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Ten transferable skills you can learn from the performing arts

In a few weeks time parents will be accompanying excited children to their Mid-Somerset Festival classes. Perhaps they have taken time off work to do so, and the children might be missing a couple of hours of school. We hope that it will be an enjoyable experience for all involved, but is there more to it than that?

Can education in the performing arts be useful for a young person who wants to be a doctor, fashion designer, plumber or architect? 

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Back to the future at the AGM!

Every November Mid-Somerset Festival members gather at the AGM to look back at the events of the year, and plan for the next.

In 2023 the Mid-Somerset will be at full capacity again after a disrupted start to the 2020’s. The Festival returned in spring 2022 in its usual live format.

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Where are they now?

The steps to the Mid-Somerset platform are a well trodden path to success as the Festival never fails to notice and encourage excellence in music. This is evidenced by how many young award winners go on to enjoy impressive long term careers.

If you’re wondering how former Bath Young Musician winners are faring today, Mid-Somerset Festival Music Chair Janet Read has found some inspiring updates, via Google, about some of those who took the trophy home in previous years –

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A harvest of talent

As the evenings begin to darken, it’s time to look forward to an autumn of live entertainment. The Mid-Somerset Festival’s year kicked off with the Dance Festival in September, and there are two major events in the calendar for audiences to enjoy in October – Bath Young Musician, and Bath Young Actor. 

In the spring, the Festival nurtures musicians and performers of all ages, abilities, and levels of experience. The autumn competitions honour gifted and talented high achieving students, many of whom step into a professional career soon afterwards. 

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Music to our ears

The 2022 Mid-Somerset Festival took place triumphantly and 100% live. It’s hard to believe that six months ago there was still a chance that the Festival wouldn’t go ahead as normal. 

Let’s take a moment to reflect on the achievements and challenges of this year’s return to a full on Mid-Somerset, and hear from some of the key people who made it happen.READ MORE

‘Onto the stage with a big smile!’

Nervousness before going on stage is a challenge faced by many performers, and we each have our own ways of dealing with it. Over time, you can develop your unique and perfect way of dealing with the stress.

Here are a few ideas from a member of Bath’s Next Stage Youth to help you remain as calm as possible before your time to shine.

Plus some expert advice from the Mid-Somerset Speech and Drama Committee.READ MORE

Behind the scenes at the Mid-Somerset

The best part of volunteering with an arts organisation is getting to know people with similar interests, and sometimes making lifelong friends. A few weeks before the Mid-Somerset Festival begins, the Stewards’ Coffee Mornings provide an opportunity for Festival volunteers to prepare and socialise. New recruits meet old hands and learn about the role. 

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Practice is imperfect

With less than a month to go till the start of the Mid-Somerset Festival, the sound of practising will be resonating somewhere in the soundscape of Bath. There will also be the silence of not practising, and perhaps the noise of heated discussions about its absence.

Practice doesn’t come naturally to many, and for some it is an anxiety inducing chore to be avoided. Practising the art of practice is a good place to start.READ MORE

A giant jigsaw puzzle

The Mid-Somerset entries are in, and you’ll soon be hearing from us with information about the time and place of your classes. In the meantime, the Festival is grappling with an enormous jigsaw puzzle – the timetable.

Ever wondered why you’re rushing through the centre of Bath on a windy day in March with only a few minutes to spare? Well, it’s because in January, someone stuck a particular little piece of paper to a board with a tiny bit of Blu Tac.

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Edit. Share. Cut. Author Chris Vick on the process of writing

Ahead of the closing date for Mid-Somerset Festival Creative Writing entries, we caught up with our judge for this year’s competition, Chris Vick.

Chris is the author of CILIP Carnegie shortlisted Girl. Boy. Sea. as well as several other books for young people. His books have been published in several countries and languages.READ MORE