Martin Gibb has captured most of the festival in a collection of more than 700 fantastic still photographs. A small selection of these can be seen day by day, event by event on the web site. 

The FULL COLLECTION will be published on the Amesbury Arts Festival 2012 Review Photo Disc available by pre-order NOW at £10 per photo disc for orders received by noon on Wednesday 28th March 2012. 

Discs will be ready for collection from the school office on Friday 30th March 2012.

To pre-book your photo disc please complete the order form below or place your order in the school office (Cheques made payable to Amesbury School Trust Ltd please).

Send your feedback and comments about the festival to artsfestival@amesburyschool.co.uk

Festival review coming soon...

So this is my final blog which I fully accept will leave a gaping hole in the literary world over the forthcoming weeks. The festival is upon us – just over a week to go and the Box Office will close on Monday 5th March. Tickets can still be purchased through the website so please don’t miss out if there are events you would still like to come to. Just remember that you could be spending the whole week singing, dancing and partying with us all which has to be better than sitting at home.

Opposite you can see our latest teaser trailers which I would urge you to watch as yet again there are some really accomplished and beautiful performances.

Well, it’s been quite a journey up to this point but in the words of the late, great Bob Marley “Don’t worry about a thing cos every little thing is gonna be alright” 

Mark Reynolds
Head of Performing Arts  

Leo Tolstoy once said that “music is the shorthand of emotion” and for me this observation is more pertinent now than ever before. In the past couple of weeks the world of music has experienced a veritable roller-coaster of emotions: from the joy of seeing Adele’s unprecedented success at the Grammy’s to the tragic sadness of losing the incomparable Whitney Houston. The most successful performers have always been those who possess a unique ability to challenge us emotionally: some of them make us smile, some of them make us dance and some of them reduce us to tears. Liane Carroll is one of those performers. Watch the video opposite for proof and then come and see her at the Arts Festival. I can say with confidence that it will enrich your life.

I would also like to draw your attention to an exciting addition to the website – The Visual Art page. Head on over to see what Susannah Colborn has got in store for the week itself and the three weeks leading up to it. I must say that the creativity and energy emanating from the Visual Arts department is at an all time high at Amesbury and this will certainly be evident over the next few weeks.

Less than three weeks to go until the Festival and the excitement and anticipation continues to become ever more palpable. In the words of Spinal Tap: “The Majesty of Rock, the Mystery of Roll, the darning of the sock, the running of the foal.....”

Mark Reynolds
Head of Performing Arts   

Only four weeks to go and I’m pleased to say that a bit of snow has done nothing to dampen our excitement for The Arts Festival. Tickets continue to sell fast and preparations plough on regardless of temperature or road conditions. This week, we have filmed more teaser trailers featuring ballet, the Beatles’ Blackbird, J.S. Bach, bass playing and beat-boxing: you can see some of this opposite with the rest being released after Half Term.

All choirs are in fine voice as proved by a great Junior Evensong on Tuesday. Every Morning Break, I am treated to a wonderful cacophony of different bands and singers emanating from every spare practice room. This type of joyful enthusiasm for discovering music together is exactly the purpose of the Arts Festival and I hope you will all get a chance to sample the fruits of their labours during the week itself. 

I would like to wish you all a restful Half Term knowing that when we return, it will only be three weeks until the Festival is upon us. There is still time to buy tickets before the deadline. I’d hate for any of you to miss out.

In the words of The Pointer Sisters: “I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it. I’m about to lose control and I think I like it”

Mark Reynolds
Head of Performing Arts  

This week, I have some quite sensational news to impart to you all. An incredibly exciting up and coming band called Luminites have agreed to come and play at our wrap party (see the video opposite). The musical mission statement of the band is simple... to record powerful, timeless and hooky, smash hit pop songs with cool, stripped back and contemporary production. The band's live performance is very much an extension of this and is a showcase of the band's raw talent. Imagine a soulful blend of vocal harmony, acoustic guitar and urban beat box. N'dubz meets Mumford and Sons! 2012 promises to be a huge year for Luminites but remember: you heard them at Amesbury Arts Festival first.

I’m pleased to report that tickets are selling fast and preparation for every event is well under way: from Junior Choir getting to grips with the lyrics of “Everlasting Love” to puppet making in the Art Room and from the first gruelling round of Wrap Party auditions to Mr Donaldson’s highly anticipated Scottish Dancing instructional videos. On a bitterly cold Monday, we shot a video which stars everyone from Years 1 – 8. This will be released early next week and features some eye-catching performances from Amesburians in all years.

Only five weeks to go now but there’s still plenty of time to buy tickets and get involved: Junior Choir, Senior Choir, Chapel Choir and Big Band on the same bill as Luminites is a truly mouth-watering prospect......

In the words of the late, great Eddie Cochran “when you hear that music you can't sit still, if your brother won't rock then your sister will.....”

Mark Reynolds
Head of Performing Arts 

Just eight weeks to go and things are really hotting up. We’ve just shot and edited our first set of teaser trailers (see opposite and watch out for more in the weeks to come), a gang of unruly Year 7s have been seen painting the wall in the Car Park and preparations have fervently begun throughout the whole school.  

I urge you all to keep checking this website as it is certain to keep updating with breaking news during each week leading up to the Festival – believe me, we have some very special announcements coming up.

I would like to put a call out to any of you who have ever been part of a choir at church or at school. Those of you who have sung in this rarefied environment will understand just how special it is so you need to join the Chapel Choir and Staff at our Stainer’s Crucifixion afternoon on the first day of the Festival. Indeed, if any of your relatives or friends fall into this category, please bring them along – the aim is to create a mass, “all star” choir. If you are worried about achieving the right standard, please bear in mind that Mr Maguire and I will be “anchoring” the Bass section so no refinement is required...

Remember, Stainer’s Crucifixion is merely the beginning of this adventure so start blogging, start putting the dates in your diary and in the words of the late, great Sam Cooke “let the good times roll...” 

As always  please do not hesitate to contact me or the school office if you have any queries. 

Mark Reynolds
Head of Performing Arts

The Festival runs from Monday the 12th March until late on Friday 16th March 2012
Everyday parents, friends and family are invited to our lunchtime recitals
Monday the workshop in preparation for Monday night's performance of Stainers Crucifixion will commence at 2pm. Supper for the performers is included in the ticket price before the performance at 7pm
Tuesday the senior drama evening will commence at 6pm
Wednesday Liane Carroll will perform with Chapel Choir from 7pm
Thursday the FOA's Ceilidh will be expertly called by our very own Peter Donaldson
Friday the WRAP PARTY, a showcase for the the school's vocalists, choirs, bands and some very special guests where we'll party like Amesbury's never partied before
The box Office is now closed