Young musicians invited to compose original music inspired by Shakespeare
21st March 2017
Shakespeare Week 2017
20-26 March 2017
www.shakespeareweek.org.uk / @ShakespeareWeek
Primary schools across the country are invited to compose an original piece of music as part of a competition launched in conjunction with Shakespeare Week.
The Composition Competition, organised by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in collaboration with Birmingham Conservatoire, invites schools to create a musical masterpiece in celebration of Shakespeare Week, which this year has a music theme. Children can create a soundscape for the Forest of Arden, a lullaby inspired by the fairies from A Midsummer Night’s Dream or a magical melody for Macbeth’s witches – in any musical style or genre. Birmingham Conservatoire, part of Birmingham City University, has developed a bank of resources to help schools with their musical masterpieces.
Entering is easy. Children should compose a piece of music inspired by Shakespeare’s plays and characters lasting no longer than four minutes, and submit an MP3 recording along with any lyrics by Friday, 28 April. Five winning entries will be chosen to participate in a musical workshop and perform a professionally arranged version of their composition alongside musicians from Birmingham Conservatoire at a celebration concert on 21 June. For details and terms and conditions, see www.shakespeareweek.org.uk/competitions.
Shakespeare Week was launched by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in 2014 as a way to share and celebrate Shakespeare’s work, life and times with every primary school child in the country. Now in its fourth year, Shakespeare Week 2017 provides teachers, home educators and families with free resources and ideas to teach Shakespeare across all subjects in the national curriculum including numeracy, geography, and computing.
This year’s celebration is supported by new patrons – world renowned classical musician Julian Lloyd Webber, and award-winning children’s author Marcia Williams. Shakespeare Week is also going digital with Mission Shakespeare, a free online interactive challenge for children to take their Shakespeare learning beyond the classroom. For more information and to take part, register at www.shakespeareweek.org.uk.
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Press release issued by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. For media enquiries contact Alisan Cole, PR Manager on 01789 207132 / 07824 137638 or email alisan.cole@shakespeare.org.uk.
About the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is the independent charity that cares for the world’s greatest Shakespeare heritage sites in Stratford-upon-Avon, and promotes the enjoyment and understanding of Shakespeare’s works, life and times all over the world. Established by Act of Parliament in 1891, the charity runs formal and informal educational programmes for people of all ages. It holds the world’s largest Shakespeare-related museum and archives open free to the public, a collection which is designated as being of international importance. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust receives no public subsidy or direct revenue funding; it depends on income generated through the support of visitors, donors, volunteers and Friends. For more information, visit www.shakespeare.org.uk or follow us on social media Twitter @ShakespeareBT and Facebook.com/ShakespeareBT.
About Birmingham Conservatoire
With an acclaimed history dating back to 1859 and part of Birmingham City University, Birmingham Conservatoire is one of the most respected music education institutions in the UK, devoted to the training of highly talented musicians in performance and composition. In March 2016, HRH The Earl of Wessex became the Conservatoire’s first Royal Patron.
