Showing posts with label Olympics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Olympics. Show all posts
Wednesday, 25 July 2012
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
Calling all composers!
Kent Arts are looking to commission an exciting musician/composer to create a 20 minute work celebrating Maidstone's part in the Cultural Olympiad next year.
With £5000 up for grabs, you don't want to miss out on this opportunity!
Maidstone is one of only two locations in Kent that will see the Olympic torch passing through it and the musical piece will premiere at the Olympic Torch event on 19th July at Leeds Castle.
'Maidstone' should be the theme and whilst the Olympics Games themselves need not influence this, the Olympic priorities should. The Arts development team are keen that the piece should be as eclectic as possible to appeal to as large an audience as possible.
Interested applicants should submit a CV, a recent piece of work both on CD/MP3 and scored and a short description of the kind of work they would like to produce for this project. Please bear in mind that this work should be accessible for a large number of performers.
The team will be shortlisting and interviewing in December 2011 and a final decision on the successful applicant will be made in January 2012.
For an informal discussion please call Mandy Hare on 01622 602178. For a full brief on this project please contact – mandyhare@maidstone.gov.uk
Monday, 25 August 2008
Olympics 2008
So it’s all over! The golden nosed plane touched down to a reception committee comprising mainly press and Heathrow staff and the rest of us have to wait till October for the open topped bus. The 'Roll of Honour' was four times longer than I expected it to be, then again, I was optimistic regarding the so-called minority sports I've been following, who once again brought us home the bulk of the medals. What’s the betting there’ll still be an overpaid, underachieving footballer on the Sports Personality of the Year list, even though, let’s be honest, how can you even contemplate putting anyone on the list who hasn‘t achieved at least world champion status this year, considering the Olympic Champions who have? (see World of Sport, below left).
On to London and an earnest plea to the organisers - reasonably priced tickets, is it too much to ask? And let us, the public, have the majority of them so we don’t end up with half empty stadiums, whilst the sponsors’ guests stagger around their hospitality tents. And ensure the funding is in place and targeting the right areas ie. the grass roots, facilities, medical back up and the coaches and performances directors whose policies, combined with the talent and dedication of the athletes brought about these results - other countries are already trying to poach cycling’s Dave Brailsford. I found a very interesting quote from him:
"You look in other sports and the more money involved the less loyalty there seems to be.”
Which isn’t to say he doesn’t need to earn a living - but he’s spot on there, when you look at our national game (which I’m guessing could well be cycling by 2012, especially with the ongoing environmental issues and petrol prices!)
As ever, when it comes to track and field athletes who medalled, I’m always left with a sense of: Have they achieved because of the system in place, or in spite of it? Is it just the occasional talented individual’s own big heart and commitment that produces the desired result? I think the athletics chiefs have to look closely at the set up of the cycling team and see how they can adapt the policies to their own sport. Kelly Holmes actually said that maybe they should bring the throwers together, the jumpers together and so on. It might help the relay teams too …
I only recently found out that the Performance Director for Team GB is Sir Clive Woodward, read this excellent interview here and pray that the FA see sense after 2012.
I seem to have had a bit of a rant when all I really wanted to say was: Congratulations, fantastic job Team GB! Good luck to all of you up to and beyond 2012.
On to London and an earnest plea to the organisers - reasonably priced tickets, is it too much to ask? And let us, the public, have the majority of them so we don’t end up with half empty stadiums, whilst the sponsors’ guests stagger around their hospitality tents. And ensure the funding is in place and targeting the right areas ie. the grass roots, facilities, medical back up and the coaches and performances directors whose policies, combined with the talent and dedication of the athletes brought about these results - other countries are already trying to poach cycling’s Dave Brailsford. I found a very interesting quote from him:
"You look in other sports and the more money involved the less loyalty there seems to be.”
Which isn’t to say he doesn’t need to earn a living - but he’s spot on there, when you look at our national game (which I’m guessing could well be cycling by 2012, especially with the ongoing environmental issues and petrol prices!)
As ever, when it comes to track and field athletes who medalled, I’m always left with a sense of: Have they achieved because of the system in place, or in spite of it? Is it just the occasional talented individual’s own big heart and commitment that produces the desired result? I think the athletics chiefs have to look closely at the set up of the cycling team and see how they can adapt the policies to their own sport. Kelly Holmes actually said that maybe they should bring the throwers together, the jumpers together and so on. It might help the relay teams too …
I only recently found out that the Performance Director for Team GB is Sir Clive Woodward, read this excellent interview here and pray that the FA see sense after 2012.
I seem to have had a bit of a rant when all I really wanted to say was: Congratulations, fantastic job Team GB! Good luck to all of you up to and beyond 2012.
Sunday, 17 August 2008
Playing catch up...
I've just come back from my hols, which is why I've been neglecting you! (Apart from the solitary trip to a local library last week, I've been spending Quality Family Time with hubby and the kids). And we're in the middle of the Olympics, trying to keep up with Team GB this weekend. How fantastic has it been! I've given our medal winners a permanent home over there on the left, but felt there were a few special mentions required:
Gemma Spofforth, 4th in her backstroke final but setting a new British and European Record; Mara Yamauchi, 6th in the Womens Marathon but only around 40 seconds away from Gold; Mens 4x100 freestyle relay team taking over five seconds off their British record, the mens 4x200 slicing over three seconds off theirs and the ladies 4x100 medley relay setting a new British and European record.
Mens 100 metre final: Watched Usain Bolt busting a gut to make it to the line first. Or not. He had it won at 60 metres, popped over the road for a cup of tea and a slice of cake, stopped by the press tent for a bit of banter, before arriving back at the line just in time to break the world record. Unbelievable. Never was an athlete more aptly named.
Gemma Spofforth, 4th in her backstroke final but setting a new British and European Record; Mara Yamauchi, 6th in the Womens Marathon but only around 40 seconds away from Gold; Mens 4x100 freestyle relay team taking over five seconds off their British record, the mens 4x200 slicing over three seconds off theirs and the ladies 4x100 medley relay setting a new British and European record.
Mens 100 metre final: Watched Usain Bolt busting a gut to make it to the line first. Or not. He had it won at 60 metres, popped over the road for a cup of tea and a slice of cake, stopped by the press tent for a bit of banter, before arriving back at the line just in time to break the world record. Unbelievable. Never was an athlete more aptly named.
Wednesday, 9 July 2008
Sportsnight
Archery World Championships: Nichola Simpson won the women's compound silver medal and earned a place at the World Cup Grand Final in Lausanne in September.
Canoeing: Tim Brabants won two silver medals in the 3rd World Cup event of the year in the 500m and 1000m K1 (kayak single), whilst in the K1 200m events Lucy Wainwright won bronze.
Not a lot to report this week, I'm guessing most participants are gearing up for the Olympics. Only 30 days to go; I hope they've all got their gas masks!
Canoeing: Tim Brabants won two silver medals in the 3rd World Cup event of the year in the 500m and 1000m K1 (kayak single), whilst in the K1 200m events Lucy Wainwright won bronze.
Not a lot to report this week, I'm guessing most participants are gearing up for the Olympics. Only 30 days to go; I hope they've all got their gas masks!
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