The Camerata is a real cross-section of the University community, comprising undergraduate and postgradudate students, staff and alumni, all coming together to represent the University in public concerts throughout the year.
An early morning start saw the coach-load of musicians leaving Colyer-Fergusson in various stages of wakefulness well, 6. Congratulations to all the performers, to leader Floriane Peycelon and conductor Susan Wanless, on a magnificent ambassadorial showcase that illustrated, to an international audience, what an international University can do. Facebook users can view an album of photos from the day here. The damage suffered by Calais during the Second World War laid the way for major rebuilding projects, leading to the creation of several striking venues and a city endowed with exciting creative spaces.
The shared history between Kent and Calais is something which the Music department and the Calais city council will be looking to explore and celebrate. A majestic altar-piece of marble and alabaster presides over a large church currently undergoing restoration, which began in and which are bringing the vanished magnificence to life once more. Once a year, the church is filled with over 4, candles for the Festival of Light , which attracts visitors from all over France.
The space hosts outdoor and indoor performances as well as festivals throughout the year. Next on our cultural odyssey was the Museum of Lace and Fashion , housed inside an original lace factory from the nineteenth century, with vast echoing galleries and an auditorium.
The Forum Gambetta is a bright, modern venue that would be ideal for a bustling big band set; its jazz atmosphere has seen its stage graced by legendary French jazz violinist Didier Lockwood. Our steps then led us to the Musee des Beaux-Arts , which houses artwork from the sixteenth century to the present day. The town hall itself includes beautiful rooms, a wonderful Grand Salon just crying out for a string orchestra to perform the music of Lully, imperious marbled corridors, and a belfry 75 metres high which affords panoramic views across the city; across the Channel, we could see the cliffs of Dover looking towards the bustling port.
