How casually we take for granted the amazing, hard-won skills of our professional instrumentalists! Bruce Hebblewhite and Cliff Jones brought their horns and their skills to the U.R.C. on 27th May for the St. Helens Sinfonietta’s first Lunchtime Recital of 2009.

The first camp will be held 25th - 31st August 2009 in the beautiful Cam Valley near Bath. There will be a small friendly camp with a fantastic programme of workshops and evening entertainment.

Yaw Asumadu, Vieux Bakayoko, Idrissa Camara, Modou Diouf, Vicky Dzivenu, Nansady Keita, Seckou Keita, Landing Mane, Karim M'Baye, Simon McCarthy, Jamie Riley, Diene Vieux Sagna, Iya Sako, Mockolo Sawane, Malo Sonko, Binta Suso, Surahata Susso, Hans Sutton will hold a series of workshops including:

• African & Guinean Dance (2 levels)
• Bougarabou
• Bolon & Krin

An amazing line up has just been announced for the festival at Stoke, with Kelly Rowland, founder member of Destiny's Child, flying in from the US especially for the event. The singer/songwriter has worked as a solo artist since the band split in 2005 and has had chart-topping hits, won a string of Grammy’s and other prestigious awards and become well known for her work with young people affected by HIV/AIDS all over the globe.

Job opportunities with Merseyside Youth Association

MERSEYSIDE YOUTH ASSOCIATION LIMITED

(SUPPORTED BY THE NATIONAL LOTTERY THROUGH THE BIG LOTTERY FUND)

Is seeking to recruit a YOUTH ARTS WORKER

Hours: 17.5 per week

Salary: £17,053 - £18,922 p.a. (Pro rata)

JNC Pt. 7-10

Fixed Term Contract to: 31st December 2010

Closing Date for Completed Applications: 5pm Friday 22nd may 2009

This Friday sees the showcase performance from the young people with the Reverberate project.

Silent Thunder will also be performing at the free concert at Peter St Community Centre in St Helens. The concert starts at 8.15 and will be finished by 9.45. All ages, including under 18s, are welcome.

All the young people involved have enjoyed the project and have increased their skills, knowledge and confidence. We're looking forward to seeing how they take it further.

HarmonieMusik, the wind-players of St Helens Sinfonietta, get better and better, both in their playing and their programming.
On Saturday at the URC (with its newly refurbished, more-accessible entrance) they produced a veritable delight of styles, moods and groupings of the nine players to keep a good-sized audience constantly diverted and entertained.