Very occasionally being a music librarian can take you to the most unexpected places. I’ve recently returned from a trip to Basel prompted by a production of a new ballet, Robin Hood, choreographed by British choreographer, Richard Wherlock, the Director and Chief Choreographer of Ballett Basel. So, what was the connection with my usual life in…
This was the headline grabbing news in The Post Boy for the 26th November 1695 on the death of composer Henry Purcell. Recognised as one of the greatest English composers, Purcell was universally mourned. But we wanted to celebrate his musical achievements rather than lament his death, not only as a prolific composer but also…
Many congratulations to Nottingham City Council, who have won Best Local Authority Arts Initiative for Nottingham Performing Arts Library Service (NPALS). What Next? and the National Campaign for the Arts have come together to create the Hearts for the Arts Awards, a new initiative to reward and thank Councils, Councillors and Council officers who are…
A quick reminder of all things ASW….. The Annual Study Weekend will take place at Reed Hall, Exeter University between the 7th and 9th April, 2017. There’s something for everyone whether you’re interested in Extreme Cataloguing or baffled by non-print legal deposit. There’ll be visits to a range of libraries including Exeter Cathedral Library, and…
One of the things we can be justly proud of is our rich culture of amateur orchestras and choral societies. From the smallest villages to the largest cities, these bring music to audiences throughout the year. Where do they source their performance material? From music libraries! And how do we value our music libraries? Well,…
A very Merry Christmas to IAML (UK & Irl) members and followers everywhere. May you have a wonderful holiday season, and a happy, healthy and musical New Year. Here is the Opal Flutes flute choir having fun at Westminster Music Library. You can hear a selection of their music here.
More festive events at Westminster Music Library – carolling with Knightsbridge Brass.
If you enjoy watching paint dry, read on … Those of you who avidly watch the website for new content will have been just a little disconcerted when you found that the site was offline for around 48 hours recently. You didn’t notice? Ah well, there’s another illusion shattered. First, a little background. Our website was…
And here are the festive folk at Edinburgh Central Library (Christmas 2015)
In 2017, Leeds College of Music will be moving their music library to the Quarry Hill Skyline building, dramatically increasing the resources available to their students, and opening up their impressive facilities to the public. The new library will house Leeds College of Music’s huge vinyl archive and music collection, which includes over 30,000 items…
Interesting posting from the Holst Project Archivist.
For academic librarians throughout the UK and Ireland it’s the start of another academic year. Over the next few weeks we’ll see lots of eager new faces, often looking slightly scared along with worried looking final years. Some of the librarians are looking pretty worried too as they start library induction tours and talks; and…
Despite September’s impressive attempts to imitate our August heat wave, summer is finally over. Autumn has rolled in and schools and universities have resumed business as usual. Here at Westminster Music Library, however, we do not resent the end of summer. The beginning of the school year brings with it thousands of students, and many…
Partly inspired by an ASW….
It’s not just scores! Some unexpected items to be found in a music library. The BBC over the last few years has tried to get children to become more involved in classical music. November 2014 saw the introduction of Ten Pieces, an initiative aimed initially at children of primary school age. There was a “Ten…
It’s The Summer Reading Challenge again, and Westminster Music Library does not like being left out, but what could we do to inspire our Summer Reading Challenge participants that would embrace this years’ theme – The Big Friendly Read? We love reading, we love music, and we like to celebrate all things musical in a…
Roma 2016 was my 10th IAML congress and I returned as usual full of enthusiasm. I would even dare go further and say that it felt like one of the most successful conferences since I first attended at San Sebastian in 1998, when I was the fresh and relatively young face from Antwerp Conservatoire Library.
All the fun of the opening session – “big” IAML meets in Rome.
This has been a fantastic year for Westminster Music Library’s Choir Joint Force Singers, since 2015, they have performed at prestigious venues and events from Lords MCC to Pimlico Proms, Westminster’s Community awards to the magnificent Guards Chapel at Wellington Barracks. And it was at the Guards Chapel that our grand finale concert took place,…
You may recall the “Free our History” campaign back in 2015 which sought to lobby the UK government into bringing unpublished text based works back to the normal term of lifetime plus 70 years. Unfortunately that wasn’t successful in persuading the government, which means the 2039 rule is still proving costly for libraries and institutions….
Strife, spirit and soul were the themes of a spectacular performance by Westminster Music Library’s own Joint Force Singers. Think choir concerts are boring? Joint Force Singers made us think again, with their showcase of music in a wide range of styles, periods and even languages! The impressive Guards’ Chapel at Wellington Barracks played host…
“The power of music to integrate and cure . . . is quite fundamental. It is the profoundest nonchemical medication.” – Oliver Sacks Westminster Music Library’s five month programme of mindfulness workshops – Humming in Harmony – clearly demonstrates how true this statement is. These simple workshops, designed to improve mental health and beat isolation,…
At Hertfordshire Libraries: Performing Arts we are delighted to receive a 2016 IAML Excellence Award. One of 13 libraries to be recognised, the panel “noted the number of warm and kind comments from users of the service. The access to the service, including long opening hours and a one hour enquiry response was particularly commended. …