Cory Academy
The Cory Academy is the youth outreach arm of current World Number One brass band, the Cory Band.
The project was developed by the Cory Band in consultation with Craig and arts management consultant Judi Hughes between 2014 and 2016.
The initiative was supported by a grant from the Arts Council of Wales and additional support from D1 Design & Creative, Garfield Weston Foundation, Jane Hodge Foundation, Michael Tippett Musical Foundation, Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust.
The Academy project was aimed at giving bands brass bands across Rhondda Cynon Taf and surrounding regions expert tuition and increased support in developing a network of junior brass bands to ensure the future of the genre in the locality.
Background:
While Cory enjoys an envious position as the world's number one ranked band, a position it has enjoyed for more than ten consecutive years, the band recognise the issues facing all brass bands in the twenty-first century - the need to be relevant and forward thinking, to engage with new and wider audiences, and to recruit into the the brass band movement additional new players, both young and old alike.
Cory aimed to tackle these issues both locally, in its home county of Rhondda Cynon Taf, and wider, through the Cory Academy, encouraging greater engagement with youth, increased participation in brass band music making, and greater collaboration between brass players and bands across the whole of Wales.
Launch:
The Cory Academy launched on 21 March 2013 at Ty Cory, with the RCT Academy for bands across Cory's home county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf. Within three months Academy membership stood in excess of 100 children, in membership of 7 participating bands across the county borough.
On Saturday 8 June those children came together for the first time in a non-residential weekend course with expert Cory tutors at Porth County Community School, following which they then undertook their first public performance, appearing in concert with the world's number one band in concert at the Park & Dare Theatre, Treorchy. Just one week later, the Cory Academy band then returned to Porth County to join together with the 80 piece Jugendsinfonieorchester Ravensburg of Germany and 90 piece Porth County Community School Choir.
Increased Cory Academy activity was seen throughout the remainder of 2013 and continued forward into 2014. To date, more than 160 young musicians in membership of 10 bands have participated in the scheme. A second stage of the Academy was developed through 2015 / 16 which saw development into additional surrounding areas and workshops in different parts of Wales. The project proved to be a highly successful youth engagement initiative for brass bands in South Wales
The project was developed by the Cory Band in consultation with Craig and arts management consultant Judi Hughes between 2014 and 2016.
The initiative was supported by a grant from the Arts Council of Wales and additional support from D1 Design & Creative, Garfield Weston Foundation, Jane Hodge Foundation, Michael Tippett Musical Foundation, Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust.
The Academy project was aimed at giving bands brass bands across Rhondda Cynon Taf and surrounding regions expert tuition and increased support in developing a network of junior brass bands to ensure the future of the genre in the locality.
Background:
While Cory enjoys an envious position as the world's number one ranked band, a position it has enjoyed for more than ten consecutive years, the band recognise the issues facing all brass bands in the twenty-first century - the need to be relevant and forward thinking, to engage with new and wider audiences, and to recruit into the the brass band movement additional new players, both young and old alike.
Cory aimed to tackle these issues both locally, in its home county of Rhondda Cynon Taf, and wider, through the Cory Academy, encouraging greater engagement with youth, increased participation in brass band music making, and greater collaboration between brass players and bands across the whole of Wales.
Launch:
The Cory Academy launched on 21 March 2013 at Ty Cory, with the RCT Academy for bands across Cory's home county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf. Within three months Academy membership stood in excess of 100 children, in membership of 7 participating bands across the county borough.
On Saturday 8 June those children came together for the first time in a non-residential weekend course with expert Cory tutors at Porth County Community School, following which they then undertook their first public performance, appearing in concert with the world's number one band in concert at the Park & Dare Theatre, Treorchy. Just one week later, the Cory Academy band then returned to Porth County to join together with the 80 piece Jugendsinfonieorchester Ravensburg of Germany and 90 piece Porth County Community School Choir.
Increased Cory Academy activity was seen throughout the remainder of 2013 and continued forward into 2014. To date, more than 160 young musicians in membership of 10 bands have participated in the scheme. A second stage of the Academy was developed through 2015 / 16 which saw development into additional surrounding areas and workshops in different parts of Wales. The project proved to be a highly successful youth engagement initiative for brass bands in South Wales