Town schoolchildren to have major Music Festival role

The July festival will build on the success of last year's innovatory series of De La Warr Pavilion-based events and includes concerts by Julian Lloyd-Webber and the BBC Big Band.

Through the active participation of Bexhill Schools Consortium, local pupils will not only be staging their own concerts and entertainments but will be given a unique opportunity to take part in an opera workshop with four professional singers from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

For them, Monday, July 7 will climax with a performance of Carmen featuring the primary school youngsters as chorus with the professionals singing the lead roles.

For former professional singer and ex-Chamber of Commerce president Tony Mansi, whose idea for a Bexhill Festival was taken up by the De La Warr Pavilion Trust, plans for this year's festival are a dream come true.

Festival committee chairman Tony said this week: "Last year was absolutely amazing. Nobody thought that the festival would take off the way it did.

"Bexhill Schools Consortium did the fund-raising concert for us last year.

"This year they have again been working really hard. They will be there every day doing entertainment around the building '“ on the terrace, in the restaurant.

"East Sussex Music Service will be presenting a Prelude To A Festival concert on Thursday, July 3 ahead of the opening concert on July 4 by Julian Lloyd-Webber.

"Bexhill Schools Consortium will be doing a Bexhill Youth Music Showcase show on Friday, July 11.

"The schools are absolutely amazing. It is not only the children, who of course are the major part, it is the staff as well. Most of this stuff is done as extra curricula work and the staff are giving a lot of their time."

The festival is again being organised by a committee involving the schools and the pavilion trust.

Tony Mansi said: "We are organising a Carmen Workshop for 60 local primary school children, chosen by the consortium.

"The children will be from Years 5 and 6 and it is going to be a day workshop with four artists coming from the Royal Opera House .

"The children will register at nine. They will learn about the opera.

"They will split into four groups under the artists.

"One group of boys will be soldiers; one group will be toreadors and matadors.

"The girls will be cigarette girls.

"They will do singing and dancing and will form the chorus for a performance of Carmen with the artists from the Royal Opera House playing the parts.

"It will not be open to the public but will be for parents."

The festival will run from July 3 to July 13 under the slogan "Live and local."

The festival brochure went to the printers this week and is expected to be available from the pavilion box office today and from the library and the Community Help Point.

The festival programme will be:

Thursday, July 3: Prelude To A Festival (auditorium)

Friday, July 4: Julian Lloyd-Webber (auditorium)

Saturday, July 5: Lovely Ritas (around the building)

Earthdance (bandstand)

The Puppini Sisters (auditorium)

Sunday, July 6: Music In The Morning (auditorium)

Bexhill Harmony (around the building)

Rhythmix Young Bands (bandstand)

Carnival Of The Animals (auditorium)

Monday, July 7 '“ Friday, July 12: Music from Bexhill Young Musicians (around the building)

Friday, July 11: Bexhill Youth Music Showcase (auditorium)

Saturday, July 12: Hooe Village Band (bandstand)

BBC Big Band (auditorium)

Sunday, July 13: Summer Sunday Sing (auditorium)

The London Adventist Chorale (auditorium)