Appendices to History of Woodend Barn
Woodend Barn Arts Groups
Appendix 1: Woodend Music Society by Fiona Hope
Appendix 2: Sideline Multi Arts by Sue Rochester
Appendix 3: The Lang Byre by John Berry
Appendix 4: Third Stage by Sheila Davis
Appendix 5: Drama at Woodend Barn by Muriel Thake
Appendix 6: Dance at Woodend Barn by Sheila Hargreaves
Appendix 1
Woodend Music Society by Fiona Hope
In 1997 WAA was contacted by the Edinburgh Quartet who asked if they could play at the Woodend Barn. They had a booking at the Monymusk Arts Centre and John Hearn had suggested us as a possible additional venue nearby. Fiona Hope was the Convenor at the time and remembers being very excited and a little surprised that they should want to play in a barn. This was our first classical music event and included a contemporary piece by Eddie MacGuire. Ronnie Rae of Enterprise Music Scotland suggested that we start a music society at the Barn in order to qualify for an annual grant from the Scottish Arts Council. Woodend Music Society (WMS) was formed by five classical music enthusiasts and the Aberdeen Sinfonietta performed the first concert on Friday 19th June 1998.
Since that time, WMS has hosted many local and internationally recognised musicians, many of whom have given workshops and performances in local schools. WMS has about thirty-five regular members and a diverse audience from far and wide. Our programme of six concerts per year has included jazz and contemporary music as well as the classical repertoire. Highlights have included: the Albion Ensemble, Paul Anderson (fiddle) and George Donald (piano), the Bochmann, Bronte and Edinburgh Quartets, Nick Daniel (oboe) and Hugh Watkins (piano), Ephyra (Adam Caird and Charlotte Bradburn (piano and saxophone), Evelyn Glennie, the Gould Trio, the Hebrides Ensemble, John Kenny (trombone, carnyx, sackbut and Alphorn), Pat McMahon (soprano) and Walter Blair (piano), Murray McLachlan (piano), Rohan and Druvi de Saram (cello and piano), Tommy Smith (saxophone) and the Scottish Ensemble.
Since inception, WMS has commissioned and premiered several new works including: John Herford's String Quartet No. 4, David Ward's Sonata Fantasia for Cello and Piano (WAA subsequently commissioned and premiered David's Cello Concerto No. 2 with Rohan de Saram and the Southbank Sinfonia in March 2003), and John Purser's A Field of Scarecrows. We also hosted the Scottish premiere of Berio's last Sequenza (for solo cello) in 2005. These commissions were made possible by generous support from Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and the Hope Scott Trust. WMS is also indebted to Enterprise Music Scotland and the Kincardine and Deeside Arts Forum which have each provided an annual grant since 1998.
Appendix 2
Sideline Multi Arts by Sue Rochester
When the SMA Company was set up in 1998, its remit was to encourage community involvement in the arts. The idea was to create a community performance each year which would incorporate as wide a range of activities as possible. Two or three preliminary workshops were held in the spring or early summer, led by professional musicians, writers and artists, in order to provide ideas, and work on material for the eventual performance in August. In the last week of school summer holidays Woodend Barn was taken over completely. For five hectic days, people aged from eight to, in one memorable case, ninety-two experienced music, dance, drama and visual arts, culminating in a public performance on the sixth day. From the ideas which came out of the workshops scripts were written learned, music was created and practised, scenery, props and costumes were designed and produced. Perhaps above all, friendships were forged.
Each year's production was inspired by local themes, while Scottish Arts Council and local authority funds helped to provide professional directors from a variety of disciplines. In 1998 choreographer Frank McConnell directed Bodysnatchers, a drama based on the activities of criminals supplying cadavers to the medical profession in Aberdeen. The idea was stimulated by the restoration that year of the watchtower in the graveyard, and this play marked the beginning of musician Kit Watson's involvement with SMA. In 1999 a totally different approach, based on physical theatre, was taken by Jonothan Campbell, in an evocation of the importance of Bridges in our lives.
Tragically, in June 2000 Kate Johnston died. Everyone who had ever met Kate felt the loss deeply, and those of us who had been privileged to work with her in SMA decided to dedicate our next performance to her memory. That year, notorious 16th century Aberdeenshire witch-trials provided the subject matter for a spirited play, The Green Lady of Lumphanan, directed by Rita Sprague. A particularly talented group of musicians created traditional and contemporary music to enhance the drama.
The Green Lady was followed in 2001 by Banchory Fair, a story based on local ballads. The performance was inspired by American director Mary Jo Rieger, and was performed in the whole space of the auditorium, with the audience ranged round the walls as though they were spectators at a fairground. The 2002 production was different again, with dancer Sara Schena directing a performance of movement and dance with the theme of changing seasons in the local environment. Most of the scenery and props, and even some musical instruments, were made from recycled and reclaimed material.
