MARK MORPURGO looks forward to a big Homecoming celebration in Argyll & Bute

RHAPSODY 2009 MAY be the ultimate in cross-arts events involving secondary school children in the year of Homecoming. They will be taking part in music, photography, fashion, hair and make-up, modelling, choreography and performance skills.

Secondary schools from all around Argyll will be involved. Fourteen teenagers from Dunoon Grammar School are hard at work rehearsing with their teachers, including piper Craig Campbell. Fiddle tuition is being run by Patsy Reid and Fiddle Folks schools fiddle tutor Sarah Naylor – all trying to ensure that this event is an impressive one!

The young talent of Argyll and Bute.

At this major cultural event, young people from across Argyll and Bute will showcase their amazing creative talents. Following the highly successful Argyll Rhapsody 2007, the Creative Arts in Schools Team (CAST) has developed this extravagant collaboration of homecoming creativity.

The musical input to Homecoming Rhapsody is a development of the Argyll Rhapsody created by Donald Shaw in 2007, featuring a pupils orchestra which includes pipers, fiddlers, orchestral and band instrumentation, percussion and a 25-piece choir, all accompanied by professional traditional musicians. The output will be a fusion of traditional and modern Scottish music.

As well as a composer of international repute, and director of Celtic Connections, Donald Shaw is also a performer, being a founder member of the band Capercaillie. Donald embraced the 2007 commission with enthusiasm and cultural integrity, immersing himself in the archives of the School of Scottish Studies to collect Argyll texts which he set to music.

This years event includes Gaelic song and features an eclectic mix of instruments that have been sourced from the rich heritage of the established tradition within Argyll. The pupils have been working together to prepare for this event with their tutors, Donald Shaw and Gaelic singer Maeve Mackinnon.

Donald Shaw

The music will have a great backdrop of projected images representing ‘Our Space – a photographic collection from pupils in Argyll and Bute Secondary Schools. Almost 200 young artists contributed to a video presentation and photographic exhibition which augmented Argyll Rhapsody 07. Award winning photojournalist Colin McPherson oversaw the project, and the resulting still images reflected and illustrated what Argyll meant to these young people.

Colin is back to help pupils build a portfolio of personal images. The first half of the evening featuring the musical element of Rhapsody will be accompanied by a projected image display – a photographic collection from pupils across the areas secondary schools who have worked with Colin McPherson in a series of school workshops.

These school sessions included a presentation about his own work and a discussion on photography covering necessary skills and topics from composition and editing through to making storyboards, marketing photographs and displaying images.

Using skills learned from Colin, the pupils were then encouraged to expand and develop their chosen theme until they had a ‘portfolio of images. The still images will also be displayed as an exhibition at the concerts and will subsequently tour secondary schools.

Rehearsals

After the music there will be input from secondary school Art and Design Fashion students on a Homecoming theme. This is a rare chance for students to present their work in a forum supported by professionals. The fashion element of Rhapsody is new for 2009 and is a showcase of young innovation and style.

Models will exhibit work by senior art and design pupils featuring hats, shoes, jewellery and garments created around the international theme of ‘Scottish influence abroad. The show promises to be a ‘wild Scottish fashion show accompanied by some wild Scottish live music!

Homecoming Rhapsody takes place at Corran Halls, Oban, on 28 October (7.30pm, Oban Box office 01631 567333, info@corranhalls.co.uk ), and Hermitage Academy, Helensburgh, on 29 October (7.30pm, 01436 672145, enquiries@hermitageacademy.argyll-bute.sch.uk ). Tickets from venues:  £8 / £5 concessions and Young Scot card holders

© Mark Morpurgo, 2009

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