community events
Community events
Former Trust Student sings at Olivier Awards
Jordan Ginger, former student of the JTPTrust, was invited to sing at the Olivier Awards at teh Royal Opera House alongside Michael Ball & Matthew Morrison on Sunday 28th April…well done Jordan!
Students selected to join National Youth Choirs of Great Britain
Two students from the JTP Trust are set to perform with many promising young musicians in the UK as they join the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain (NYCGB). Will Pearson, 16, and Harvey Cullis, 10, both impressed the panel at their recent auditions and have been offered a place to become part of the world class choir.
The NYCGB upholds its mission of nurturing the exceptional musical talent of the young people of Great Britain by offering the very best musical provision from the country’s greatest vocal tutors, collaborators and directors.
Musicians of the NYCGB meet twice a year for intensive residential courses which offer singers opportunities to develop vocal technique across a wide range of challenging music. Each course culminates in a performance held in prestigious venues such as The Royal Albert Hall. The NYCGB will be celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year. Further information is available at http://www.nycgb.net/
Will and Harvey will join Matilda Wale, 12, also a student from the JTP Trust, who has been a member of the NYCGB for a year. Matilda has already enjoyed two residential courses and feels it is an honour and privilege to be in the choir.
Janice Thompson, Director of the JTP Trust said “It is a wonderful achievement for William and Harvey and a marvellous opportunity. I’m sure, as with Tilly and some of my former students, they’ll love being part of such a talented choir and all the experiences it brings with it.”
Will has been singing with the JTP Trust for over 10 years and Harvey has been singing with the Trust since he was five. Matilda has been listening to the teachings of Janice Thompson since she came to lessons with her older twin sisters, while she was still in her pram.
The JTP Trust offers singing lessons for children age 4+ and is currently offering scholarship places to children age 9-13 who enjoy singing and are in receipt of free school meals. To book a taster session, please e-mail info@jtptrust.org or telephone 01793 535185.
Librettist and friend of the JTPTrust Marian Lines has sadly died…
Marian, who wrote the libretto for Brunel: The Little Man in the Tall Hat and The Barnstromers, amongst the many works of her career, sadly died on the 10 November 2012
Please follow the link to find Marian’s obituary in the Independent
Janice Thompson becomes AOTOS Chairman
New appointment for Director’ – Janice Thompson, founder of the JTP Trust, is proud to have been elected as Chairman of AOTOS (Association of Teachers of Singers) and has organised the AOTOS Autumn Conference in London which will be attended by some of the Trust’s students.
Swindon: The Opera
http://www.swindontheopera.co.uk/
Swindon: The Opera, the JTPTrust Lottery funded community musical extravaganza was performed at STEAM on the 7th & 8th July 2012 please see the show website for pictures and reviews from the show
Students and teachers of the Janice Thompson Performance Trust (JTP Trust) raised the roof with their cheers on Wednesday, after successfully singing their way to secure a £60,000 lottery grant to stage ‘Swindon: The Opera – A musical extravaganza for the 21stcentury’.
Having received the cheque from The Big Lottery Fund, as part of The People’s Millions, the project can now be turned into a reality, and will be staged in Swindon in the Summer of 2012, in order to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
Janice Thompson, Director of the JTP Trust commented “We are absolutely delighted and are very thankful to the people of Swindon and the surrounding areas for all their encouragement and support. I think the phone lines all over Swindon were red hot with people voting for us.”
Matt Fox, Trustee of the JTP Trust said “The roof nearly came off the studio when we heard we’d won. We’re looking forward to delivering a professional musical extravaganza involving people in the community, from toddlers to those who have lived in Swindon over the past 60 years or more.”
The ‘extravaganza’ will chart Swindon’s history since the Queen’s coronation in 1952 until 2012. Internationally acclaimed composer, Betty Roe MBE, and Matt Fox, Trustee of the JTP Trust will write the opera, which will put Swindon firmly on the cultural map.
The project is non-profit making, with proceeds from ticket sales being used to set-up further scholarship classes around Swindon, for those who wish to partake in singing lessons but do not have the means.
The local school children that will be involved in the opera, will be given exceptional vocal training by the professional singing teachers within the trust.
Matt Fox concluded “Once we have booked the venue, we will release the performance dates which will enable the audience to reserve those times in their diaries. We will deliver an explosion of entertainment which will appeal to all ages and tastes. It will be an historical occasion for Swindon and must not be missed.”
Free singing scholarship classes for 11-13 year olds.
Thanks to ‘Have a Heart, Wiltshire’ we are looking for 12 singers who would not otherwise be in a position to consider singing lessons outside of school hours to join us at All Saints Church (Southbrook Street, SN2) for 30 weeks free tuition.
Classes are run by qualified teachers and singers will have the opportunity to learn solo singing techniques and musical theatre performance skills. They will be able to take part in a number of concerts and displays throughout the year and to integrate with other singers in the Trust at end of term events and festivals.
We can offer a scholarship for 1 year to any talented singers who qualify for free school meals.
Classes run on Fridays after school at 4.30pm (boys with changed voices are at 6pm).
Any young singers should contact us at info@jtptrust.org to request a Trust Scholarship registration form.
Review of The JTPTrust Summer Gala concert at the Wyvern Theatre
The Janice Thompson Performance Trust presented a Summer Gala Concert at the Wyvern Theatre, Swindon, on Saturday evening. Thrilling the audience from start to finish the programme opened with a packed stage in glittering costume singing As You Like it, slickly followed by White Horses, from the Senior Girls.
The high standard of the opening numbers with tuneful, well blended singing continued thoughout the evening with so many highlights it’s difficult to know where to begin!
The group work covered a huge variety of numbers all with colourful costumes, interesting choreography and of course an excellent standard of singing. The Charlie Chaplin Boys were full of charactor and fun to watch and the tiny mice delightful showing this singing school has lots of talent to keep it going for years to come.
All the soloists were outstanding but Bethany Pearson deserves a special mention for captivating the audience with her unaccompanied performance of How Can I Keep from Singing.
There is so much which could be written about this concert it is hard to know what to leave out. Westlea School Choir gave a moving performance of Tears in my Eyes, Donna Donna from the Concert Choir was stunning, the accompanists excellent, and Jordan Ginger and Charlotte Johnson totally professional.
The evening concluded with Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas which was amazing both visually and musically. David Phillips was a splendid leading man and the whole Opera well cast.
The Janice Thompson Performance Trust members excelled themselves throughout the evening in what was for me their best Gala Concert ever!
Mirian Sirrelle
Dido and Aeneas
The Janice Thompson Performance Trust presented Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, at St Barnabas Church, Swindon, on Sunday evening, 25th April 2010.
With a cast of fifty talented young people this short tragic opera opened with lyrical, mellow singing between Belinda sung by Polly Leech and Stephanie Walsh as Dido. Supported by disciplined choral singing the sad tale was told both musically and visually under the skilful direction of Matt Fox and Janice Thompson.
The young cupids’ chorus with their wings and flowers sang sweetly and were well choreographed, supporting an outstanding Cupid, Becci Smith.
As usual there was an able group of young men singing, with David Philips, as Aeneas, giving a fine performance. All the soloists were well cast with Flora Thompson and Catherine Welch particularly stunning as witches.
This was a most enjoyable production and can been seen again on Saturday 3 July when it will be included in the Janice Thompson Performance Trust’s Gala Concert at the Wyvern.
Mirian Sirrelle