After 2002 SMA took a rest for a couple of seasons but happily, in 2005, SMA returned with Phantom of the Loch a local story concerned with the early history of Crathes, prior to the building of the Castle. This production was led by Bob Pegg and Sara Schena; it had substantial involvement of the Scolty Centre with music largely improvised by students of 'Bands at the Barn' ' an initiative to encourage young rock bands in the area. The community performance format remains much the same, enabling people of all ages and backgrounds to experience and learn about many different disciplines, and to create and perform an original work, all in the space of one summer week.
Appendix 3
The Lang Byre by John Berry
During the refurbishment of the Barn in 1997/8, the old cow byre was transformed into a wonderful, light exhibition and workshop space. In the following two years WAA ran several ad hoc exhibitions during the summer and autumn months. In 2000, John Berry, a former Grays School of Art lecturer, joined Fiona Hope, Rosemary McKenzie and others to form the Lang Byre Gallery committee. The Lang Byre has since shown five or six exhibitions a year including both international and local artists. Highlights have included: Colin Brown (2000 and 2004), Banchory Faces 2003 (photographs of local people), Hilary Paynter (2003), Janet McEwan (Waste Not, Want Not, 2003), the International Wood Engravers Society Annual Show (2004), Banchory Academy (2004), Sylvia Wishart (2004), Doug Cocker and Stuart MacKenzie (2005), Natalia Tsvetkova, all the way from St Petersburg (2005) and George Bruce, Elizabeth Blackadder and friends (2005).
Lang Byre often runs workshops for adults and children alongside the exhibitions, recently with funding from Awards for All, Scotland. We have developed excellent links with local schools, Peacock Visual Arts and Grays School of Art.
Appendix 4
Third Stage by Sheila Davis
Like many things, it started with a chance meeting, a chance statement. I had long felt that elderly people are often 'sat down and entertained' instead of being allowed to do the entertaining themselves. I mentioned this to Sheila Hargreaves, whom I knew did so much to promote the arts with her husband John. Space to move about, dance, try something new or renew old interest in the arts outwith the home was the aim. It's often forgotten that older people actually 'did things' before they became old, and that they would still like to participate in the arts in some form.
Woodend Barn, an established arts venue almost on Banchory's doorstep and available by day, seemed the best place to hold our sessions. The WAA Committee backed our project and granted concessionary hire charges. Initially Sheila Hargreaves contacted artist Rosemary Mackenzie to join in an 'Art and Movement' session. This led to an application to the SAC to support a six-week pilot project. Rosemary's contacts with young artists willing to come as tutors was a tremendous bonus. The Scottish Arts Council was sufficiently impressed to award a three-year grant from Lottery funds for Access & Participation. Aberdeenshire Council, with transport problems in mind, made a further grant.
A committee was formed around Sheila, Rosemary and John, with Mindy Grewar as Aberdeenshire Council assessor, and John Troup as Evaluator. Ruth Morrison, followed by Carol Imrie and Fiona Smith, was appointed as Administrator with the task of arranging taxi transport for those needing it: an essential part of the project, since no public transport passes Woodend at present,
Information about the group called Third Stage was passed ' by word of mouth , leaflets, press notices ' around residence like Inchmarlo and Bellfield, surgeries, clinics, hotels, the Library. We agreed on a friendly informal format with coffee and tea on arrival and time for a chat before activities. The charge was '1 a session, with a donation for coffee. Notebooks were placed on tables for comments on each week's activity. We decided not to announce our syllabus in order to keep the element of surprise and encourage participants to try something new. Regular committee meetings were held to see how we were doing.
An official opening on 19 February 2003, with guests invited to a 'taster session' was a great success; Buff Hardie launched the programme and William Adam, the last farmer of Woodend, was present with his memories of 'old times'. Our sessions were varied, with everything from creative dance to Haiku: - painting, photography, writing, blindfold clay modelling, book-binding, percussion and penny whistle. Enthusiastic singers formed a choir led by James Reith and Rita Maclean: a CD was recorded, and the choir performed at a Woodend Music Concert. A short watercolour course led by Rosemary Mackenzie was thoroughly engrossing. The group enjoyed successive exhibitions in the Lang Byre, and subsequently visits were arranged to Aberdeen Art Gallery and to Peacock Printmakers ' the first time, for many members.. After the group took part in the Big Draw, paintings were hung in the Lang Byre, Banchory Library, and the Council offices at Woodhill House.. One cockerel painting now adorns a bus-shelter in Glassel.
