Category Archives: Subjects and Themes

Music

Next BRIT thing – national music competition for 11-19 year olds

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www.nextbritthing.com

NBT is a national music competition for all 11-19 year olds in UK running between September 2011 and March 2012.
Young people are invited to upload their audio or video performances to the Next BRIT thing website. The tracks with the most votes will go to an industry panel who will invite the best to perform live at 6 regional finals, one of which will be held in Edinbrugh. A panel of artists and industry experts will choose the best to perform at the national live final in March.

The competition is now open and proving popular, with over 200 performances uploaded in the first 48 hours


Any style of music can be entered, including cover versions. Entries can be submitted by individuals, groups, orchestras etc
There are two performance categories ‘general’ and ‘classical’. There is a separate song writing/composition category supported by PRS for Music.


Next BRIT thing is supported by Department for Education and Department for Culture Media and Sport. It is managed by the BPI and delivered by a partnership including Radiowaves.  NBT has the support of government ministers, regional assemblies and MPs. It has a media partnership with Metro and Global Radio as well as endorsement from many music and education organisations

Music

Academy kids on song with BRIT boyband

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A local school choir had the night of their young lives performing before a very appreciative audience in Kilmarnock’s Palace theatre last week – made even more thrilling by sharing the stage with BRIT award-winning boyband Blake. The 37 Kilmarnock Academy singers sang backing in pop-classical favourites Nessun Dorma, Hallelujah, Jerusalem and I Vow To Thee My Country, performed by Blake, who have sold over half a million albums.

http://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/corpres/news/showNews.asp?p=5824

Sciences, Technologies

Marks on the Landscape: creativity across learning

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Marks on the Landscape <http://newsletters-ltscotland.org.uk/LQE-JPN0-3GU5HR-7MD0U-1/c.aspx>  demonstrates possibilities for creative learning and teaching across the curriculum by raising questions, encouraging investigation and promoting challenges that will help young people to understand their capacity for creativity in all aspects of their lives, now and in the future. The website uses the context of the Fife Earth Project where designer Charles Jencks is currently transforming a former coalmine into an artwork and tourist attraction.

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/marksonthelandscape/index.asp

Dance

Skye Dance Xchange, 20 October, Skye

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This first dance exchange will bring together young dancers from SkyeDance and Isle Dance, based on the isle of Lewis, to create, perform and then share their work at Sabhal mor Ostaig on the Isle of Skye. They will work with professional dance artist and gymnast Fiona Fyfe along with SkyeDance development officer Lorayne Mclucas and Isle Dance director, Kirstie MacDonald.

Social Studies

Scottish studies in the curriculum – funding for school trips

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A scheme to help fund school trips to a number of key Scottish historical sites has been extended for a further year by Learning Minister Alasdair Allan.

The move came as part of a parliamentary debate on Scottish Studies within Curriculum for Excellence, a commitment which already has the support of the Scottish public and a number of cultural personalities and leading academics.

Dr Allan said:

“Today’s debate has given me the chance to talk in parliament about the Scottish Government’s commitment to strengthen the presence of Scottish history, literature, language and culture in the curriculum.

“Recent research shows that 90 per cent of the Scottish public are on board with the plan, and we’ve already had a productive meeting of the working group set up to look at the issue, which included the Makar Liz Lochhead and a number of leading academics.

“An important part of ensuring that our young people gain the knowledge and understanding of Scottish history, heritage and culture involves getting our pupils out and about to key sites. During the last academic year, over 20,000 young people throughout Scotland benefited from the Heritage Education Travel Subsidy scheme.

“The scheme includes the new Robert Burns’ Birthplace Museum, New Lanark World Heritage Site, Bannockburn and Edinburgh and Stirling Castles and I am very pleased to announce that we will continue to support the £150,000 scheme for 2012/2013.”

Jacquelyn Condie, a teacher at Tayvallich Primary School in Argyll, added:

“As a teacher in a small rural school on the West Coast of Scotland, I feel that we greatly benefited from the travel subsidy scheme, as it enabled us to visit sites which are so important to our children’s knowledge and understanding of Scottish history.

“We had a wonderful visit to the Bannockburn Heritage Centre and Stirling Castle, which was made extra special by their staff and the fantastic educational resources, which really brought history to life. My class thoroughly enjoyed the experience and have returned enthused about their project.”

Music

Go Compose Workshops – Aberdeenshire

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From 20 – 22 October, young composers will be able to work with Red Note Ensemble’s composers and musicians to create original pieces of music to be performed as part of Noisy Nights at sound 2011.

Over the space of three days, participants aged 13-18 will be able to work with professional composers and musicians to create their own, original pieces of music which will be recorded and performed as part of Red Note’s Noisy Night on Saturday 22 October. Students will be able to use their completed pieces as submissions for their Highers coursework.

Venue: Woodend Barn, Banchory
Cost: £10

Contact judith.robinson@soundandmusic.org for more details and bookings
This opportunity is available in: Aberdeenshire
For further information, please contact judith.robinson@soundandmusic.org (Judith Robinson), or visithttp://sound-scotland.co.uk.