Singing in Birmingham – we have it all going on!

Something that has been running around in my head for the past week or so is how proud I am of Birmingham’s singing community.

I went to watch my daughter sing with Ex Cathedra’s Junior Academy at Town Hall last week. I sing with Ex Cathedra – I know how good they are. But a rare chance to sit in the audience reminded me how amazing it is to hear them sing. This concert in particular knocked me sideways as the repertoire was so special. It was a concert dedicated to the music of Alec Roth. I love singing his music – but I love listening to it more. He’s written a number of pieces for Ex Cathedra and it’s so great to sing the work of a living composer and for it to be interesting and exciting to perform and yet so  immediate and enthralling to enjoy in the audience.

There’s been a glowing review or two – here – is one from the Birmingham Post and I will add to this by saying it’s probably the best choral gig I’ve seen in years. And I’ve seen some pretty amazing choir gigs in recent times!

In 2012 Birmingham Opera Company are going to premiere their new Opera by Jonathan Dove who is another British composer I am very excited about. If you couple that with how spine tingling and challenging BOC events always are – I can’t wait to see it and I’m feeling that Birmingham is a brilliant place to be right now for new (and excellent) choral music…

Also – what makes this stuff so special for me personally is that Ex Cathedra’s education work is internationally renowned for bringing the joy of singing to thousands of children (which is how my daughter got to sing in an Alec Roth world premiere) and Birmingham Opera Company put community performers at the heart of every production.

…in fact I’m in the mood to commission something again… watch this space!

Listened to at No 10

Well – I’m not quite sure what I expected when I went to No 10 Downing Street last week – but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.

Quite often when I am asked to talk to government agencies it can often be an exercise in ‘consultation’ where you feel like people are ticking a box by talking to you and they’re not always that interested in what you actually have to say. I have also found the higher up the food chain I go in these agencies the worse that kind of tokenism can get.

Well not on this day.

We met with Nick Butler, Senior Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister. He was genuinely interested, disarmingly honest and taking copious notes and asking searching questions throughout.

The meeting was set up by the British Council and so chaired by one of their trustees – Raoul Shah – who was very good but didn’t have to do much as Nick Butler had so many questions we covered the ground we had planned to but in a much more conversational format.

The conversation was under Chatham House Rules so I can’t give you a blow by blow account – but I can give you a flavour of the subjects covered and my fellow YCE‘s all agreed we could mention each other in our blogs – so here are the top three topics:

1) We talked a lot about how many of the business around the table struggled to get the right talent or employees with the right training and qualifications and the merits of work experience based learning. Davy Nougarede from Heavy Entertainment talked about the actual costs of training up new graduates once they join his company. This led to a very good conversation about how this could be supported better by government and the need for better links between education and industry despite the work of the Sector Skills Councils which (in my personal view) have not yet cracked that link for SMEs in music at least. It also gave me chance to bang on about the importance of decent music education and the excellent work of Creative Partnerships in developing a nation of creative thinkers.

2) I also threw the Digital Economy Bill on the table as requested by many people before I went to London. This opened up a very lively debate around the table! At one point Nick Butler asked whether we would be willing to be locked in a room until we found a better way forward! There were differing views around the table but all were strong opinions! We all talked about how we felt about file sharing and the idea of the government having the power to cut people’s internet access off but Clare Reddington of iShed talked eloquently about the fact that open access wifi will also be cut off which will be a huge blow to the creative companies she works with who use wifi in her space.

3) We also talked about the need for easier access to finance. There was a debate about how critical this is at Start up as well as later when a company needs to grow critically and this can be where the lack of talent or well trained people from number 1 can come in. Eva Rucki from Troika talked about the need for support at start up but also Michelle Clothier from Livity talked about the need for support as a her company grows to the next level. But in many cases banks don’t always understand the business models of creative companies and don’t see the investment as a safe one. Where as Will Critchlow of Distilled is just opening his American offices in Seattle and he talked about how much easier it is to hire and fire in the States and therefore it is easier to populate an office with talented people. Fascinating…

There was quite a bit more and we went over time – but we have since received an email from Nick Butler who wants to keep the conversation going. We have been asked to expand further on the points we all made on the day and to give him all our thoughts on the IP issues to do with the Digital Economy Bill.

We may even get another chance to visit….

So folks – they’re listening. If the Digital Economy Bill is the disaster I think it is – is there any credible alternative?

(pic for my mum!)

Doha – first impressions

Well I’ve only been here a few hours. But in that time, I’ve meet people from Qatar, Palestine, Yemen and Greece and started already to have conversations that will change the way I see the world forever. I have a few photos and videos – but they will have to wait until tomorrow. But I have had some very interesting chats with people involved in the Athens Olympics – and it is fair to say that the issues we face in the UK in the lead up to 2012 are similar to those felt all over the world – wherever the Olympics are held. It was encouraging and in some ways heartening to hear about how other countries cope in the lead up, during and after holding an Olympic Games.

Doha is a very beautiful city with lots of obvious promise and building works going on across the city that I imagine will make it a place to visit again and again.

