Last Sunday was the first ever Festival in the City. The idea behind this brand new event was to bring AIYF out onto the streets. With seven stages set up across the city, there was plenty of chance to see groups like Tamana Pioneer Steel Orchestra, Shenzhen City Dancing Team and the Jamie Safiruddin Quartet.
The Seven Stages were set up in Union Terrace Gardens, Trinity Mall; Academy Courtyard; Provost Skene’s Gardens; St Nicholas Church Yard; John Lewis and Marks & Spencer. Each stage saw a variety of acts ranging from festival participants to local Aberdeen bands. The Evening Express said that the “street performers wowed the crowds”.
The day was a great success with many people enjoying the chance to sun themselves while listening to the delights that only AIYF can offer. The weather held off…just only those remaining at Union Terrace Gardens – which went on after for a couple hours after the other venues – got a bit wet. The rest of the day was flooded in beautiful sunshine.
So overall a great day which gave everyone the chance to experience something new – not just that afternoon but in the evening as many people who hadn’t heard of the Festival before went on to attend shows later that evening.
Festival in the City was supported by BP & Event Scotland
Tuesday, 5 August 2008
Festival in The City
Monday, 4 August 2008
Festival in the City
Wednesday, 30 July 2008
The Start Of AIYF 2008!
And it’s begun. The 36th Aberdeen International Youth Festival has started. Over the next two weeks there will be Opera, Dance, Steel Drums and much much more. With over a thousand participants from a number of countries this promises to be a truly world wide festival.
And what a way to start. John Godber’s Teechers, is a school-based comedy written from the point of view of three students, Salty, a bright and fresh-faced school-leaver; Hobby, a shy girl and Gail Saunders, a loud mouthed, bossy girl who is full of enthusiasm. These three friends then spend the next hour performing a play about their final year of school – with all the names change to protect the innocent of course!
It is this that makes the show stand out from so many other things. Between the three of them, the actors play up to twenty characters – with often only basic costume changes taking place. The characters of Mr Basford, for example, is created through the use of a fake nose and glasses combo that you only ever really see in cartoons. All three actors play their multiply parts with great skill.
However, AIYF is not all about one play, there are more coming just around the corner. West Lothian Youth Theatre present their civil war torn future of central Scotland (Lemon Tree Studio, 31st July & 1st August) or perhaps you’d rather hear the Jazz sound of NYCOS at Holburn West Church (31st July)…or go to www.aiyf.org and look through all our shows!
Saturday, 12 July 2008
Photo of the week
Joel Sebunjo, who will be playing at the Blue Lamp, Aberdeen Music Hall, Universal hall Findhorn and the Acorn Centre Inverurie, as part of Festival 2008.
Friday, 11 July 2008
Later.. at the Lemon Tree
For the first time AIYF, in partnership with Foyer Music, will be holding late night sessions - ”Later…at the Lemon Tree”.
From Thursday July 31 the late night festival session will showcase the best of up and coming, home-grown and international talent. An eclectic programme of blues, indie rock, jazz, fusion and world music acts will give audiences an opportunity to experience a diverse range of music and see something different. Line up includes:
Thursday 31 July
Egdar Prais
The Chair
The Condiments (http://www.myspace.com/therealcondiments)
Friday 1 August
The Fortunate Sons (http://www.myspace.com/fsons)
Fuse[d] (http://www.myspace.com/foosed)
Saturday 2 August
Jamie Safiruddin Quartet (http://www.myspace.com/jamiesafmusic)
Amplifico
Sunday 3 August
Kukadan (http://www.myspace.com/druminaboot)
Joel Sebunjo
NK
Flava
Tuesday 5 August
X Certs
Onion Terror
Dan Against the World
Wednesday 6 August
Qristina and Quinn Bachand
The Hijacks
Static in the City
Copy Haho
Thursday 7 August
Sorren Maclean Band (http://www.myspace.com/sorrenmaclean)
Cast of the Capital (http://www.myspace com/castofthecapital)
Friday 8 August
The Little Kicks (http://www.myspace.com/thelittlekicks)
Right Hand Left
Headlight (http://www.myspace.com/headlightmusic)
Toy
Saturday 9 August
Dot J (http://www.bebo.com/dotjr)
Sunrise not Secular (http://www.myspace.com/sunrise4
Action Group
Plus:(dates to be confirmed)
The Elizabeths
The Marionettes
Y’all is Fantasy Island
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
AIYF takes over Lemon Tree for two weeks of new music and theatre
The recently reopened Lemon Tree is to become the home of the Aberdeen International Youth Festival for the duration of the 2008 event.
The Lemon Tree will become the Festival Hub, a location at the heart of the city at which festival goers can have lunch, see shows, buy tickets and find out about what the festival has to offer.
Festival director Stewart Aitken said: “The reopening of the Lemon Tree has come at a great time for us and provided us with a focal point for the festival. It gives us the opportunity to create a place where people can come after the main concerts and see a wide range of music as well as giving us a great space to showcase some innovative and exciting theatre by young people. Hopefully our presence at the Lemon Tree will attract new audiences to AIYF as well as enable our core support to try something a bit different”
The Lemon Tree will be the venue for AIYF's late night concerts and new theatre including: West Lothian Youth Theatre’s Monsters; KY8’s Kinetic; Contacting the World and Garidge Theatre Company and Mitchell School of Drama’s Lottie.
For up to the minute information on AIYF at the Lemon Tree visit http://www.aiyf.org/.
