Andrew: Welcome back to the Music Spark Blog!

Graeme: as usual we all met u in the cafe.

Paul: after struggling through the fog and road works.

Marc: the first thing we did with PRS this morning was sing I feel good, because they enjoyed it so much last week that we decided to start all the sessions with it!

Graeme: we added a couple of instruments to the Valerie backing track with PRS.

Andrew: including the trumpet part.

John: Wrekenton came in for the afternoon session for their second workshop. we did a scary vocal warm up.

Marc: I led the scary voices warm up. I basically did a call and response exercise with different halloween noises, like a witches laugh or a zombies groan!

Graeme: we used a well known halloween phrase for the chorus of their song (“trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat”)

Mel: I enjoyed Andrew’s random bass line exercise and listening to the sounds on the keyboard that John was playing for the group.

Graeme: Next week we are going to edit what we recorded with Wrekenton base and put the final touches to the track.

Marc: it’s getting closer to half term, HOORAY! get the flags out! see you next week.

The sparks will return next week!

Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th August 2012
Book Tickets

Talented young singers from the North East are preparing for this weekend’s opera at The Sage Gateshead. The Miranda Wright Singers and The Sage Gateshead’s Weekend School singers will be performing Purcell’s ‘Dido and Aeneas’ on both Saturday and Sunday evening in an exceptional working ensemble that promises young classical singers, and the audience alike, a very special experience.

In the fully-staged and costumed performances, the young singers will bring to life a moving musical story of love, fate and tragedy with ‘Dido and Aeneas’ as well as seventeenth century pieces Purcell’s ‘Come Ye Sons of Art’ and Arne’s ‘The Morning Cantata’.

Miranda Wright, producer and director, said: “It has been wonderfully exciting to work with all my pupils from both Durham University and The Sage Gateshead’s Young Musicians Programme. We have a wealth of vocal talent in the North East and this is a showcase for our young opera stars of the future. Remember – you saw them here first!”
Taking the part of Dido, the Queen of Carthage is Clare Tunney, aged 20, from Middlesbrough with her very strong stage presence and a beautiful vocal sound. Clare grew up with a love for being on stage and throughout her late teens developed a love for opera and classical song.

Sarah Ryan, aged 19, from Gateshead has a voice with power, depth and richness. Her studies with the Young Musicians Programme has increased her passion for singing and the arts and has widened her opportunities, so much so that that she is now taking the role of the Sorceress in the weekend’s performances.

Nicholas Morton, aged 23, who will begin post-graduate studies at the Royal College of Music in September, is singing Aeneas; Alys Roberts, aged 21, a music student at Durham University is playing the part of Belinda; and Rowan Pierce, aged 22, from Saltburn is a scholar at The Royal College of Music and continues to develop a successful music career in the North East taking on soprano in this production.

There will be two performances of Dido and Aeneas at The Sage Gateshead on Saturday 4th August at 7.30pm and Sunday 5th August at 7.30pm. Tickets are £14 and can be booked either by calling 0191 443 4661, online at www.thesagegateshead.org or in person from The Sage Gateshead’s Ticket Office.

Ends

For further information, images, interview requests, competition or review tickets please contact: Gaynor Ellis, Acting Marketing & Communications Manager (e) gaynor.ellis@thesagegateshead.org (t) 0191 443 4613

Date of release – 2nd August 2012

Job Information
Job Title Event Coordinator (Popular and Contemporary Programme)
Department & Team Performance Programme
Location The Sage Gateshead
Working Hours 36 hours per week; hours as required, will include evening and weekend work

Position in Organisation
Reports to Head of Popular and Contemporary Programme
Responsible for No direct line management. Will offer direction to Artist Liaison Team
Works in conjunction with Performance Programme Department as a whole; other departments; external agencies
Budget accountability None

Overall purpose of the job
As part of the Performance Programming team, provide support to the Head of Popular and Contemporary Music and the Popular and Contemporary Programme Manager in the delivery of the Popular and Contemporary Music Programme to fulfil the strategic and artistic requirements of North Music Trust.

Key Tasks
• Work with all members of the Popular and Contemporary programming team and a range of artists’ agents, artists, promoters, tour managers, production managers, promoter’s reps and hirers, to accurately and efficiently advance the production on a busy programme of up to 300 events per year.

