Bristol's Got Talent!
Music competition gives young singers the opportunity to star at the Prom on The Close
The Prom on The Close - billed as Bristol's Best Summer Party - is launching an exciting new competition, aimed at finding singing stars of tomorrow.
The winners - one boy and one girl aged from 13 to 19 - will sing on the same stage as world- renowned soprano Lesley Garrett at this year’s Prom, to be held on The Close at Clifton College on Saturday 5th July 2008. Youngsters from across the South West can submit a CD, audio tape or mini-disc showcasing their vocal talents.
The audition song will be 'I Dreamed a Dream' from the musical Les Misèrables. The lyrics, together with full entry details, are available here.
16 finalists, eight boys and eight girls, will be chosen on Wednesday 28th May to take part in a final 'sing off' in front of a professional judging panel at Clifton's Redgrave Theatre on Wednesday 4th June. The judges will be looking for a confident, assured performer with a fantastic voice who will be willing to share their talent with an audience of thousands!
Finalists will be cheered on by their family and friends as they perform a piece of their choice in what promises to be a nail-biting and exciting evening in which contestants will aim to wow the judging panel. One male and one female winner will be chosen to perform on the night of the Prom.
The winners will take centre stage at the Prom in front of a crowd of up to 10,000 concert-goers, and will be accompanied by the nationally-acclaimed Emerald Ensemble.
Clifton College’s Director of Music, James Hills, said: "This is a great opportunity for 2 local singers to join top-class professional musicians in front of a large and enthusiastic audience. Who knows, it could see them taking the first step on the road to a successful professional career! Certainly, it will be an exciting and unforgettable night for our winners.” The lucky two will also win two VIP seated tickets for the Prom, coaching at the Bristol Academy of Performing Arts in Shepton Mallet, media interviews and a framed photograph of them with Lesley Garrett.
Prom on The Close, which this year is sponsored by Ashfords Solicitors, has been the highlight of the summer social calendar in Bristol for many years. Families and friends gather in the magnificent grounds of Clifton College to enjoy an evening of good food & drink and great entertainment. The event has something for everyone and attracts an audience from far afield.Mike Innes of Clifton College added:“The Prom is an event for the whole of Bristol and the South West to enjoy. Each year, we are looking for ways to make it the very best Prom ever. We are committed to reach out to the whole community and give this great opportunity to two of our many talented young local singers. So get those entries in now - we're looking forward to hearing them!" For entry forms, lyrics, and all other details regarding the competition, click here.
Entrants must submit 3 copies of their entry form signed by a parent or guardian and a passport photograph by Wednesday 21st May 2008, to the address below. Finalists will be notified by Wednesday 28th May 2008, with the grand final being held in Clifton College’s Redgrave Theatre on Wednesday 4th June 2008. Entry forms and CDs / audio tapes / mini-discs should be sent to:
Winningtons
St Brandon’s House
29 Great George St
Bristol
BS1 5QT
Telephone: 0117 920 0092
Prom Party Launches 2008 Event
Prom on The Close 2008 was given a champagne lift-off at a special launch party for sponsors and supporters at Clifton College in early February.
Richard Wyatt of BBC Radio Bristol, who has kindly agreed to compere the Prom welcomed guests and introduced the special promotional DVD for the event.
Richard also played an extract from his interview with Lesley Garrett from that morning’s Radio Bristol breakfast show. Lesley said she was delighted to be coming back to Bristol following the tremendous reception she had enjoyed whilst starring at the 2006 Prom.
You can hear an extract from Lesley’s Radio Bristol interview by clicking here.
James Hills, Clifton’s Director of Music, gave more news on the exciting talent competition for young singers from across the region. The winner will join Lesley Garrett and the Emerald Ensemble on stage at Prom on The Close 2008 and they will sing the competition’s audition piece “I Dreamed a Dream” from the musical Les Miserables. Full details of the competition will be announced in the local press and on this website very shortly.
Guests heard Tony Wright from Clifton College Services outline details of the many attractive sponsorship packages available to firms wishing to be associated with this great event.
Prom on The Close Director Mike Innes explained that support from local business was crucial to the success of the Prom and thanked those present, many of whom had done so much to support the event in previous years. Thanking the guests, Chairman of the Prom Julian Telling said:
“We’re confident that this year’s event will be better than ever. Lesley Garrett was a tremendous success at Clifton in 2006 and we are delighted to be able to welcome her back to star in Bristol’s best summer party.”
Lesley Garrett to star at Bristol's Summer Party
Lesley Garrett – one of Britain’s best-loved sopranos - is once again to headline the Clifton College Prom on The Close on Saturday 5 July 2008. Known as ‘Bristol’s Summer Party’, an audience of up to 10,000 people will enjoy a spectacular evening of classical favourites and popular show tunes. Lesley will be accompanied by the nationally-renowned Emerald Ensemble and supported by tenor Paul Austin Kelly, the Clifton College choir and other talented young musicians.
The imposing façade of Clifton College provides a stunning backdrop for this hugely popular evening of music and fun. It is also hoped that the RAF’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will perform a fly-past and a breath-taking display of pyrotechnics will bring the concert to a close. It’s now a well-established tradition for concert-goers to bring their own picnics to enjoy on ‘The Close’ or to indulge in more formal hospitality in the luxury marquee. A licensed bar is also on hand.
Lesley Garrett returns to the Prom following her hugely successful appearance at the event in 2006, and fresh from her starring role in the West End revival of ‘The Sound of Music’ with Connie Fisher, winner of ‘How do you solve a problem like Maria?’.
Lesley enjoys an international reputation as a top-class entertainer. She has starred in the world’s finest opera houses, won gold discs for her popular CDs, hosted the Classical Brit awards and reached the semi-final of Celebrity Come Dancing. She also has her own weekly radio show on Classic FM. She was a judge on the BBC show Comic Relief Does Fame Academy, for Children in Need, and is currently presenting a new series called ‘20 Operas To See Before You Die’ for Sky TV. Lesley Garrett was awarded a CBE in 2002 for services to music.