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News & Events
News and Events in the last 12 months
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| | | This section aims to be snappy and contemporary.
News herein are ongoing items in the year 2009.
Events described have all taken place in the past 12 months.
Those prior to this, can be found in the Archive section.
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| News Flash | Margaret Morris Movement CentenaryMargaret Morris was a brilliant dancer, choreographer and artist, whose unique system of dance, the Margaret Morris Movement (MMM), developed into a worldwide organization. In February 2010 an exhibition of her extensive collection of ballet costumes, artwork and other memorabilia opened at the Fergusson Gallery in Perth, Fife where it will be permanently housed. A full programme of events is planned throughout the year to celebrate the MMM centenary.
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Exhibition Poster for the Margaret Morris Movement |
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My Name Is Margaret Morris opens on the 6th August. Stuart Hopps is the author and sole performer in this one-man play which runs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival until 30 August. The Wooing scene from The Forsaken Mermaid, considered by Margaret Morris to be one of her best ballets, will be danced on stage. Directed by Barbara Rafferty, the play is part of the Festival of Dance see www.dancebase.co.uk.
The artistic partnership of Margaret Morris and composer Erik Chisholm, begun in 1940, resulted in three ballets, The Forsaken Mermaid, The Earth Shapers and The Hoodie Craw. To commemorate the centenary, the ECT has produced a CD, under its own label, of the Forsaken Mermaid and the Hoodie Craw, arranged for two pianos played by Murray McLachlan and Graham Scott
Cape Town Recital celebrates the Biography & College of Music CentenaryJohn Purser and the Morag Chisholm representing the Erik Chisholm Trust made a special trip to Cape Town for this event. On 20th July in the Chisholm Recital Room, in the College, University of Cape Town. Purser gave an illustrated talk about the biography with musical interludes, performed by staff and students of the College. |
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| Wills Morgan’s Anglo American Tour | To celebrate his 50th birthday, Wills Morgan, lyric tenor, has undertaken an Anglo American tour over the next few months.
| An early event, The Music and the Rhyme, a sequence of songs for a May evening was held on 1st May at St Andrews Episcopal Church, St Andrews, Fife. Lillias Scott hosted the recital and Wills, accompanied by Richard Black, sang songs by her father, FG Scott, and husband Erik Chisholm. Purcell, Haydn, Quilter, van Dieren and Ronald Stevenson all featured in the ambitious programme, which made for a special evening’s entertainment. Wills is much more than a singer of songs.
My Voice is the Door at The Hub, King’s Cross, London on 5 June was more of the same, yet very different. Accompanist Jeremy Limb and soprano, Helen Cocks, joined Wills in an informal atmosphere of pizza and beer. The first half was similar in content to the St Andrews recital but the second half was all Chisholm with readings from Purser’s biography, piano excerpts from the Scottish Airs and Poems of Love shared between Wills and Helen. The ECT at Wills request has produced a new edition of the Poems of Love with 5 of the 7 songs transposed for medium voice. |
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| BBC Radio 3 Music Matters | | Cape Town Opera/ Erik Chisholm/Kevin Volans/Scottish Opera
On Saturday 24th October at 12:15pm BBC Radio 3 Music Matters, featured John Purser talking about his Chisholm biography. Reminiscences from people in the UK and South Africa who remembered the composer, included his second wife Lillias Scott, daughter of composer F.G Scott. The Cape Town Opera tour of Porgy & Bess and the progress of opera in the new South Africa was discussed. Amongst Chisholm’s major achievements as Dean of the University Music Department was the establishment of the Opera School in Cape Town, not to mention writing several of his 11 operas during his time there.
The Adventures of Babar
The BBC Radio 3 Music Matters team arranged to meet the composer’s eldest daughter Morag at the BBC TV Centre, recording her reactions as she viewed the the long lost autograph score The Adventures of Babar. Commissioned by the BBC the score had lain in the BBC library since its wartime broadcast in 1942. Time did not permit inclusion in the Radio 3 Music Matters broadcast, but the 4-minutes interview was available online and aired for one week; Morag has a permanent record of an exciting day. |
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| Biography Launch Event | Chasing A Restless Muse: Erik Chisholm, Scottish Modernist (1904-1965)
by Dr John Purser.
The long awaited biography of Erik Chisholm published on 19th June 2009 by Boydell and Brewer, is available at a discounted rate until 31st December 2009.
ORDER YOUR COPY NOW using this printable form Chasing a Restless Muse
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Reception Photograph at Biography launch.
From Lt to Rt Morag Chisholm, John Purser, Lillias Forbes, George Caird and Virginia Fortescue |
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The launch event took place on Thursday, 22nd October at the Conservatoire of Music, Birmingham City University, an equal partner with the ECT in funding the biography. John Purser gave a lecture recital and talked about the challenges of writing the biography.
Professor George Caird, Director of the Conservatoire introduced John and spoke glowingly of his achievement and of the quality of the biography, both its content and presentation. Publication by Boydell and Brewer ensured success of the venture which has added strength to the Conservatoire’s Research programme.
For over an hour, John travelled a fascinating journey through Chisholm’s life and music, wonderfully illustrated with many slides and musical excerpts.
Robert Markham, Lecturer in Piano at the Conservatoire, played beautifully from 3 very different works Scottish Airs for Children, Straloch Suite and the 3rd and 5th Bards from Night Song of the Bards. Anna Hainsworth’s powerful mezzo-soprano voice and engaging performance were perfect for three songs from Poems of Love, Chisholm’s music set to Lillias Scott’s poems
The reception for invited concertgoers in the Board Room after the recital was a happy event and the Conservatoire support staff are to be commended for their efficiency which made the evening run so smoothly.
Prof Caird thanked the evening’s performers and welcomed three special guests - Virginia Fortescue and John Joubert, close friends and colleagues of Chisholm’s from the College of Music days and Chisholm’s second wife Lillias Scott Forbes who has recently published her 3rd book of poetry.
Chisholm’s family was well represented by his daughter Morag, grand daughters Deirdre and Fiona and great grandsons Edward and Ben.
The evening was a splendid welcome to what will prove to be a powerful new weapon in the Chisholm revival. Doors are already opening.
"Purser's welcome book, will help acquaint contemporary readers with the significant composer who was Erik Chisholm" - John Robert Brown Classical Music 20 July 2009
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