In Spring 2007 we celebrated the global and the local with music from Hungary, the USA, Italy, France, South Africa, Yugoslavia, Estonia and Tunisia as well as a wealth of talent from the UK
Fivearts Cities is a project set up by Arts Council England and Five (TV). Its aim is to spotlight the arts in the great cities of England and 2006 is the turn of Oxford. It started in June 2006 with Five's remarkable TV series based in Blackbird Leys, The Singing Estate. In 2007 OCM helped to organise and coordinate a huge range of projects across the city to encourage and enable people to get involved in music. There was a new guide to Oxford's vibrant music scene, and a series of debates, talks, workshops and courses. Information on the events is available on this website and at the Fivearts Cities website. OCM's own education and outreach programme took artists featured in the series to community groups and schools across Oxfordshire.
Like Oxford, the OCM spring season was full of sacred sounds and spaces. Through a brand new collaboration, Tunisian vocalist and composer Dhafer Youssef and Estonian choir Vox Clamantis embarked on an exploration of diverse spiritual vocal traditions. We were delighted also to collaborate with Dorchester Abbey as Artmusic subtly subvert the atmosphere of the building with their evocative sound sculpture, Thin Air. Another of the elements provided a spectacular backdrop to an OCM mini-festival, in a band-stand in Broad Street, during the three magical fiery nights of Luminox. Once again, OCM celebrated the global and the local with music from Hungary, the USA, Italy, France, South Africa, Yugoslavia, Estonia and Tunisia as well as a wealth of talent from the UK.
Jo Ross, Director
