YMT UK Auditions 2010

Hey everyone,

We would like to let you know that our long term partners, the Youth Music Theatre, are holding auditions for their 2010 shows.

They are looking for talented young performers, musicians and stage managers from around the country to join their national company and take part in performances such as The Watchers/New Dawn, Peter Pan, an Urban (street) Opera and The Savage.

This sounds really exciting and we want to let you know they are coming to Aberdeen to hold auditions at The Lemon Tree on Saturday 13th February to search for new talent.

Here is some information on the show that will be taking place as part of AIYF 2010:

Vampires haunt the backstreets of a small fishing seaside town as the Watchers (a pack of human dogs in hoodies) and the Pavilion gang (ordinary church going kids) seeks them out. New Dawn is the sequel to 2009’s production of The Watchers. Eat your heart out – Stephanie Meyer!

Make sure you head along as it is a great opportunity to get involved!

For a full list of auditions dates and cities, please visit www.youthmusictheatreuk.org to find out where you can take part!

Applications now closed!

Stop the press!

Aberdeen International Youth Festival are closing their applications for 2010, meaning that the festival is closer than we think!

So if you apply now, your application will be received for the 2011 festival.

Over 30 unique acts have been invited from across the world to join and express their diverse talents throughout Scotland. The Festival is bringing back some favourite acts, but also introducing new talents to bring an exceptional variety of performances, with some groups who have never been to Scotland before!

A few of the acts that will be performing are: African storytelling, Hungarian dancing, modern Ballet from Canada, Russian orchestras, with many more unique acts to make this one of the best festivals yet!

AIYF runs from 28th July until August 7th. Make sure to keep checking our website for the most up to date information to provide you with everything you need to know to get the most out of this year’s festival!

Happy New Year from AIYF

Happy New Year everyone!

We can't quite believe that 2009 is already over - where did it go? It was a great year for AIYF last year with an increase in audiences, higher accessibilty through ticket offers, and a fantastic array of international and homegrown talent performing in our highest number of performances yet!

So what will 2010 bring? Certainly not just 'more of the same' anyway. We'll be bringing new groups to the Festival that have never set foot on Scottish soil, developing new performances and projects to delight participants and audiences alike and, of course, providing even better ticket offers!

Keep coming back to the website for updates on all that's going on at AIYF 2010 - believe us, it's going to be unmissable!

Wishing you all the best for 2010 and hoping you're as excited as we are for what the year will bring.

From all the team at AIYF!
(28 July - 7 August 2010)

Invite to a taste of the BALKANS!

Our friends at Aberdeen BALKANARAMA are putting a shout out to come and indulge in the sights, tastes and sounds of the Balkans.

Sounds pretty interesting - they are inviting anyone to "Come jump, sing, scream, cry and laugh, climb tables and dance the night away"!!!! Not just your average invite then (and not one that we at AIYF can refuse)!

Here's the details:

Aberdeen BALKANARAMA
Saturday 28 November
@Lemon Tree, West North St, Aberdeen
7.30pm - late
Tickets £7 available from boxofficeaberdeen.com 01224 641122

Featuring:-

* BLACK CAT - uber-energetic 10-piece playing maddest finest klezmer, gypsy and Balkan
music
* KUCHKE - polyphonic Balkan female choir
* Balkan Beats DJs, VJs, dances, early live jam session (starts early), free home-made rakija
and more.

We'll see you there!

University of Aberdeen Music Prize Weekend: 20 - 22 Nov

The University of Aberdeen Music Prize is once again offering an exciting programme of events from 20th to 22nd November, many of which we will be presented in association with our friends at the Sound festival.

The University of Aberdeen Music Prize is a competition for aspiring new composers from around the world. The University has joined forces with the critically acclaimed BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and BBC Radio 3 to promote and encourage excellence in contemporary composition.

The weekend will feature a series of workshops and performances and, of course, the Music Prize itself which will be judged this year by distinguished international composer James MacMillan.

