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Minster Minstrels
Minster Minstrels meeting Piers Adams of Red Priest
York Early Music Festival 2011
Performing in the 2011 York Early Music Festival
Alex Wherry - Winner of the 2011 John Marvin Achievement Award
Minster Minstrels performing in York Minster in the Schools Prom preview concert
Heather Moger - Leader of the Minster Minstrels
Minster Minstrels
Minster Minstrel, Alex Wherry was the winner of the 2011 John Marvin Achievement Award, given in recognition of the highest level of commitment, promise and achievement over the year. This award was made at the end of the Minster Minstrels concert as part of the 2011 York Early Music Festival. Well done from all the NCEM team!
The Minster Minstrels is an early music ensemble for young instrumentalists aged between 10 and 18 years. They play a wide variety of historical repertoire that was written between the Middle Ages and the eighteenth century and explore how it might have sounded when it was first performed.
The ensemble meets on Saturday mornings during term time at Canon Lee School as part of the York Arts Academy, run by the City of York Council and directed by Heather Moger. There are two groups, one for young people who haven't been learning their instrument for very long (approximately grades 2 - 3) and one for more experienced players (approximately grade 4 - 8 and above). The instrumental ensemble is ideal for young players who like to play in small groups, often with only one or two people on each part. They learn a wide variety of music from renaissance dance music to baroque trio sonatas.
The Minster Minstrels perform at least once each term. They have recently performed in such prestigious events as the York Early Music Festival, the York Early Music Christmas Festival, the York Mystery Wagon Plays and the Merchant Adventurers' 650th anniversary celebrations. They were also part of the York Massed Choir which performed in the Music for Youth Schools Prom in the Royal Albert Hall in November 2009. Some of the Minster Minstrels took the parts of Cupids in the Theatre of the Ayre's production of Venus and Adonis, which was directed by Elizabeth Kenny in the 2010 York Early Music Festival. They also appeared at a performance and workshop at Kings Place, London, in December 2010.
The ensemble meets on Saturday mornings during term time at Canon Lee School as part of the York Arts Academy, run by the City of York Council and directed by Heather Moger. There are two groups, one for young people who haven't been learning their instrument for very long (approximately grades 2 - 3) and one for more experienced players (approximately grade 4 - 8 and above). The instrumental ensemble is ideal for young players who like to play in small groups, often with only one or two people on each part. They learn a wide variety of music from renaissance dance music to baroque trio sonatas.
The Minster Minstrels perform at least once each term. They have recently performed in such prestigious events as the York Early Music Festival, the York Early Music Christmas Festival, the York Mystery Wagon Plays and the Merchant Adventurers' 650th anniversary celebrations. They were also part of the York Massed Choir which performed in the Music for Youth Schools Prom in the Royal Albert Hall in November 2009. Some of the Minster Minstrels took the parts of Cupids in the Theatre of the Ayre's production of Venus and Adonis, which was directed by Elizabeth Kenny in the 2010 York Early Music Festival. They also appeared at a performance and workshop at Kings Place, London, in December 2010.
This year the Minster Minstrels are looking forward to another concert in London as part of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment's project 'Anthem for a Child'. For more information about the OAE project click here .
For further details about joining Minster Minstrels, please contact the NCEM on 01904 632220 or email education@ncem.co.uk
Participants say:
'I have learned lots of new things like the history behind the music and about how dances and dance steps affect how we play the music.'
Parents say:
'I appreciate the superb standard of performance. Whatever level they have reached the standard is truly excellent due to parts being allocated depending on each musician's personal strengths and that of their instruments.'
Four Minster Minstrels are currently doing their Arts Award. As part of this Award they have written a review about a concert they attended with Red Priest at the University of York in October. Read more here:
The Minster Minstrels is run as a partnership between the National Centre for Early Music and the City of York Council's York Arts Academy with support from the Mayfield Valley Arts Trust.
