ORGANISERS of the Gorleston St. Andrew's Competitive Festival say they want to make it clear that the festival is not only for those interested in classical music and related interests.

ORGANISERS of the Gorleston St. Andrew's Competitive Festival say they want to make it clear that the festival is not only for those interested in classical music and related interests.

Spokeswoman Margaret Jermany said: “The festival has competitive classes for all musical genres, both instrumental and for voice, and, in addition, it has a very comprehensive syllabus of classes for the Performing arts - that is - speech and also drama. The instrumental classes have for many years included jazz, and this year the festival has added solo and group classes for folk melody performed on traditional folk instruments, including whistle, fiddle, accordion and acoustic guitar.”

She added that the singing classes will be covering a very wide range of music, including oratorio and sacred aria, operatic aria, operetta, Gilbert and Sullivan, Victorian or Edwardian Ballad, Lieder, foreign songs in original language, songs from musical shows, pop songs, and folk and traditional songs.

She said: “Speech Classes cover individual and group verse speaking from memory, story-telling and story -reading in Norfolk or Suffolk dialect and non-dialect, Prose reading, Sight reading and Bible reading. The Drama Section has Classes for solo acting, duologue or triologue, group plays or excerpts. There are special classes for scenes from Shakespeare and Devised Theatre, both for solo or group performances, and there are improvisation classes, where specific props are given.”

Also there are classes for original musical composition and original verse composition. The syllabus, which has the entry form, is available from local libraries, Allens Music Centre, Yarmouth, Morlings of Lowestoft, and music shops in Norwich, or phone the co-ordinator on 01493 601740. The closing date for entry to this year's Festival, which runs from March 3 - 15, is January 31.

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