From Silk Road to Carnival programme announced
24 August 2010
From September until the end of March, Grand Union’s projects are being united under the banner From Silk Road to Carnival, exploring the trade routes than brought prosperity to Britain and the rest of Europe – but at social, and often moral cost.
Along these trade routes – whether across land from Turkey through Central Asia to China and encouraging the spread of Islam, or by sea with the transportation of slaves from West Africa to Brazil, the Caribbean and the USA – culture and ideas also travelled, especially music.
In practice, this means that the monthly Sunday morning master-classes will explore repertoire and techniques related to this theme. Some of this will develop music and ideas already familiar to some GUYO musicians, and some will be brand new. On the Carnival side, we shall be looking in more detail at South American, Afro-Cuban and Caribbean rhythms (including reggae, ska, soca and calypso); while travelling the Silk Road gives us the opportunity to revisit and extend our knowledge and appreciation of the music of Eastern Europe, Turkey, Bangladesh/India, China and possibly the Arab world.
Highlights on this journey include performances (all Sundays) at Romford World Carnival (September 26th), Stratford Circus Theatre (October 31st), the Brady Centre (December 5th) and most exciting of all with the BBC Concert Orchestra and Grand Union Orchestra at the Hackney Empire (March 6th), a concert to be broadcast on BBC Radio 3.
The first master-class this autumn – Sunday September 19th (Please note this date as it has been changed from 12th September) – will kick off the Carnival theme, including rehearsing material for the Romford World Carnival the following weekend, led by Carlos Fuentes (Chile) and Louise Elliott (Australia). Further details about the Autumn schedule are laid out below and overleaf.