The long-term funding problem remains, but Lloyds/TSB Foundation have recently agreed to a generous grant until 2008; Aberdeenshire Council, the Scottish Community Foundation and Co-op Scotland are also giving invaluable support. Third Stage has kept written record sof its programme, and also a photographic record, preserved for the future on CD ROM. These will be useful tools in informing potential sponsors of our work. The future looks bright for Third Stage at the Barn.
Appendix 5
Drama at Woodend barn by Muriel Thake
Drama at Woodend Barn, yes there has been lots in one form or other but here I am talking about on stage drama. Unfortunately we do not have our own in house company but have had many amateur productions from BAD Co ( Banchory And Deeside company), formally known as Banchory Theatre Company (BTC).
In the Barn's early years BTC committee thought long and hard about moving their base from Banchory town hall to the Barn. It was an unknown quantity and the combined worries over loss of audience due to transport difficulties, and additional concerns over storage space for props and costumes at the Barn, plus the increased costs of using the Barn for rehearsals in comparison to the Town Hall finally convinced the majority of members that they would stay at the Town Hall. Opinions were divided with many thinking that an opportunity had been missed while others felt happier working in the Town Hall environment particularly for the annual pantomime.
It was at this time that Rita Sprague a Canadian living in the area became involved, with Banchory Theatre Company which was then renamed BAD Co and which included players from Deeside Players of Aboyne . She persuaded them to work with her at the Barn. Her wide theatrical knowledge and experience of direction and production played a large part in expanding the range of theatrical activities that took place.
The development continued during 1995 of amateur drama at the Barn with the production of a French comedy Pyjama Tops. BAD Co benefited greatly with the involvement of Drew Young a local head teacher and emerging playwright. He wrote and performed with the rest of BAD Co in plays such as 'David's Circus', a story about Jean-Paul Marat's life and 'Banchory Corrida' a melodrama about Banchory's fictitious bullring! They were performed at the Barn with great success and acclaim.
'Stepping Out' was a production in 1998 where a professional director was brought in to assist; she unfortunately did not take into account BAD Co's dwindling finances. There were no grants or sponsorship at this time. In spite of this, the actors involved had a great time; the assistant director was Kate Johnston and she held the show together with her enthusiasm. The show was also successfully staged at the Aboyne Community Theatre.
In a new venture the Barn was used, by BAD Co to rehearse 'Kierkegaard's Cradle' and 'A Consummation devoutly to be Wished' new plays both written by Drew Young. They were performed at the Barn and later taken to Canada on tour, with the help of a drama group in Elmira, Ontario. The actors paid their own way and stayed with members of the Elmira Theatre Company
The exchange visit was so successful that E.T.C came to Banchory staying with members of BAD Co. and performed two plays in the Barn. The bond was so well formed between the companies that there were two more visits over the pond finally with a performance again in the Barn in 2000 of a joint production.
This was a first for both companies. ETC rehearsed the play in Elmira and because BAD Co funds were dwindling to pay for rehearsal space at the Barn the choice was to rehearse at the Aboyne Community Centre and at Rita Sprague's home. We had two frantic fun days to put the production together integrating the actors from both companies; it was an amazing experience showing how two groups separated by thousands of miles could work successfully together. This was all made possible because Rita Sprague had such enthusiasm and drive for the idea.
BAD Co subsequently returned to Banchory Town Hall for their rehearsal space and from where they stage their annual pantomime. They have brought two of these panto productions to the Barn during the last five years,
We have in the past had visits from Aberdeen based amateur companies, but small groups do find a difficulty with the cost of production when audience numbers are small, and getting 'Bums On Seats' has traditionally been a problem for amateur drama.
Now in 2005, WAA is encouraging more drama to the barn with the help of North East Arts Touring (NEAT) who sponsor, promote and underwrite the production costs of a wide variety of small professional touring productions. The result is that Barn audience figures for drama are slowly increasing.
The challenge we face at the Barn now, for those who love drama, is how do we establish an amateur presence at the Barn that can sustain itself financially and contribute to the richness of community arts experience that the Barn offers.
Appendix 6
Dance at Woodend Barn by Sheila Hargreaves
Though there has been no sustained dance programme at Woodend, there have been many memorable performances and workshops in variety of dance-forms: step, historic, contemporary, break, Morris, folk.. Two of the community plays promoted by Sideline Multi Arts were led by dancers (Frank McConnell and Sara Schena), and on two occasions dance groups from the private sector and from schools shared in performance. There is liaison with City Moves in Aberdeen, whose teachers have taken classes at Woodend.
One limitation on development is structural: the difficulty of providing a good sprung dance floor suitable for advanced performers. But besides this, demand has been limited because a private dance school of high quality has been developing in its own premises; its need for regular space for a variety of classes could not be met within our building. And of course there continue to be many excellent teachers of Scottish dance in and around Banchory. Their pupils are always conspicuous at the many lively ceilidhs which take place at Woodend.
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