Music Workshops at the Hay Festival – Great Success!
Rob Parrett, Music Consultant/ Coordinator for UK Youth was invited to a meeting with the Hay Festival organisers regarding running music workshops at this year’s festival. Rob’s idea was to have a range of music workshops, to be run by youngsters for youngsters, a proposal that was accepted with great enthusiasm. Rob is familiar with the work of HCT’s Music Technology department and thought it an ideal opportunity for the students to be involved in work connected with the industry. Several students from the National Award in Music Technology course opted to be involved, namely; Alex Prince (Guitar Workshop), Tom Mobbs (Studio/Recording Workshop), Tom Cotton (DJ-ing Workshop), Ross Bloomfield (Drums Workshop) as well as general assistants; Jodie Gilbert, Steph Montague and Owain Price.
The workshops took place throughout the course of the festival and proved to be overwhelmingly popular, with all workshops fully booked well in advance. Those attending were typically in the 11 to 17 age range but some were even younger.
A visiting creative learning consultant for CCE and BBC Blast commented, “I thought that the workshops were very informative and fun, pitched perfectly to the younger age group. The practitioners delivering the workshops were very clear and allowed opportunities for all ages and levels to be involved. Great workshops!”
The workshops created enormous interest and the students found themselves the centre of much media attention. Alex Prince was interviewed by BBC Wales and was even joined by Queen legend, Brian May, who although there to promote his new book, could not resist having a go on Alex’s guitar!
The festival organisers were thrilled with the outcome and have already re-booked the students for next year. The students have also been approached by representatives from the Brecon Jazz Festival and the Green Man Festival regarding the possibility of running a similar programme.
A spokesperson for UK Youth expressed their satisfaction with the workshops,
“As you know, it was a great opportunity for us to promote the valuable work we do and to fundraise; through your help we were able to do both admirably. We have had fantastic feedback from the festival and festival-goers, and needless to say the young people led in your workshops. And what a great bunch of guys you found to lead the workshops!! “
Herefordshire College of Technology would like to thank Roland UK for kindly supplying the recording equipment and instruments and FutureLab for supplying the laptop computers.