I’m off to Doha – any thoughts!

I’m going to Doha in Qatar next week for the Silatech Conference:

“British Council in collaboration with the Qatari Students Network & Silatech is pleased to announce the exciting opportunity for youth to participate in the Silatech Workshop Summit in collaboration with British Council and Qatari Student Network on 6, 7 & 8 June 2009 in Doha, Qatar. This distinctive, high profile and progressive event will undoubtedly trigger a significant step to enhance the role of youth in the Middle East and North Africa as well as to increase the involvement of young Arab entrepreneurs in tackling the issues of employment and under employment that plague the Arab World.”

As you can see – a pretty big topic but the idea is that young entrepreneurs from the Middle East and North Africa will look at how they can actively tackle youth unemployment in their countries and there is a scattering of people from the UK (myself included) to bring our own experiences into the mix.

I will be taking in my extensive experience of the community arts sector and how arts activities can inspire and transform young people and I have more examples than I can remember (I’m hoping that they will be useful – I’m guessing I wouldn’t have been invited otherwise).

But I’m keen to get other people’s views on this, namely:

- what practical impact/influence can young entrepreneurs have on unemployment in their countries?

- how can it go beyond being role models and offering placements?

- does it always need money – or are there more creative ways to bring young people out of unemployment?

OK – I know a big topic – I’m not expecting essays (but do point me to them if you like) and I don’t expect our experiences here in the UK can always be transferable. Thoughts and/or anecdotes on the back of a postcard or on a comment gratefully received!

Sharpening My Edge

I’m on a course at the moment that I am finding inspirational and so I thought I’d share my experiences with you. Sharpening Your Edge is a strengths based leadership course for women who are at senior positions in their career. Each cohort is a small one with one half a a dozen women on it – so the approach is very personal and therefore really useful.

The course is run by the inspirational coach and trainer Carol Coombes who used to work for Caret but now runs courses and projects on a freelance basis. The course starts with the Strength Finder which is a psychometric test that gives you your top 7 strengths and the whole course looks at how you can use your strengths to get even better at what you do rather than focussing the whole time on your weaknesses.

You do 1 day per month for 6 months. I’ve done 2 months so far and I’m already benefitting (I can’t wait to see how I feel at the end!). We have been looking at how your energy works throughout the day and what things feed your positive energy and what things zap your energy. I’ve already used this to help me with those days when you look at your to do list and just can’t get started! I’ve also used what I’ve learned as I’ve passed some of it on to people who I have some responsibility for managing and/or motivating. And it seems to work!

I’ve already realised why I hate small talk, why I love problem solving and why I spend all my time being conscious of what I don’t know. I guess the thing is now to use what I’ve learned to to work smarter not harder.

I know that it can all sound a bit like hocus pocus – but actually I was quite cynical about psychometric tests – and now I’m rethinking my position.

I thought that I would keep you posted about how the day’s affect my working days as the rest of the days unfold. Apparently I’ll have a personal 5 year plan by the end of it and as that will take me up to 40 – I’m quite keen to see what I write!!

The Youtube Symphony Orchestra – Audition now!

I’m trying to get my husband to audition for this (my bassoon skills need more than a week to be up to scratch!) but in the meantime have gander at this: The Youtube Symphony Orchestra. You can download the sheet music for your instrument – have a bit of practice and then send in your audition tape for a chance to play at Carnegie Hall. Sounds like fun to me. I’m even tempted to get my bassoon out!

They describe it as: 

Interested in joining the first-ever collaborative online orchestra? Professionals and amateur musicians of all ages, locations and instruments are welcome to audition for the YouTube Symphony Orchestra by submitting a video performance of a new piece written for the occasion by the renowned Chinese composer Tan Dun (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). We have tools to help you learn the music, rehearse with the conductor, and upload your part for the collaborative video.

And how do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice and upload. Send us your talent video performance from a list of recommended pieces. Finalists will be chosen by a judging panel and YouTube users to travel to New York in April 2009, to participate in the YouTube Symphony Orchestra summit, and play at Carnegie Hall under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas.

The deadline for all video submissions is January 28, 2009.

Go people of the West Midlands!

Are you not in in the mornings?

This was the cry of a perturbed delivery man who banged on my home front door at 6pm this evening.

‘Erm… no… we work’ came my reply.

Now is it me – or is this fairly typical? You order something online – they try to deliver – you are out.

Now I work from home – but I still have to go out. Amazon and the like aren’t able to give you an exact time for delivery – and I am not able to stay in all day just in case a delivery comes.

I’m happy to pick up when I am in – but usually the sorting office is only open when we are at work too – so we generally end up going on a Saturday – by which time my registered delivery is often out of date!

Are we so unusual as to not be in during the day? Should the delivery man be quite so stroppy about it?

 

Discuss…

Blogging like I mean it

Hello to the 6 people that read this blog!

I am about to start filling these pages with stories and images as on Wednesday I go to India on a 2 week tour of the music industry. Blogging it is my best way to share my thoughts and to keep a record I can look back on when it is all over.

