Music Mayhem
A weekend of music, art dance and poetry to raise money for the Faringdon Cycle Park.
Please see pictures and report below
Please see pictures and report below
Something unique happened in Faringdon during the weekend of 11th and 12th May. Local people combined their talents to produce Mayhem! This grand fundraising event at the Corn Exchange drew in people of all ages from local communities. The weekend brimmed over with creativity and fun and BBC Radio Oxford featured Faringdon as the happiest place in Oxfordshire. Everyone enjoyed themselves - the audience, the participants, the helpers and those who were simply drawn in by the music or the smell of the delicious homemade food.
There was something for everyone – Music, Art, Dance, Comedy, Poetry, Science, Tree Planting and Refreshments. Original works of art, music and poetry were created for the event and local scientists combined their brain power to produce electricity generating bikes to power the evening disco.
Many thanks to the 30 different acts, 266 performers and 1400 people who visited the Mayhem. And thanks to the local businesses who contributed generously to the prizes. The youngest performer was 1.5 and the oldest 103.
The weekend was blasted open with a ‘Fanfare for Faringdon’, specially composed by Amy Thakurdas, for the occasion for Alphorn, French Horn and Trombone. The Farcycles, local cycling group, rode away as the final cadences faded. The Kitchen Symphony Orchestra of under 5s banging pans and ringing bike bells, tuned up whilst Paul Gray, former National Trust Head Gardener talked about tree planting at the cycle park. The music and dance continued throughout the day whilst visitors also enjoyed the arts and crafts display, generated electricity on the bikes, or sponsored a tree for family or loved ones to be planted in November.
There were debut performances from Highworth Silver Training Band, Shrivenham Ladies Choir, From the Top (woodwind ensemble). Dance groups included young dancers from Karen Brind School and Stagecoach, as well as open sessions teaching sessions for Bollywood, Street, Commercial, Tai Chi, and an evening disco with Citizen Cane. Two family groups came together especially for the weekend - Charlie and Copestakes and the Thakurdas Sisters, We held our breathe as the soloists, Tom Graff (piano) and Katherine Payne (age 11, piano and violin), delighted us with their playing and made the new piano in the Corn Exchange sing.
We were taught how to use our breathe during the singing workshop and then held it again whilst the Cotswold Voices gave another life affirming performance.
The two ukulele groups (ages 3-83) brought ‘Joy’ to the whole hall and out into the street outside. They have inspired others to set up a new Faringdon Ukulele band…. so watch this space. We thoroughly enjoyed the folk group and their delicate, virtuosic playing, after which we were spellbound by a talk on the History and Impact of the Bicycle by an international expert Tony Hadland.
The wacky comedy skit ‘Pigeon Poo’ featured two grumpy blokes, a giant pink pigeon, a fan and a nuclear physicist and an electricity generating bike….whatever next! A Champagne Tea party of course, set in 1934, featuring the Halfpenny Bridge singers, The Cherry Tree Players, Max the Vicar, and glimpses of Lord Berner’s himself.
The Music Mayhem weekend raised £4500 for the Faringdon Cycle Park. It unleashed an outpouring of creativity, good will and community spirit in Faringdon, and has associated cycling with fun and freedom.
There was something for everyone – Music, Art, Dance, Comedy, Poetry, Science, Tree Planting and Refreshments. Original works of art, music and poetry were created for the event and local scientists combined their brain power to produce electricity generating bikes to power the evening disco.
Many thanks to the 30 different acts, 266 performers and 1400 people who visited the Mayhem. And thanks to the local businesses who contributed generously to the prizes. The youngest performer was 1.5 and the oldest 103.
The weekend was blasted open with a ‘Fanfare for Faringdon’, specially composed by Amy Thakurdas, for the occasion for Alphorn, French Horn and Trombone. The Farcycles, local cycling group, rode away as the final cadences faded. The Kitchen Symphony Orchestra of under 5s banging pans and ringing bike bells, tuned up whilst Paul Gray, former National Trust Head Gardener talked about tree planting at the cycle park. The music and dance continued throughout the day whilst visitors also enjoyed the arts and crafts display, generated electricity on the bikes, or sponsored a tree for family or loved ones to be planted in November.
There were debut performances from Highworth Silver Training Band, Shrivenham Ladies Choir, From the Top (woodwind ensemble). Dance groups included young dancers from Karen Brind School and Stagecoach, as well as open sessions teaching sessions for Bollywood, Street, Commercial, Tai Chi, and an evening disco with Citizen Cane. Two family groups came together especially for the weekend - Charlie and Copestakes and the Thakurdas Sisters, We held our breathe as the soloists, Tom Graff (piano) and Katherine Payne (age 11, piano and violin), delighted us with their playing and made the new piano in the Corn Exchange sing.
We were taught how to use our breathe during the singing workshop and then held it again whilst the Cotswold Voices gave another life affirming performance.
The two ukulele groups (ages 3-83) brought ‘Joy’ to the whole hall and out into the street outside. They have inspired others to set up a new Faringdon Ukulele band…. so watch this space. We thoroughly enjoyed the folk group and their delicate, virtuosic playing, after which we were spellbound by a talk on the History and Impact of the Bicycle by an international expert Tony Hadland.
The wacky comedy skit ‘Pigeon Poo’ featured two grumpy blokes, a giant pink pigeon, a fan and a nuclear physicist and an electricity generating bike….whatever next! A Champagne Tea party of course, set in 1934, featuring the Halfpenny Bridge singers, The Cherry Tree Players, Max the Vicar, and glimpses of Lord Berner’s himself.
The Music Mayhem weekend raised £4500 for the Faringdon Cycle Park. It unleashed an outpouring of creativity, good will and community spirit in Faringdon, and has associated cycling with fun and freedom.