• Provide full administrative support to the Popular and Contemporary event programme including schedules, itineries, room and transport bookings and catering requirements, as required to enable the events to run smoothly.

• To ensure that all appropriate information is collated and distributed through The Sage Gateshead’s operational systems, to enable events to run as smoothly as possible.

• In conjunction with Performance Programme, the Learning and Participation teams and external contacts, advance the production of regular popular and contemporary music concerts events and festivals efficiently and accurately to ensure the standards and quality of the Programme are maintained at the highest level.

• To keep accurate and up to date financial records relating to events as required and liaise with the Finance Department to ensure that all event-related payments are made as necessary.

• Support the Head of Popular and Contemporary Music and Popular and Contemporary Manager in ensuring that all information relating to the programme is efficiently disseminated to enable all departments, including technical specifications, to support the delivery of the event to the highest standard.

• Act as Event Manager for specified performances within and outside of the building, being the central point of contacts for all concerned with the event, internal and external contacts including artists to ensure smooth running of the event.

• Ensure that all health and safety requirements are fulfilled to minimise risk of an incident occurring.

• In conjunction with artists agents/ management take responsibility for obtaining and validating all necessary documentation for international artists to ensure their ability to perform in the UK fulfils legal requirements.

• To carry out all duties in accordance with the Law, the organisations artistic principals and in the spirit of equality and fairness.

• The above is an indication of the role to be carried out at this time, it may change from time to time in consultation with the post holder and in line with changing requirements.

Knowledge, experience and skills required to do job
Essential (required)
Qualifications A level or equivalent vocational qualification
Experience
2 years in event management or tour organisation
Experience in the use of office IT systems

Skills or knowledge
Effective organisational skills
Ability to effectively manage time and work to strict deadlines
Excellent communication skills verbal and written
Excellent interpersonal skills
Problem solving skills
Demonstrable administrative skills
Understanding of working within, and to set budgets
Excellent IT skills particularly in the use of Microsoft programmes
Understanding of Health and Safety issues
Understanding of Equality and Diversity issues
Some Knowledge and understanding of music and performance

Physical requirements Reasonable level of fitness (see additional information)

Desirable (optional)

Skills or knowledge
Knowledge of Tessitura and/or Artifax systems
Ability to carry out risk assessments

Physical requirements
Car owner driver

Additional information
This exciting but challenging role will require you to carry out all of the tasks needed to ensure that an event/performance in The Sage Gateshead or any other venue runs as smoothly as possible, including liaising with relevant contacts re artist requirements, travel and accommodation, completing financial documentation and dealing with financial settlements, providing information into relevant internal systems to meeting and greeting artists. The role will also be physically demanding depending on the requirements of any particular artist with the need to run external errands a distinct possibility. Being a car owner driver would therefore be an advantage.

Terms and Conditions
We believe The Sage Gateshead is a great place to work. As well as being “the most exciting music venue in Britain” (The Times September 2006) this is an innovative and friendly place to work, where no two days are similar.

The salary for this post is £19,521 – £22,103 * per annum pro rata *(SCP 22-26) with appointments normally made at the bottom of the scale.

The holiday entitlement for this post is 30 days pa pro rata (including statutory holidays). You will be able to join our stakeholder pension scheme, to which North Music Trust will make a 3% contribution. We also offer subsidised parking for staff members, as well as a discount in our café, and access to a voluntary health cash plan.

Please note that the successful applicant for this post will require a Disclosure Check – Enhanced Level with the Criminal Records Bureau. This is due to the fact that the post has access to children or vulnerable adults. Further information is available from www.disclosure.gov.uk.

How to Apply
Applications must be made on a North Music Trust application form which can be obtained from HR. We regret that CV’s cannot be accepted. If you have any queries about your application please contact 0191 443 4598.

To download an application form please click here.

Completed applications should be returned no later than 12:00pm on Monday 28 January 2013.

Interview dates will be arranged for 5 February or 7 February 2013.

Applications should be returned to:
opportunities@thesagegateshead.org
(Please note that if emailing your application you should receive an automated response – if you do not please call 0191 443 4598).

or by mail to:
The HR Team – The Sage Gateshead
St Mary’s Square
Gateshead Quays
Gateshead
NE8 2JR