Be inspired. Be empowered. Be creative!
Enjoy the October half-term with an inspirational 3-day FREE creative music opportunity for all improvisers and composers aged 11-18 who are keen to collectively create a 15 minute piece of new music, working with a group of equally creative young musicians.
NYJC is thrilled to be working with ZerOclassikal and Pedestrian for our first ever Leicester based indojazz creative music project!
Set on Leicester’s river Soar, this project’s young musicians will collectively set the legendary story of Heer and Ranjha by exploring the two worlds they inhabited. Young musicians will work together for 3 days in October’s half-term to create a piece of music and perform it at Beaumanor Hall on Saturday 16 November.
If you’re aged 11 – 18 and play any instrument or sing in any genre, this is your opportunity to go down in history and join this fabulous creative ensemble. Whether you’re a singer or instrumentalist, your own interests, styles and experience will inform the brand-new music!
You don’t need any experience composing or writing music – just enthusiasm and some new ideas!
This is no traditional ensemble. Join us this half term to make memories and friendships that will last a lifetime!
To sign-up, please complete the enrolment form by 9am on Wednesday 16th October
Workshop Dates
Monday 21st, Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd October, 10am – 4pm
Location: Quad Studios, 78 Friday St, Leicester LE1 3BW
Concert Date
Saturday 16th November, 2pm–5pm (with a 9:30am-1pm rehearsal and soundcheck)
Location: Beaumanor Hall, Beaumanor Dr, Woodhouse, Loughborough LE12 8TX
About Pedestrian’s Tell Tall Tales Project
Leicester is home to a number of diverse communities hailing from different cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds. Many of the folktales synonymous with Leicester started to develop at a time before the city was the cultural melting pot it is today. However, these cultural groups have brought many of their own folklore tales to Leicester and many will have been adapted to the context of this city.
Pedestrian have interpreted stories from different cultural backgrounds into a Leicester-focused context.
In NYJC and ZerOclassikal’s 3-day workshop, young musicians will set the story of Heer Ranjha.
The Story: Heer Ranjha
The story, which originated in the Punjab region of India, follows the tragic romance between Heer, a beautiful and wealthy woman, and Ranjha, a poor shepherd. Despite facing numerous obstacles, the couple’s love for each other endures, leading to a bittersweet ending that has become a symbol of true love in Punjabi culture.
Heer is a beautiful and intelligent woman, who is engaged to marry another man against her will. Ranjha is a poor and wandering shepherd who falls in love with Heer at first sight.
Though their love is true, societal and familial opposition means they cannot pursue their love and Heer marries another man, while Ranjha becomes an ascetic. Both tragically die of a broken heart.
Heer and Ranjha’s early romantic encounters are often depicted as taking place on the banks of the Chenab River, which flows through Pakistan and India. A Leicester adaptation could see the ill-fated lovers sitting beside the River Soar, before their tragic tale unfolds.
Who’s Leading the Workshop?
Our team of inspirational and expert creative artists led by Issie Barratt Artistic Director of NYJC, and Jonathan Mayer Artistic Director of ZerOclassikal ,will guide you through the creative process and help shape your ideas into music.
Issie Barratt
NYJC’s Artistic Director (Multi award-winning international composer, saxophonist, conductor, producer and educator) Issie Barratt, supported by 10 members of NYJC’s faculty of international artists. Cited as one of the 40 most influential women in the music industry (by BBC R4’s Women in Music Power list 2018), Issie is known internationally for her eclectic approach to creative music making, both through her catalogue of compositions and record label Fuzzy Moon Records. She’s also recognised for her commitment to supporting and championing the creativity of young musicians (from beginner to rising-star and young professionals): Establishing the Jazz Faculty at Trinity Laban in 1999 and National Youth Jazz Collective in 2007; leading the jazz strand on Sound and Music’s week long summer school since 2008 and working with composition and improvisation students at most of the UK’s conservatoires. Many of her students have gone on to win grammys, JazzFM and All Parliamentary Jazz Awards, Paul Hamlyn and Ivors composition awards and be mercury nominated.
Jonathan Mayer
Jonathan Mayer, son of the late Kolkata composer John Mayer, is a renowned sitarist & composer, who is also the Artistic Director of zerOclassikal. He has composed extensively for many genres including jazz, Indian, dance & symphonic writing and has performed all over the world, including two very successful tours in India. Jonathan began his musical training at just 5 years old, learning violin from his grandfather Albert Hepton, piano from James Methuen-Campbell and composition from his father, and later mastered the sitar. His ability to read Western notation has allowed him to perform in a variety of genres – playing with the likes of Orlando Consort, The London Philharmonic Orchestra and BBC Concert Orchestra, among other notable names.
