Bree gets Creative
04 Dec 2014
Bree gets Creative
Last month (1 & 2 Nov), dozens of youngsters gathered in the Youth Arts Centre for the annual Big Bree workshop weekend, organised by Culture Vannin and led by some of the Island’s top musicians and dancers. Students were kept very busy over the two days with a packed schedule of classes in playing, singing, drama, composition, song-writing, group-work, Manx dance and Folkestra rehearsals, culminating in an hour long concert to showcase their achievements.
The Sunday afternoon concert began with three instrumental groups who’d each chosen a tune from the lucky-dip to arrange within a set. The Power Rangers started with “Breton Manx Air” (by Cesar Joughin), mixed in with an arrangement of “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes, Arrane ny Guilley Hesheree and Three Little Boats! They were followed by group The Smuggling Bakers, who quite aptly performed Smuggler’s Lullaby and their lucky-dip tune “Betsy Baker”. Pronnag then performed “Gorse Sticks”, skilfully linking the Proclaimer’s riff from I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) with Mannin Veg Veen. The Singing Group finished the lucky dip section with a beautiful harmonised arrangement of “Faagmayd ny Mannaght” (Gaelic song by Bob Carswell).
Next up were the composers; Lukas, Owen, Alex and Aimee performed their newly-penned tunes with accompaniment from their tutors, and this was followed by a brilliant dramatisation of the Manx fairy tale, “The Silver Cup”, where Clare Kilgallon and her students brought the story to life, complete with costumes and dramatic music played by Daniel Quayle.
The songwriters then took to the stage with an ingenious re-writing of the traditional narrative song, “The Cruel Mistress”. Check out this month’s Transcription of the Month in KMJ to read the new lyrics! Next, Katie Lawrence conducted the TT Folkestra with the premiere of her arrangement “Two Ships” which accompanied a newly choreographed dance by Grainne Joughin and her students.
The grand finale started with the younger MGP Folkestra, who began with Arrane Sooree, leading into Hop tu naa which was performed by all the dancers, singers and musicians.
Thanks to Culture Vannin, Fiona Helleur at YAC, all the fantastic tutors and the talented students themselves for being so (bad pun alert!) “bree-ative”!
Prizes were awarded to four students who went the extra mile and showed enthusiasm this year: Alexander Shirtliff, Roman Trimble, Aimee Quirk and Maeve Callister.
For more info on Bree contact: chloe@culturevannin.im
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