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Arts and Culture Latest NewsNews Brian Debnam will be in Johannesburg, South Africa from 29th April to 9th May working with the State Theatre in Pretoria; and on the next stage of feasibility for a new Music Centre in Soweto Brian Debnam attending the ISPA Conference in Durban 19th - 24th June 2008 Newbiggin Maritime Centre project awarded £50,000 funding from Northumberland Strategic Partnership to continue architectural design and professional team work to RIBA Stage D by the end of March 2008. Tyne Theatre and Opera House Preservation Trust awarded a £50,000 project development grant by Heritage Lottery Fund. Brian Debnam Ltd welcomes Craig Wilson who will be working on the Sunderland City Music Project. Craig Wilson has been a band manager, an independent music promoter and venue manager working to promote music in the Rock, Indie, South Asian sectors in Portsmouth and London in the 1980s, Administrator at the Design Museum and the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London where he further developed his music promotion skills in the 1990s and more recently in Contemporary Reggae and Roots Music in the North East of England. His work has also included Radio production and journalism in Australia and project management of major media facilities and events for the Sydney Olympics and the Cricket World Cup in the West Indies. Jenny Dewar has been appointed as practice administrator for Brian Debnam Ltd. Jenny is a recent graduate from the MA Cultural Management Programme at Northumbria University (Dissertation “Management of Creative People”) and a graduate in Drama from the University of Sunderland and in Music Theatre from Newcastle College. She has a professional background in music and events management, local authority and IT administration.
Brian Debnam Ltd are undertaking a scoping exercise on the provision of music in Sunderland in order to provide a framework from which to deliver solutions for the development of Sunderland as a Music City. Fundamental to the production of these recommendations is consultation with cultural partners, stakeholders and residents. the team would like to hear from you about your organisation, your own music activity and/or your views on their brief and Sunderland’s potential for development as a Music City. You might like to consider the following questions in framing a reply or we would be happy if you want to ask more questions rather than answer ours.
You can send your responses by email to assist.debnam@blueyonder.co.uk or by mail to Brian Debnam Ltd, Foundry Lane Studios, Foundry Lane, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 1LH. We welcome your participation in this project Comments will be published on the Sunderland Music Debate page For more information and discussion also see the Sunderland Music Forum at www.myspace.com/sunderlandmusicforum
The Brief Background and ContextSunderland is the largest city by population in North East England and the only city by the sea. Sunderland has strong aspirations and values and is committed to providing the economic, social and physical infrastructure required to retain and attract residents, students, investors and visitors to the city. Sunderland City Council’s vision as shared with their partners in the Sunderland Strategy, is to ensure ‘Sunderland will be a prosperous city. A desirable, safe and healthy place to live, work, learn and visit, where all people can reach their full potential’. Sunderland’s vision for the future is underpinned by the brand values of:
To achieve this, the council works within a set of core values:
The development of Sunderland as a ‘Music City’ must underpin these values enhancing the lives of Sunderland residents and visitors alike. Radio 1’s Big Weekend and associated events in city centre bars and clubs not only directly boosted the city’s economy but also significantly enhanced Sunderland’s image. Media coverage generated was estimated to be well in excess of £1million and the city’s growing live new-music scene is a lasting legacy of a fantastic weekend. Sunderland is keen to build on this success with the development of future music festivals and events. Some work has already been undertaken to audit existing youth music activity (primarily rock and pop) across the city, considering emergent bands and existing infrastructure and resources available in Sunderland but this work now needs updating and a more detailed exploration of rehearsal, performance and production opportunities undertaken. The underground music scene in Sunderland has seen the emergence of The Futureheads and The Golden Virgins and is currently nurturing the regions most exciting upcoming bands including Seventythree, Seven Heroes and The Spheres. Sunderland music promoters have attracted national acts such as Snow Patrol, Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party, Kula Shaker and Kasabian to play in Sunderland. In addition to contemporary music, Sunderland plays host to the Sunderland Big Band – led by the University of Sunderland this jazz band organises an annual Big Band Competition that attracts participants from the north west and Yorkshire in addition to the north east. Sunderland Sings is the annual schools choral competition and the winners are asked to perform at a variety of events including the Christmas Lights Switch On and the Concert of Remembrance. Sunderland Symphony Orchestra, presently directed by Rupert Hanson, was founded to mark the turn of the current millennium. It gave its first performance in February 2000, and performed its first full symphony – Dvorák's 9th (The "New World Symphony") – on April 7, 2001. The orchestra regularly plays at Holy Trinity in the East End and Sunderland Minster. The orchestra's current leader is violinist David McCourt.
The intended outcomes of this scoping exercise are:
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