The trip is a two week study tour of the music industry organised by the British Council as a result of me winning the UKYME award.

I will also go for all that interactive malarky and would love for people to ask me questions and give me reactions to the days activities.

I’ll even take some piccies!

The hotels I am staying in appear to have wireless (lets hope its free – as paid for wireless makes me stroppy) so I have no excuse really do I?

So – between celebrating my eldest’s 6th bday tomorrow I am going to get packing. Any handy advice about what to take?

I have already bought half of Boots….

Blog Crisis – what do y’reckon?

As you might have noticed – if you are one of my very select readers(!) – I have been a bit quiet of late. This is because:

1) I’m busy (not pompous enough to list why)

2) I’m feeling queasy about blogs that are used for self promotion and congratulation and don’t want to be part of that

3) I’ve never been much of a diary writer

4) I’m not entirely sure of the point

 

However, I like reading other people’s blogs because:

1) I learn stuff

2) I’m nosey

3) It seems quite a good way to catch up on people and news

 

So – what the hell should I blog about that would be useful, interesting and allow people a bit of nosey time?

 

I’ve just  had a bit of a holiday (where I bumped into Dave Harte in Disneyland – talk about surreal!) and so I’m trying to have a fresh look at all the things I do.

 

Before I went away I had what I thought was a brainwave as in one day I had a couple of conversations that shocked me about other people’s perception of me:

The first was with a professional colleague who I have a huge amount of respect for. She is very good at what she does and is very efficient and businesslike. Anyway I was feeling terrible as I had invited her to join a committee and she had agreed – but when I sent the papers out for her first meeting I sent them so all the members and held her email back so I could personalise it a bit and make her feel really welcome. Anyway in the end that good intention sat in my drafts box so long she didn’t get enough notice of the meeting and so couldn’t come. I phoned her to ‘fess’ up and grovel and I had the most surprising response.

Instead of a slightly grumpy response I got a delighted response along the lines of: “I’m so glad as now I am not so intimidated by you. People I meet say you are so good that I have been thinking that surely there must be cracks. Now you have shown me a crack I feel so much better!”

This took me back a bit – where does this image come from – I thought that I put out a bit of a rough around the edges image – enthusiastic and committed – but never perfect.

That same day I met with an old friend where it came out that a dear friend of mine who is expecting her first child is a bit panicked by the feeling that she will not be able to live up to my image as a working mother who effortlessly combines a serious career with kids. Sorry – effortlessly?

Have they seen me when the kids jump on my head at 7am – or after I’ve put them to bed and collapsed on the sofa?

No – but I am not trying to hide that bit of myself either?

 

So – I started to wonder. Should I focus my blog on:

- what I find hard

- mistakes I make

Perhaps this would be a bit more refreshing instead of a blog telling you a I won UK Young Music Entrepreneur 2008 (which I did and I’m still reeling from) and other such self-satisfied stuff…

If all six of you that read this want to give me some feedback I’ll do what I can to respond!

 

C

Being back on the Vale

For those of you who don’t know – in a former life I worked in community arts which in English basically means working with local communities and groups of people to plan arts activities that they might otherwise not get the chance to enjoy.

I think that many people think that this is some sort of middle class interference where people who are in the arts foist the activities they like onto those who don’t normally participate in a ‘it’ll be good for you’ type of way.

Well – that certainly is the case for some misguided projects – but the for ones I’m excited about it couldn’t be further from the truth. Many people in the community arts, like myself, discovered the arts themselves and found the experience to be transformational. I for one credit Birmingham Music Service, their free bassoon and some very inspirational music teachers for the career (and the life) I have today.

Therefore when you get people like me in a room we do get a bit evangelical about the power of the arts to change lives but our approach is one of working with communities as (quite frankly) we get out as much out of the experience as the people we are working with.

Take today for example. I was working with a group of what can only be described as ‘arts activists’ on Castle Vale. They have formed a group called Active Arts and are embarking on a planning process to ensure that they are setting the organisation up to succeed and continue for many years.

The group consists of residents, youth workers, arts workers, community workers, community volunteers and much more – but what unites them is their vision for how the arts can play a part in the continuing regeneration of Castle Vale. Some of them have seen the evidence with their children who have taken part in arts activities, others think that the arts makes the Vale a nice place to live and all of them are willing to put their own time in so that they can share their passion with others.

I came out of a fairly intense afternoon with this group – with my faith in human nature charged up. For those of us who are lucky enough to earn a living from the arts it is sometimes easy to forget how lucky we are. OK – so they pay is not always that great and the frustration of lurching from project to project and chasing funding in between can wear you down. But what working in a place like Castle Vale reminds you is that the arts (delivered well) is a bloody amazing day job.

It has been 3 years since I last did any work like this in Castle Vale and it is great to see that things have moved on, people have taken on new projects and made them work and new people have got involved and have a sense of ownership of the arts projects. It is also nice to be welcomed back like an old friend.