Spitalfields Music is a music charity based in the Spitalfields

Spitalfields

Spitalfields is a former parish in the borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London, near to Liverpool Street station and Brick Lane. The area straddles Commercial Street and is home to many markets, including the historic Old Spitalfields Market, founded in the 17th century, Sunday...

 area of the Tower Hamlets borough of London. In 2008 they changed their name from Spitalfields Festival to Spitalfields Music due to their ever growing learning and participation programmes in the community.

They hold two music festivals a year, a Summer Festival in June and a Winter Festival in December. The music played is primarily classical music

Classical music

Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...

, however in addition to this much of the music reflects the local ethnic groups such as the Jewish and Bengali

Bengali people

The Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...

 communities. They also have a year round learning and participation programme for the Tower Hamlets community.

Spitalfields Music's registered charity number is 1052043

History

• 1976 - Spitalfields Festival was created when a single event, organised by Save Britain's Heritage, was held at Christ Church in Spitalfields in the summer.
• 1977 - In the summer the first official festival occurred. It was run by Friends of Christ Church, which had been formed the previous year after the single event had been held.
• 1989 - The Festival Council was formed and more importantly so was the Education and Community Programme.
• 1996 - The decision was taken to expand the festival to incorporate a Winter Festival.
• 2003 - Christ Church was unavailable due to renovation works so the festival was spread around 13 venues.
• 2005 - Winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society Music Award
  Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards
  The Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards are given annually for live classical music-making in the United Kingdom. The awards were first held in 1989 and are independent of any commercial interest....
  
   for Education fom Spitalfields Festival commission of Jonathan Dove's
  Jonathan Dove
  Jonathan Dove is a British composer of opera, choral works, plays, films, and orchestral and chamber music. He has arranged a number of operas for English Touring Opera and the City of Birmingham Touring Opera , including in 1990 a famous 18-player two-evening adaptation of Wagner's Der Ring des...
  
   community cantata On Spital Fields.
• 2006 - Winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society Music Award for Concert Series or Festival.

Summer 2009

This festival took place between 7–19 June 2009. It featured a variety of music and events ranging from contemporary and early classical music to walks exploring the area and events designed for the whole family. Finn Peters opened the festival followed by Gwilym Simcock, Yuri Goulbev and James Maddren, and closed by Dan Stern and Robert Mitchell. Highlights included The Schubert Ensemble, Caius Consort, Tallis Scholars

Tallis Scholars

The Tallis Scholars are a British vocal ensemble normally consisting of two singers per part, with a core group of ten singers.Formed in 1973 by their director Peter Phillips, they specialise in performing a cappella sacred vocal music written during the Renaissance by composers from all over Europe...

, Walks around Spitalfields, Whitechapel

Whitechapel

Whitechapel is a built-up inner city district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, London, England. It is located east of Charing Cross and roughly bounded by the Bishopsgate thoroughfare on the west, Fashion Street on the north, Brady Street and Cavell Street on the east and The Highway on the...

 and other parts of the East End of London.

Winter Performances 2009

This festival or Winter Performances took place between 9–12 December. It was only 4 days long due to the financial crisis and to secure the longevity of the festival for future years. Highlights included Women sing East, Stile Antico

Stile Antico (early music vocal ensemble)

Stile Antico is a British vocal ensemble, specialising in the polyphonic music of the Renaissance and Early Baroque.Established in 2001, they won the Audience Prize at the 2005 Early Music Network Young Artists' Competition, and have since been described as "one of the brightest new stars in the...

 and Go Spitalfields! which was done in partnership with The Go Game

The Go Game

The Go Game is a competitive game put on by a San Francisco company of the same name. Players race through the game zone solving clues and performing tasks with the aid of a cell phone and digital camera in an effort to earn the most points. Though the Go Game comprises elements of a scavenger hunt...

.

Learning and Participation Programme

Since the founding of the education programme in 1989 the work that Spitalfields Music does with the community of Tower Hamlets and grown considerably. It was the first arts festival education programme and is now the most wide reaching and consistent programme of learning and participation run by a UK festival. In 2008 the programme involved 15,000 participants and comprised over 200 workshops and over 70 showings or performances. These took place in schools, hospitals, arts and community centres and in the streets of the borough. Around 70% of the community work undertaken by the organisation is within schools and other formal education fields. The remaining 30% is work in the broader community.

The programme works closely with a number of special education needs schools in the borough including Cherry Trees, Phoenix School and Aspirations (based in Tower Hamlets college) to bring music to those who wish to pursue it as a career.

Women sing East

Part of the Learning and Participation Programme is Spitalfields' very own all female choir, Women sing East. The choir is led by Jazz singer Laka D. The courses operate on a termly basis when they meet weekly. At the end of every term they hold a public performance including jazz, soul and popular songs.

Music Animateur Apprentice Scheme (MAAS)

The Music Animateur Apprentice Scheme was created by Spitalfields Music for musicians and composers who are keen to develop their skills in workshop leading through practical and theoretical experience. Each apprentice will operate alongside professional animateurs on projects throughout the year. The musicians are mentored by a team of experienced composers and animateurs who include Julian West, John Barber, Sam Glazer and Laka D.

Spitalfields Music also offers the MAAS's the opportunity to work towards and accreditation of a PG Certificate in Community Music from Roehampton University

Roehampton University

The University of Roehampton is a campus university in the United Kingdom, situated on three major sites in Roehampton, south-west London.-History:...

.

Funding

Spitalfields Music is a charity and relies on grants, sponsorships, in kind help and donations to help run the two annual festivals and the Learning and Participation Programme. They receive financial support from trusts, foundations, corporate giving, public funding and individual giving. They also earn a small percentage of their income from ticket sales from their two annual festivals.

Their registered charity number is 1052043.

External links

• www.spitalfieldsmusic.org.uk Official Website