Treloar and Ballard Schools and Dave Jackson


Treloar School and Ballard School in concert with David Jackson's Tonewall and Andy Baker from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
This concert was performed at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London on Monday October 8th, 2001. It was the brainchild of Larry Westland, founder and director of Music for Youth, and is a celebration - young disabled and non-disabled people from two ground-breaking organisations, supported by world-class performers, making terrific music in a world-class concert venue. New technology has a key role throughout - be prepared to be amazed! David Jackson, musician, composer and formerly saxophonist for rock group Van der Graaf Generator is the creator of Anvil Rings, the concerto catalyst for the whole performance. Hello by David Jackson Mission: to be where I am Music by Jan Garbarek; words by Treloar's Soundbeam Team Trumpet Voluntary - Ballard School by Clarke arr. Thompson Weather Forecast - Ballard School by Liz Nayler If I were a Rich Man - Ballard School by Bock arr. Edwards Soundbyte Tonewall Stands - Treloar and Ballard Schools by David Jackson The Splinter Group - from the audience by David Jackson Anvil Rings - a concerto for Soundbeam and Bells by David Jackson - Treloar and Ballard Schools Soundbyte Engineering, Production and Mastering Guy Evans Mastering Engineer Jake Jackson: AIR Studios Review by Tim Locke Jaxon's Disabled Orchestra - Children With Talent Ex-Van Der Graaf Generator Saxist David Jackson found a huge collection of bells being delivered to the school for disabled children he works with and, in this recording of a concert last October in London's Queen Elizabeth Hall, he and the children - both some disabled, others not, perform a selection of pieces which vary from the poignant and moving to the elegant and beautiful. David's concerto, 'Anvil Rings', brings together his double-saxophony (two saxes played at the same time) and the children, from Treloar's special school near Alton in Hampshire, and Ballard's School, also in Hampshire, playing the collection of bells. To augment this Disabled Orchestra other, older, people play Soundbeam guitar, drums and 'Jellybean Switches and Eye' as well as 'Echo Mirrors' - electronic buttons and both visual and invisible beams controlling sounds programmed into the soundbeam machine. Andy Baker, from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra plays bass. The effect is of a crescendo of saxes and bells and a real anvil coming together into a melodic and stimulating whole, lasting more than 18 minutes. Poignant, plaintive singing A boy, Andrew Portess, puts his whole heart and soul into the anguished cry, in the title of the track, 'Mission to be where I am'. As he intones the words repeatedly the listener (well, this listener, anyway) empathises with his need to be recognised as a person and not defined by his disability. In the background, David's soprano sax adds a melodic counterpart to Andrew's singing, and the complete song is moving and tear-jerking. Ballard's School students (the independent musical school run by Richard Stilgoe) play hundreds (it seems) of handbells perfectly in three tunes; firstly, 'Trumpet Voluntary', then 'Weather Forecast' and 'If I Were A Rich Man'. These performances are magical and pretty , chiming in, perhaps, a new age of understanding of learning difficulties and physical disabilities disregarded to prove that all people are talented, in some way or another. Anvil Rings What's it all about?
	Treloar's School Ballard School David Jackson
David Jackson will autograph CD's purchased through him directly. (Ł15, $20 or E25 UK and overseas inc p+p. Cheques and draughts in sterling payable to D.Jackson, cash otherwise acceptable) Further details from tonewall@btinternet.com.