Aston Uni Music Society - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Are you a student or a member of staff at Aston University, Birmingham?
Do you play an musical instrument or do you like to sing?
If the answer to these questions is yes, then have you considered joining the Aston Uni Music Society!
This friendly university society comprises of both an orchestra and a choir, as well as providing playing facilities for the pianists of Aston University.
Rehearsals are weekly on Tuesdays for orchestra and Thursdays for choir in room 708a. Following which, it is common to find our musicians spending some social time in Einstein's, one of the student guild bars.
The music we play is chosen by the committee, who really like to hear ideas from the players. In the past year there has been music of many sorts: film music, classical overtures, well known songs and much more. So if you fancy joining and there is something you would really like to play then please email us at [email protected] with your suggestions. We try to have a number of concerts each year, from the Christmas Carol service (tied in with the Chaplaincy) to the Spring concert. This allows other university students with an opportunity to see what we do and to enjoy something a little different.
In the 2005-2006 academic year we expanded the society adding a Band and String Ensemble to our line-up of Orchestra and Choir. This year depending on who joins, we are looking at perhaps some more groups like Clarinet / Saxophone & Flute Quartets or a Brass Ensemble. Furthermore we are also looking for a full time conductor, so if you have any experience come and see us.
Throughout the year, the music society enjoy a variety of social events, from the Christmas dinner and Curry-oke to Bowling and Comedy club nights. The society is always open to suggestions for social trips or events. Being part of a society creates wonderful opportunities for you to meet other students in different age groups and courses and make some great new friends.
So if this has appealed to you, then have a look at the rest of this site and hopefully we will see you at a rehearsal soon.
The 2007-2008 Aston University Music Society Committee are:
Chair: Gemma Nicholls
Instrument/s: ....
About:.......
Vice Chairman: .....
Instrument/s: .....
About:......
Treasurer: Andrew East
Instrument/s: ......
About: .......
Secretary: Matt Heron
Instrument/s: ......
About: .......
Operations and Pianos + Choir Mistress: Cheryl Pitt
Instruments: ......
About: ......
Website: Genevieve Salter
Instrument/s: ........
About: ......
Publicity: Emma Harrison
Instrument/s: Clarinet grade:?
About:.......
Social: ......
Instrument/s: ........
About:.......

My Interests

Aston has a long history of involvement with the arts. Student Guild societies, such as the Jazz Club, eventually grew into a fully fledged provision for art and culture in The Triangle Arts Centre. When this closed in the early 1990s however, there was no provision for the arts on campus. But, following a full-scale production of Joseph several years ago, the arts at Aston are undergoing a renaissance.

The Centre for the Arts was established in the early 1970s to encourage students and staff to participate in the arts on campus and in Birmingham in general. It was housed in an already famous building in Gosta Green where some of the very first TV transmissions had been broadcast in the 1940s. The studio was taken over by the University after the BBC moved to the regional broadcasting centre at Pebble Mill. However, at the time Aston took it over, it was still used for making programmes for Radio Birmingham.

The old television studio made an ideal base for the arts groups already active on the campus. The theatre group was particularly popular, but music and visual arts attracted many members too. Membership of the centre cost 25p per year, which entitled students, staff and the general public to reductions on tickets and the chance to participate in events and training courses. Both amateur and professional theatre events were staged in the theatre with full technical back up from lighting and sound crews.

Throughout the 1970s, the Centre went from strength to strength staging practical art and theatre classes and even hosting a regular craft market. By the late 1980s, the Triangle Cinema was well known throughout the Midlands as a venue for art-house and low budget British and European films, many of which would not have had a general release in more mainstream cinemas. The Centre for the Arts closed in the early 1990s when the City Council withdrew funding, and the building became Waterstone's booksellers.

Now, the univeristy has bought back the property, and are currently converting it into a conference centre.

As the university was unable to fund the centre on its own it bought the pianos and gave them to a new 'Aston University Musical Society'. Ever since then the university has supported the society in the upkeep of the pianos and the society is the only official 'university society' to this day.

I'd like to meet:

NEW MEMBERS
The music society is open to anybody who enjoys singing or plays an instrument, regardless of grade. Membership is only Â£5 a year which includes a 'musicsoc' card allowing you to use any piano in the university.

The music society maintains all five of the pianos in the Main Building, so if you want to practice the piano you need to be a member of the society. Once you have a membership card take it to the security office and they will give you a key to one of the rooms that contains a piano. Please note that if the room is already in use or there is an exam going on nearby security will not issue a key for that room.

The Piano Officer takes care of the pianos for the society including ensuring the pianos are kept in tune. If you have any comments about any of the pianos or are having problem accessing them at any time please let us know.

Music:

We play all sorts, from Movie music to Musicals and Classical anthems. If you have a suggestion for what we should play, MESSAGE US!