About this Event
The So Many Beauties Collective weaves a rich tapestry of sounds, drawing on diverse cultural influences. It features some of the North West’s finest musicians who have come together during the pandemic to share music, celebrate each other’s heritage and develop new inter-cultural ideas. The ethos of the Collective is to work co-creatively with people in health and social care settings, providing opportunities for patients and staff to be actively involved in the creative process of making music.
In 2021, the Collective led a series of workshops hosted by LIME Arts and SoundUp Arts with additional funding from Arts Council England. The music they will showcase tonight has been created during these workshops, attended by a wonderfully creative cohort of frontline NHS staff and older people in the wider community.
This event forms part of the South Asian Heritage Month programme of events which you can find in full at https://www.southasianheritage.org.uk
It is delivered in partnership with Contact Theatre, LIME Arts, Milap, SoundUp Arts CIC, Greater Manchester BME Network and Manchester Camerata.
There are a limited number of tickets available to join this live performance in Manchester’s Contact Theatre by Zoom webinar. You can register for tickets here or if you have any issues join the zoom with this link
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81707670057?pwd=K1BlM3FGblB5RWhGT3ljdmdFbVB4dz09
Meeting ID: 817 0767 0057
Passcode: 491010
The event will also be live-streamed on the So Many Beauties Facebook page and will be available on YouTube after the event.
About So Many Beauties
So Many Beauties was established in 2017 with the aim of working co-creatively with people living with a diagnosis of dementia in hospitals and residential care settings. Led by composer Holly Marland, new music is created through group improvisation, giving everyone the opportunity to express themselves and to be heard. This new music is showcased publicly to celebrate people’s creativity and to challenge stigma around dementia diagnosis. So Many Beauties offers training and support to student and professional musicians for work in healthcare settings. They also work collaboratively with arts, health and social care organisations including Manchester Camerata, Milap, Royal Northern College of Music, LIME arts at Manchester Foundation Trust, University of Salford Institute for Dementia, Greater Manchester BME Network, African Caribbean Care Group and many others. In 2019, they delivered Manchester’s first dementia friendly music festival at the Bridgewater Hall, attended by over 450 people.
In January 2020, the project was awarded a third grant from Arts Council England to work with musicians from different ethnic backgrounds to develop a more culturally diverse musical offer for hospital and care communities. During the pandemic, it has not been possible to work face to face but the project has been adapted to offer creative workshops for frontline NHS staff and older people in the community who have been isolated at home.
Meet the artists
Holly Marland (West African Kora and singing)
A widely acclaimed multi-instrumentalist and composer, Holly is the Lead for So Many Beauties as well as leading LIME’s Adult Arts Programme. She is a qualified music therapist and music for health practitioner, passionate about sharing and creating music with people in health and social care settings. Holly has performed at many notable festivals including Womad and Edinburgh and her music has been featured on BBC Radio 3 and 4.
Gulcin Bulut (Turkish frame drum and singing)
Gulcin Bulut is a psychotherapist, singer, frame drum player and a creative producer. Gulcin is particularly skilled at engaging with and offering therapy and support services for different ethnic groups and has done a lot work with Turkish, South Asian and African communities. She is the Co-founder and Chairperson of North West Turkish Community Association. She has directed highly successful concerts of Persian, Turkish, Kurdish and Sufi music in Manchester including ‘Seven Cities of Love’, ‘Reflection of Silence’, ‘Eternal Fire’ and ‘The Way of Truth’.
Amina Hussain (Classical flute)
Amina Hussain is Principal Flute of the Manchester Camerata, and has been a freelance orchestral flute player with many major orchestras across the UK and abroad. She is a registered music therapist and has worked extensively in community and education, devising and participating in creative music-making for social development and wellbeing. Amina is Co-Director of String of Hearts CIC, which is passionate about connecting older adults through music-making, with face to face, online and over the ‘phone sessions taking place in the local communities of Trafford, Wythenshawe and Manchester.
Mina Salama (Egyptian oud, flutes and Duduk)
Mina is an internationally renowned multi-instrumentalist who has performed across the world and whose music has featured widely on film, television and radio. He was the principal player for the Egyptian Opera House for many years before moving to the UK where he is currently a researcher and lecturer at University of Huddersfield. Mina has performed as a soloist and with world class ensembles including Rafiki Jazz and his music recently featured on the Disney feature film Aladdin with Will Smith.
Kousic Sen (Indian Tabla)
Kousic was born into a musical family in Calcutta and is now based in Liverpool. He is ever increasing his considerable skill on the Tabla, studying with the most eminent gurus and passing on his knowledge and passion for Tabla to the next generations. His extensive knowledge of world percussion continues to thrill spectators around the globe. Kousic is artist in residence for the UK’s leading South Asian cultural organisation, Milap and has performed in many of the world’s greatest concert halls.
Mark McKenzie (Gospel piano and singing)
Mark is a musician/ musical director, singer, & vocal coach. parent and child advocate and Life Coach. He uses his abilities in music and vocals to teach, motivate and problem solve. He has worked on many projects with people who are either at risk of, or going through mental health problems. He has sung, played and carried out workshops in many notable venues throughout the UK. “There is no price that can be attached to the development of people, but it is hoped that my input would aid their development, and that it would instigate and further advance their journey through life”.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Zoom Webinar and Live Stream from Contact Theatre in Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, United Kingdom
CAD 0.00