comprehensive approval process with the NSW Department of Planning for a permanent cultural event venue and will not be ready for next year’s event.
SCU music graduates in line for top honours
October 22, 2009
Southern Cross University’s Bachelor of Contemporary Music degree has delivered three nominees for the 2009 Australian Screen Music Awards.
The nominees, all graduates of the degree, are Alastair Ford, for Best Music for a Television Series for his work with McLeod’s Daughters; Sean Peter, for Best Children’s Music for The Adventures of Charlotte and Henry; and Yantra de Vilder for Best Music for a Documentary – Rainforest: the Secret of Life.
The Screen Music Awards, in association with APRA (Australasian Performing Rights Association) and the AGSC (Australian Guild of Screen Composers) recognise the talents of Australian music composers’ efforts across 13 categories, including feature films, mini-series, children’s television, advertising, documentaries and short films.
Winners will be announced at a gala reception on November 2 at the City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney, when an orchestra led by renowned pianist and composer Paul Grabowsky will play Yantra de Vilder’s opening theme music.
Splendour offsets 256.7 tonnes of carbon emissions
September 2, 2009
The environmental initiatives implemented at this year’s Splendour in the Grass achieved better outcomes than ever before, according to event organisers.
The initiatives covered greenhouse gas emissions, diversion of waste to landfill and public environmental education.
Over the past five years Splendour has calculated its internal emissions covering artist and crew transport, production, venue electricity and diesel generators, freight and waste.
This year 256.7 tonnes of carbon emissions have been offset through investment in accredited and independently verified wind farm generation carbon credits via Australia’s number one offset provider, Climate Friendly.
“We are delighted to have worked again this year with Splendour in the Grass,” said Freddy Sharpe, Chief Executive Officer of Climate Friendly.
Splendour Community Grants go out
August 3, 2009
All children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and many other children suffer from sensory dysfunction, which arises from the brain’s inability to arrange information received from the environment for an appropriate functional behaviour.
“This results in children being extremely sensitive to particular sensations like loud noises, soft touch and specific smells,” said Zoe Webster from the Byron Shire Early Intervention Service. “They will often react very strongly by screaming uncontrollably or not being able to stop running or hitting.”
Pianist John Chen to perform in Lismore
July 9, 2009
Musica Viva Lismore Concert
7.30pm Wednesday August 12, 2009,
Lismore City Hall
John Chen, piano
In 2004 at the age of 18, John Chen became the youngest ever winner of the Sydney International Piano Competition.
His interpretive skills have won him many prizes and accolades. ‘A young musician of exceptional promise … his playing is extremely accomplished … admirable virtues of youth, vitality, freshness and energy.’
Splendid young artists announced
June 11, 2009
The 10 young and emerging artists to work with Splendid, Australia’s pioneering arts initiative, have been selected.
140 applications were received from all corners of our wide brown land from young artists working in the visual arts, theatre, dance, design, installation, architecture, digital media, sound art, literature and community arts.
Splendid will see these 10 artists develop ideas for new works at a three-week arts lab residency in Lismore in July, assisted by 10 Australian and international artistic provocateurs and mentors. These concepts will be developed over the following six months, with several finished works premiering at Splendour in the Grass 2010.
“The young talent in our country is awe inspiring,’’ said Jessica Ducrou, organiser of Splendour in the Grass.
HSC music students gather for Enrichment Camp
June 10, 2009
Two hundred Year 11 and Year 12 music students attending schools from Kingscliff to Lismore and Coffs Harbour are gathering for a Higher School Certificate Music Enrichment Camp supported by Southern Cross University this Sunday and Monday, June 14 and 15.
The university has had a long-standing relationship with the North Coast Music Teachers’ Association, who put on the event, and has been providing a venue and other support for the music enrichment camp for the past 10 years.
Splendour ruling could have further impacts, says Byron Shire
May 8, 2009
The Splendour in the Grass judgment handed down by the Land and Environment Court could have significant impacts for Byron Shire, the council says.
The Land Environment Court decided this week that the consent issued for the 2009 Splendour in the Grass Event at the Yelgun site was invalid.
According to Byron Shire Council’s director of planning Ray Darney, the Court found that the development application did not seek consent for access roads for agricultural usage or other permissible uses.
“The judge deemed that the development application did not seek consent to construct the roads for the purpose of agriculture or other permissible uses,” Mr Darney said.
Musica Viva Lismore presents Angel Strings
April 22, 2009
- St Andrew’s Anglican Church, Lismore
- Sunday, 17 May, 2009, 2pm.
- Tickets $20/10, at the door.
- Inquiries 0429 185 361.
Angel Strings consists of Roland Adeney and Eugenie Costello on violins, Tuuli Rantanen on viola and Kathryn McKee on cello.
Formed in 2004, members of the quartet were united by a common passion for exploring the cream of classical music as well as more fresh and modern fusion works.
All members graduated from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music or the University of Queensland School of Music and have since played all around Australia as well as internationally.
Individual members’ experience includes performance with the Queensland Orchestra, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Youth Orchestra.