One competition finalist will be offered a £5,000 commission for a full orchestral piece to be performed by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in 2010 and broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

For more info on the weekends' events visit www.abdn.ac.uk/aberdeenmusicprize. For a full programme and to book your free tickets, you can contact the University of Aberdeen Events Office on 01224 273874 or email musicprize@abdn.ac.uk

AIYF Wedding!

Congratulations to Anne and Ian Hingston who tied the knot on Saturday (17 October 2009).

It was a perfect Autumn afternoon as friends and family descended upon King's College Chapel, Old Aberdeen for a 3.30pm wedding. The ceremony reflected Iain and Anne's love of choral music as friends from the University's music department sung Anne down the aisle - a beautiful memory for all in attendance.

It was a 'knees up' affair at the evening's reception at the Palm Court. A fantastically unconventional ceilidh band had the crowd dancing the Dashing White Sergeant to the Ghostbusters theme tune, while another highlight saw the groom bombarded with people's shoes as he danced to Robbie Williams' 'Let me entertain you' - apparently a signature routine of Iain's.

In her former life as Anne Herbert, Mrs Hingston took on the mantle of Sponsor Liaison at this year's Festival. We would like to say a big thanks from all at AIYF to Anne for her help this year, and wish her all the best for her future with Iain.

AIYF Singing Group - Starts October 2009

AIYF Singing Group
Starts Wed 28 October, Northfield Community Centre, 6-7pm

(Taster Session - Wed 7 October, Northfield Community Centre, 6-7.30pm)

Our new singing group for all abilities aims to introduce young people to music through a mix of games, singing and song-writing. It will meet at the Community Centre every Wednesday night, 6-7pm, from Wed 28 October onwards. It is for ages Primary 5 to Secondary 3.

And it's all free!

The Singing Group is led by 3 professionally trained music and singing tutors Jayne Carmichael, Amy Beth Smith and Christopher Barr. All are students or graduates of the University of Aberdeen Music Department and have worked with many local choirs and schools as well as the National Youth Choir of Scotland. They have all received disclosure checks enabling them to work with young people.

This follows from the 'Little Larks Take Flight' project that was carried out during this summer's Festival, in partnership with the Little Larks Music Company from Glasgow.


If you're interested, you can pick up your application form from the Community Centre or online here.

You can also come to our taster session on Wednesday 8 October, Northfield Community Centre, 6 - 7.30pm.

Dance Shows

Every year at AIYF a diverse range of talented dance groups take part, and this year is no exception! There is a variety of dance groups, from traditional to contemporary, and many taking part this year are performing in two Dance Shows on Tuesday and Wednesday the 4th and 5th of August, at the Aberdeen Arts Centre Theatre.

On Tuesday the 4th Ballet Prague, Happy feet (Norway), and Oxford Youth Dance will perform at 7pm at the Arts Centre, with an exciting programme including traditional classical ballet and contemporary dance, showing off these groups' energy, technique and talent.

Our second night of dance on Wednesday the 5th will consist of The National Dance company of the Bahamas, Royal Art Group Alkuone (Belgium) and Yu Dance, featuring dynamic flag dance and acrobatics, contemporary dance and lively choreography from talanted, passionate young dancers from Europe, The Carribean and China.

Festival in the City - It's here

We're taking over the City....

Join in the buzz this Sunday 2 August as AIYF entertains the City with a fantastic array of local and international talent.

The day's festivities kick off at 11am this Sunday 2 August from Harlaw Academy as hundreds of AIYF participants take part in the Tartan Day Parade.

From 12.30pm to 3.20pm, we will be showcasing AIYF's international talent alongside a host of local performers throughout Aberdeen City centre.
We will be in 8 stages throughout the city:

• The Mall Trinity (outside Debenhams)
• St Nicholas Kirk Yard
• Union Terrace Gardens
• Bandstand area at Mercat-Castlegate
• Academy shopping centre courtyard
• Provost Skene Garden
• Golden Area at M&S
• Upper Deck at St Nicholas Centre

This is a great way to see and hear what we have to offer at AIYF 2009. And it's free too!

