The performance will take place on 7pm on October 12, 2005 at The West Wing, Slough. It will feature work produced during and following a residential music composition course at the Canolfin Conway Centre in Anglesey, North Wales. 

A group of 25 young people from across Slough took part in the course, which was for GCSE level music students, over the summer holidays this year.

The performance will be given by students of the Royal Academy of Music, London, with whom the young people worked during the Summer School.

The course was completely free to Slough GCSE Music pupils and was funded by Music 4 Slough, Slough’s new Youth Music Action Zone, supported by Slough Borough Council in partnership with Impact Arts and ‘Sounds New’. Music 4 Slough is one of 24 Youth Music Action Zones in England and Wales, providing music-making activities to young people who might not otherwise have the opportunity.

Kevin Harrison, business manager creative academy cultural services for Slough Borough Council, said: “The course was a unique opportunity for Slough students to work with inspirational composer Errollyn Wallen and a team of musicians from ‘Sounds New’. Students attained high levels of achievement in their works and the results are impressive.”

Councillor Julia Long, Commissioner for Leisure, Culture and Community Services, said: “It is great to see the work of Slough’s talented young people performed in our new, state-of- the-art arts venue. I am excited to see Slough youth involved in the arts, and hope this performance will motivate them and others to pursue their passion for music.”

For further information please contact Music 4 Slough
T: 01753 539 300
E: graeme.surtees@sypc.co.uk

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Editor’s Notes:

1. Youth Music funds and facilitates music-making for young people up to the age of 18, particularly those living in areas of social and economic need. By 2010, Youth Music aims to have reached 3 million children and young people in a UK-wide strategy to support youth music-making. More information is available at www.youthmusic.org.uk

2. Since December 2000, Youth Music has set up 24 Action Zones in areas of social and economic need across England and Wales. The aim is to provide music-making activities to young people who might not otherwise have the opportunity. The Zones are made up of established organisations from the public, voluntary and private sector. They cover all genres of music and deliver a wide range of activities including workshops, rehearsals, performances, one-to-one teaching and mentoring. More information is available at www.youthmusic.org.uk

3. The West Wing

The West Wing has been developed from the old Arbour Vale school west wing formally known as the Orchard hall, when it was the Orchard School
The venue is part of Slough’s long term arts strategy to improve facilities for the arts
Local involvement was key to the success of the project with community groups having a say about the designs of the West Wing, in particular the dressing rooms
The venue has been selected to appear in a Riba Sector review on successful building conversions for the Arts and Education.
For more information, contact Sandra Cohen in the press office on 001753 875 194