Striking Together
Striking Together is one of the outstanding projects granted the prestigous London 2012 Inspire Mark, the badge of the London 2012 Inspire programme which recognises exceptional and innovative projects inspired by the 2012 Games.
The Inspire programme is an opportunity for everyone to be a part of the London 2012 Games: a broad participation programme spanning sport participation, education, sustainability, volunteering and business opportunities and skills.
The Striking Together Philosophy
In September 2007 an exciting new workshop and performance event for young percussionists was born in Cambridgeshire. The original format was to encourage young percussionists of all skill levels to combine for a weekend to work on separate and joint repertoire as a showcase of all percussion with a particular focus on the often neglected Orchestral Percussion family. Area and school percussion ensembles were invited to take part and worked alongside Cambridgeshire Music Percussion Teachers and the professional duo “Maraca2".
The main focus was the “Striking Together” piece - a sectional work written to the strengths of the differing ability levels by Mark Aldous of Cambridgeshire Music.
While preparing the whole event the intention was always to achieve differentiation, ensuring that all students had another level to aspire to, hence the inclusion of the visiting professional duo.
The success of the event can be measured by the positive feedback received after the event. Most importantly, participants, parents and invited guests still talk about the weekend. The continuing development of the Cambridgshire Music percussion ensembles can be in part attributed to the Striking Together weekend.
Striking Together Again
To continue the excellent work started in September 2007 it was agreed that a follow-up event would take place in October 2009. Striking Together Again took as its model the 2007 event. No new elements were introduced but the Striking Together piece was re-written to encompass the changing nature of the various ensembles. Guest percussionists were the duo Duplicity.
To see pictures of this concert at West Road Concert Hall in Cambridge please have a look at the Striking Together feature photographs In Pictures.
Striking Together for Bronze
Striking Together is now going for Bronze with a third event planned for July 2010 culminating in what we know will be an exciting concert at The Corn Exchange in Cambridge on 4th July.
We want to raise the profile of the skills and dynamism of percussion playing amongst a wider group of young people, children and community musicians. Just as athletes will be preparing for 2012 our musicians will be encouraged to strive for excellence, to train hard to achieve their own personal best. Participants will be encouraged to develop new percussion skills and will be exposed to styles and instruments that they may not otherwise have the opportunity to access.