Saturday 1st August

After a successful night of performances last night there are even more concerts and shows on today as part of the festival. There are two performances as part of our chamber music series (NESMS Colin Brockie & Richard Bailey at 11am, and Pure Brass at 3pm), both at the Cowdray Hall, and Scottish Youth Theatre's performance course at the Lemon Tree at 1pm. Project Y (Y Dance) & Oxford Youth Dance will also perform, with an exciting programme of new contemporary dance work, at the Lemon Tree at 8pm.


We have our 'Welcome to Scotland Concert', at 7.30pm at His Majesty's Theatre, celebrating Scotland's cultural heritage with exciting performances from Aberdeenshire Youth Theatre, a Canadian Steel Band, dancers from the Bahamas and a Norwegian choir, all hosted by AIYF's traditional big band Ceol Mor.

Get your tickets on the door at Cowdray Hall and the Lemon Tree, or from Aberdeen Box Office on 01224 641122 for HMT. Keep looking out for regular blog updates on what is happening in the festival and we hope to see you at some of these exciting concerts!

Festival has Started!

On Wednesday the 29th of July, the Aberdeen International Youth Festival had a fantastic start with a reception for staff and friends of the festival with brilliant performances by the Toronto All Stars, Nathan Zaake, YMT:UK, and Ruciteme-Culture at Zeste. The first shows also began with a performance of 'Our Scotland' by Aberdeenshire Youth Theatre at the Lemon Tree, after which everyone returned home to a fantastic Ceilidh at the Hillhead residence, with music from a ceilidh band and some very interesting takes on the traditional dances! Everyone had a great time and got to know a lot of different performers taking part in the festival.

Today (30th July) at 3.00pm there will be the Welcome Ceremony for the festival, at His Majesty's Theatre, with every participant country's national anthem played by the Noordhollands orchestra and represented by their national flag. It is a great chance to see everyone who is taking part and recognise the diversity of the festival.

Over the next few days the first performances will be taking place, with the Patrick Kunka Quartet performing at the Lemon Tree at 8.30pm on the 30th. On Friday the 31st there is a variety of performances including NESMS Colin Brockie & Richard Bailey as part of our chamber music series at 3.00pm at Queen's Cross Church, a Choral Evening at 7.30pm at Holburn West Church, and a concert by the Noordhollands Orchestra at 7.30pm at His Majesty's Theatre.

Also happening tomorrow night is a performance by Ceol Mor at 8.00pm at the Beach Ballroom. Ceol Mor will be performing new arrangements of traditional material for trad instruments, along with cello, piano, bass, drums and brass. It promises to be a great night, with a variety of interesting new compositions and some great music! Tickets are £10, £6 for friends and concessions so come along!

Keep looking out for further posts about future events and ticket offers, and we hope you enjoy any performances you go along to!

Shakespearean tragedy takes centre stage

Two young Scottish theatre companies are performing popular Shakespearean tragedy at the 2009 Aberdeen International Youth Festival.

Scotland’s national youth theatre, Scottish Youth Theatre, is staging a re-interpretation of Hamlet with a modern twist, which will see Shakespeare’s most infamous character played as a woman. Artistic Director, Mary McCluskey is no stranger to adapting Shakespeare and making the plays accessible to young people.

PACE Theatre Company, based in Paisley, will perform Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. First performed at PACE’s annual arts festival in Paisley, this abridged production of Shakespeare’s tragedy will be performed by 20 actors using the enduring themes raised in the play and applies them to young people today, creating an energetic and fast moving production.

Hamlet will be staged at the Lemon Tree on Monday August 3 at 8pm and Tuesday August 4 at 1pm.

Catch Romeo and Juliet at the Lemon Tree on Tuesday August 4 at 8pm and Wednesday August 5 at 3pm and 7pm. Romeo and Juliet will also tour to Aboyne Academy Theatre on Thursday August 6 at 7pm as part of the extended festival.

Tickets are priced £5 + booking fee and family tickets are available for just £16 (up to 4 people). Festival Pass is also available for £5 shows. For more information phone Aberdeen Box Office on 01224 641122 or online here.