The Swindon Music Festival returns after a two-year break for the pandemic. The Festival starts in Christ Church on Friday 18 March at 6.30pm with the brass classes followed by the church organ classes. Each organist will play two contrasting pieces and then the adjudicator will make comments on their performances.

The evening will continue with three classes for solo singers, including novice, sacred song and oratorio, and a duet class. It will conclude with the adult choir class and the church choir class. In the church choir class, starting at around 9.00pm, St. Sampson’s Church Choir, Cricklade will be singing the hymn “O perfect love” to the tune “Highwood”, and the anthem “And I saw a new heaven” by Malcom Archer. Christ Church Choir will be singing the hymn “ How shall I sing that majesty” to the tune “Coe Fen”, and the anthem: “Arise, Shine” by Richard Shephard.

The adjudicator for the Friday evening will be Adrian Goss, a pianist, organist and choral director and chair of the Adjudicators Council.

The Festival continues on Saturday 19 March and from Tuesday 22 to Saturday 26 March (except Thursday 24^th) in the Arts Centre in Devizes Road, Old Town. Morning sessions start at 9.30, afternoons at 1.30 and evenings at 6.30pm.

The Festival deserves a much bigger audience. This year it celebrates over 111 years of supporting music in Swindon. Previous participants have included in the past, Diana Dors, and Jamie Cullum, Sarah Covey, Polly Leech and Harry Apps who are currently forging musical careers.

There is such a wide variety of music that there will be something for everyone during the eight days. We really need to support the young talent – and the older competitors like support too! At a previous year’s final concert the adjudicator said several performances would have graced the West End stage – so come and hear future stars. She also commended our exceptional teachers.

Our world class accompanist is Paul Turner who is renowned for his sensitive and alert accompaniments; “ he has that sixth sense of timing which is the true accompanist’s particular gift” (Eastern Daily Press). He is also so kind to everyone including nervous novice singers.

Please do come along to support your Partnership musicians. There will be a small charge for listening.

Download the event timetable

ADMISSION PRICES

£3.00 PER SESSION (16 and under FREE)

Except

WEDNESDAY EVENING 23 MARCH £5.00* 16 and under £1.00

FRIDAY EVENING 25 MARCH £5.00* 16 and under £1.00

SATURDAY EVENING 26 MARCH £7.50 16 and under £1.00

*(£3.00 after 8pm)

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE VENUE PRIOR TO EACH SESSION

The detailed programme listing all the participants, price £3, will be available from Christ Church on 18 March, or from Holmes Music or the Arts Centre, and also on the website http://www.swindonmusicfestival.co.uk.

SIX WEEK ON-LINE COURSE

A practical Guide to looking after yourself in the midst of parenting

Thursday evenings from 3^rd March 2022 to 7^th April, running from 7.45pm to 9.15pm

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness, is a meditation-based practice, backed by neuroscience, which has helped countless people learn the skills they need either to find a clearer focus and stillness in the midst of a busy, high-pressure life or to cope creatively with anxiety, stress and depression. The heart of the programme is based around learning some simple but formal meditation practices. However, mindfulness is really an attitude to the whole of life which, when we have caught it, has the ability to change everything for us. It can be practised by people of any philosophy or faith and all are welcome, whatever their background.

What happens in the Course

The course takes the form of 6 weekly group sessions where we practice the various types of meditation and reflect on our experience of them together. Meditations can be done sitting in a chair or on a cushion, standing, lying down, or walking. If you have particular physical concerns please get in touch. There will be opportunities to meet in break-out rooms as well as being in the ‘main’ room. During the week, you will be invited to practice the meditations via short audio recordings. I will also offer some informal meditations that you can share with your child/children. These won’t involve sitting still for a long time! For instance, they maybe something you can do when out for a walk or when eating. The mindfulness course is adapted from the book “Mindfulness – A practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World” by Mark Williams and Danny Penman. It is a skills-based 6-week course, consisting of a combination of mindfulness meditation practices with discussion and simple cognitive exercises. This course is rooted in the evidence-based clinical course, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy developed by Mark Williams and others, and recommended by NICE (the National Institute for Health & Clinical Excellence)

This course is about discovering the difference Mindfulness can make to our everyday experience. The group may be large (up to 24) and this is partly because the approach is not ‘group therapy’ but learning a new skill in a group setting. For some this will come as a relief!

Download the course & taster information

COURSE STARTS MARCH 3rd 2022

Subsidised Cost: £50

Not sure if you want to commit?

Find out more about what to expect attend one of our FREE TASTER SESSIONS

Thursday 10^th Feb – 8-9pm

Thursday 17^th Feb – 8-9pm

For an application form or further information, please contact: Chris Smith Community Centre @ Christ Church, Development Manager

Mob: 07582 305760 or Email: chris@christchurchswindon.co.uk