Arts in Education

The auditions for the next academic year (2009 / 2010) have now taken place and places in Arts in Education music performance groups have been filled.

If you play an endangered instrument - Viola, Double Bass, Tuba, Trombone, Euphonium or French Horn and are interested in joining an Arts in Education performance group please contact Andy Wales at Arts in Education andy.wales@leics.gov.uk

The auditions for 2010 / 2011 will be held on Tuesday 6th, Wednesday 7th, Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th July 2010. Please contact Arts in Education (artsined@leics.gov.uk) if you would like to be sent an audition pack, (Packs will be sent out to any current members of Arts in Education music performance groups and to all students who are taught through Arts in Education.) Audition packs are usually sent out over the Spring Half Term Break

The following is the information from the 2009 / 2010 audition leaflet and should answer most questions regarding Arts in Education and the audition process.  

How do I join?   

Arts in Education is the Arts Service of the Leicestershire and Leicester City Education Authorities. As well as tuition, performance and curriculum work in music, dance and drama, we provide performance opportunities in orchestras, bands and ensembles for young people aged from 8 - 19 years.

Currently, there are nine Saturday orchestras and bands as follows

We also offer the following additional music ensembles:

Senior Percussion Ensemble - Open to members of senior bands/orchestras by invitation only.

We also offer some Saturday morning groups that do not require an audition.  These include the well established Junior and Senior Steel Pan Ensembles and entry to Steel Pans Ensembles is by the recommendation or invitation of your teacher and will relate to your age and experience.

An exciting new Wider Opportunities Junior Band is starting in September 2009 on Saturdays for young players.  Students in school years 5 or 6 will need at least one year’s instrumental teaching to join this new band or be of Grade 1 standard.   

In addition we hope to be able to offer Intermediate & Junior Percussion Ensembles, Junior Brass Ensemble, Junior Clarinet and/or Woodwind Ensembles, Junior Flute Ensemble.   These groups will meet on weekday evenings. Entry is by the recommendation or invitation of your teacher and will relate to your age and experience.  

Trombone, Tuba, Euphonium, Viola, French Horn and Double Bass are vital instruments in our groups and players of all these ‘endangered species’ instruments are in short supply.  Arts in Education will offer FREE Trombone, Tuba, Euphonium, Viola, French Horn and Double Bass places for the academic year 2009/2010 for NEW Saturday orchestra or band members. This is an extension of the scheme trialled since 2006 to encourage and support young players of these instruments.  A charge of 50% of the standard membership rate will start in the Spring term of the year following the free year.  

Please note that all existing students playing Trombone, Tuba, Euphonium, Viola, French Horn or Double Bass in a Saturday Orchestra or Band will receive a 50% discount for the full academic year 2009/2010.

For players playing a more popular instrument in one of our ensembles who convert to one of the instruments mentioned above, the rate will be 50% of standard membership starting in the term of conversion.

By FREE audition.   Auditions are held at the end of the summer term for the following academic year. Auditions for 2009/2010 will take place on Tuesday 30^th June, Wednesday 1^st, Monday 6^th and Tuesday 7^th July 2009 from 9.00am – 9.00pm. If students are away on these days Arts in Education may be able to arrange an alternative date in exceptional circumstances.  Students audition in front of a panel of at least two members of staff. The audition is unaccompanied and will last approximately ten minutes. The student will be asked to play two, preferably contrasting pieces or studies they know well and have rehearsed thoroughly. All players should be prepared to play scales as appropriate. They will also be asked to perform sight-reading according to age and ability.

As there are a fixed number of places in some groups, competition can be intense, especially for popular instruments. Applications for audition can be made through Arts in Education’s instrumental teachers, by writing to Arts in Education and enclosing an A5 sized stamped addressed envelope for an Audition Request Card, or by visiting www.leics.gov.uk/artsined to download an audition form. The completed audition form must be returned / emailed to Arts in Education by Friday 15^th May 2009.

Results will be sent out by Friday 24th July 2009. Replies to invitations to join an ensemble should be returned to Knighton Fields Centre by Monday 10th August 2009. Late returns will be accepted by families who are unable to meet this deadline because they are away at this time, but they must inform us in advance.

Rehearsals take place at Knighton Fields Centre - the home of Arts in Education - in Leicester and in schools, colleges and centres nearby.

Buses are currently available for all the Saturday morning orchestras and bands for pupils in Leicestershire County and Leicester City Areas for which there is an additional termly charge. You will get detailed information when you join. There is no transport available for evening groups.

The fees for 2009/2010 are £64.50 per term for each Saturday morning orchestra or band. The cost to pupils who do not receive instrumental tuition through Arts in Education is £77.00 per term.  The charge for students using the Saturday morning bus transport is £26.00 per term. The fees for other music ensembles are £37.00 per term.

Currently full fee remission is available for pupils whose families are in receipt of

All Arts in Education conductors and teachers are highly experienced musicians. We sometimes use other professionals from national orchestras and ensembles to help out as well. Staff are also on hand to give pastoral support.

Once you have joined one of our ensembles we expect you to turn up regularly and on time for rehearsals and to attend any other courses or weekend sessions which are arranged for you. You will be notified about these in good time. We obviously expect you to be available for all performances.

Arts in Education offers some of the most outstanding performance opportunities in the UK. Players get a chance to perform in venues in Leicestershire including the De Montfort Hall. Some orchestras and bands have touring and/or residential opportunities – to Italy and France, for example – and courses and masterclasses supported by professional musicians.

Playing in an ensemble is the ultimate musical goal of most instrumentalists. Not only does it give enormous satisfaction but also provides the inspiration to achieve even greater instrumental skill. It is also a wonderful chance to make new friends.

We are of course delighted to have pupils who wish to make music their profession whether as a performer, teacher or in a related arts area. Playing in an Arts in Education music ensemble will be an excellent preparation for further study at a higher level and our specialist teaching staff will be able to give you a good idea of the opportunities available to you and the standard required for entry for F.E. course.

Yes. We can give advice on instruments for beginners and to pupils who, as they progress, want to buy better instruments. We are able to provide more unusual instruments, contra bassoon for example, on loan to pupils who have to play those instruments for a performance.

We also run a VAT FREE Scheme which enables our pupils to buy instruments free of VAT.  For each instrument purchased we currently charge a £13.50 administrative fee.

Arts in Education also offers music theory lessons as well as performance opportunities in choirs, in dance (ballet, contemporary, and South Asian dance), and in Youth Theatre.

We hope that the above has answered some of your questions. For further information, please ask your instrumental teacher or contact us.

Arts in Education,

Knighton Fields Centre,

Herrick Road,

Leicester,

LE2 6DH.

Tel: 0116 270 0850

Fax: 0116 270 4928

E-mail: artsined@leics.gov.uk