Monday, 12 May 2008
Summer positions available at AIYF - recruiting now!
AIYF is now recruiting for 60 temporary and volunteer staff during the Festival.
The Festival has established an internship scheme to offer valuable experience of working within the events and performing arts arena. Summer internships are six week placements in:
Administration
Box Office / Front of House
Marketing
Other positions include:
Pastoral staff for residential summer schools (dance and trad music)
Couriers (chaperones for participating international companies
Youth Team (runners)
Drivers (minibus, transit, Luton and 7.5ton)
Transport scheduler - manage the drivers and organising schedule etc
Proect Managers - Film Festival.
For further information and to apply please send your CV and a letter of introduction
to Jennifer Phillips at jenny@aiyf.org
Friday, 9 May 2008
Photo of the week
Dancer in traditional costume at Aberdeen International Youth Festival
Originally uploaded by Jennifer K Phillips
Sining Kambayoka at AIYF. Photo: Steven Rance
See more festival photos on flickr - why not add yours to our group and be featured as our photo of the week? http://www.flickr.com/groups/aiyf/pool/
Monday, 28 April 2008
Last few places left on the AIYF’s Dance Summer School!
The Aberdeen International Youth Festival's Dance Summer School is proving to be more popular than ever, and there are just a few places left. The School is directed by Kenn Burke, former Principal Dancer with Scottish Ballet, and offers a valuable training experience in classical ballet, contemporary and jazz, with world re-nowned dancers and teachers. Dancers on the Performance Course will be offered the chance to dance on stage at His Majesty’s Theatre, at the AIYF’s Dance Gala in August.
Past students have gone on to dance with Northern Ballet Theatre, Jean Ann Ryan Productions, English National Ballet, English National Opera, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Norwegian Ballet and Ballet des Jeunes.
The Dance Summer School was established 26 years ago and remains an important and unique course in Scotland. The school now offers:
Performance Course - An intensive two week residential course designed to offer students a valuable training experience in classical ballet, contemporary and jazz, with world renowned dance artists and teachers. The course includes the opportunity to work on and perform new choreography at the Festival’s Dance Gala at His Majesty’s Theatre.
Dance Course - For students aged 12+. This course offers intensive training in classical ballet and repertoire, contemporary and jazz.
Day of Dance - A free taster day for younger students. Dance teachers are welcome to come to the dance school and watch classes. Please contact us for more information.
Kenn Burke was appointed Dance Director of the AIYF in 1996 and has been running the Festival's Dance School for the last eight years.Fife-born Kenn trained in his hometown of Inverkeithing before joining Scottish Ballet's scholarship scheme. He trained at The Royal Ballet School, London and in 1975 joined Scottish Ballet.In 1988, he was invited to join the Hong Kong Ballet as Principal Dancer.In 1990 he returned to Scotland and was appointed Artistic Director of Scottish Ballet 2. Kenn went on to become Acting Artistic Director of Scottish Ballet. During his time with the company he has always maintained a close interest and involvement in the Dance School of Scotland and Scottish Ballet's Junior Associates.Kenn is now freelance and has most recently been staging Swan Lake with Galina Samsova for the Rome Opera House
Contact AIYF for more information and application forms.
Tel: 01224 213800 www.danceschool.org.uk
Saturday, 12 April 2008
Photo of the week
Midwest Young Artists from the USA at AIYF. Photo: Josh Hadro
See more festival photos on flickr - why not add yours to our group and be featured as our photo of the week? http://www.flickr.com/groups/aiyf/pool/
Friday, 4 April 2008
Opportunity for young singers
Aberdeen International Youth Festival today announces an opportunity for young singers to get involved in a special new project, working with Haddo Junior Choirs and the RSAMD, to present a performance of Britten’s Little Sweep at Haddo and in Aberdeen in August.
A first for Haddo Junior Choirs, AIYF & RSAMD
This special production, in partnership with the RSAMD to be performed as part of the 2008 Aberdeen International Youth Festival at Haddo House and in Aberdeen.
A wonderful opportunity has arisen for singers from Haddo Junior Choirs to work alongside Opera students and Music Director from the RSAMD, as well as a professional Theatre Director.
This will be a unique experience open to all singers aged 9-18. There will be soloists spaces as well as a large chorus of required, so there is plenty of scope for a large number to take part in this unique project.
There will be weekly rehearsals on Wednesday in Ellon from 16 April 2008, and daily rehearsals from Saturday 26 July until the performances on Wednesday 6, Thursday 7, Friday 8 and Saturday 9 August.
For more information about how to take part, visit the website at http://www.aiyf.org/ or telephone the Aberdeen International Youth Festival on 01224 213800.
The Little Sweep - an opera for children and families
The Little Sweep is part of Britten’s ‘Entertainment for Young People’. It is a morality tale which finds young Sam sold into service as a sweep to two cruel masters. He is discovered and hidden by the children of a big house he has been cleaning. Will they be able to help him escape from his cruel employers?
The production is a full theatrical experience with lots of dramatic opportunities, choral singing and even an audience song or two. It is a great way of introducing young audiences to the conventions of opera with a simple yet affecting story with which they can sympathise and identify.
Photo of the week
North Shore Celtic Ensemble from Canada performing at Speyfest as part of AIYF 2006. Photo: scotsonhill (flickr)
See more festival photos on flickr - why not add yours to our group and be featured as our photo of the week? http://www.flickr.com/groups/aiyf/pool/
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