It is our intention to update this page with regular snippets of news about the Street Music Festival - do revisit this page to keep abreast of developments:

14. BUSKING SPOTS

We are currently trying to organise the Saturday busking slots and draw up a rota which satisfies everyone's requests. Belper is a busy little town traffic-wise and has few suitable open spaces within the centre where there will be an audience of passers-by. There will even be the Carnival procession to contend with in the early afternoon at some of our locations but this should pass by fairly quickly.

We will do our best to reserve the quietest spots for the smaller groups and the busier but more spacious locations for the larger choirs. Inevitably there will be passing traffic in many of the busking spots and we ask you to sing out and put up with this. Almost all choirs, not surprisingly, have requested two busking sessions – if we are not able to satisfy everyone there will be opportunity for those choirs staying on to sing in he River Gardens on the Sunday.

13. BRIEF UPDATES

Just a word to say that the Glenorchy Centre hostel is now full for female places.

As has happened in the past, enrolment for the singing workshops will not be available until Saturday 17th May. This is the fairest system to allow those who do not arrive for the Friday concerts an equal opportunity to book places. A List of the Workshops available is available from our Downloads.

Twenty five choirs will be participating in this year's Festival and a list of those attending is available from our Downloads section.

12. YOUR HELP NEEDED

Today is the last day for registration (17th April) but it is obvious from the number of choirs attending that many individuals have still not sent in their paperwork. Please do this as soon as possible – there is much work for us to do and we need to know the numbers attending the Festival in order to firm up on arrangements.

We also need up-to-date choir information and requests for Saturday afternoon busking slots if you have not already responded in order to get the Programme printed. You will find details and appropriate forms on our Downloads page. Please help with your prompt response.

11. HOT OFF THE PRESS - SING OUT!

Lester Simpson has delivered to us the song he has written for the Festival. It is called, aptly enough, Sing Out and will be forwarded immediately to choir leaders with very brief interpretation notes.

We have yet to sing the song but a quick look at the words and a run through the tune suggest it will be a great piece for the Mass Sing. We anticipate that the author will attend the massed choirs rehearsal to help with any finishing touches which may be needed.

10. FESTIVAL TRANSPORT

We are arranging Shuttle Bus services to ferry people between the Sports Centre and the main shopping centre of Belper although we are trying to time events so that those wishing to can walk between the various venues. If the weather is kind you'll see more of the town on foot with the help of a 'heritage trail' map we are producing for the Programme.

We are also making the Shuttle available to carry attendees from the Registration point to the Glenorchy Centre Hostal on the Friday and Saturday evenings for those without transport.

9. TIME IS MOVING FAST ………..

………..and we would like to remind those who have not already returned their registration forms that the closing date is 17th April. It really does help our planning and the smooth running of the Festival to have firm idea of the numbers attending just as soon as possible. Thank you.

In answer to recent enquiries the cost of attending the Festival is £16 (Concessions £10) and includes entry to the Anniversary Choirs Night (guests will however have to pay for this event). The two Friday night concerts are optional extras.

8. UPDATE ON SONGS FOR MASS SING

Our Musical Director, Pili, has suggested that due to the current political situation, choir members may wish to bring along copies of the following apt songs

· Foolish Notion
· Liberty (which can be printed out from our download option)
· Siyahamba/ We Are Marching In The Name Of Peace
· Da Pacem

Copies will be available on the weekend for those who don’t have them, and by then we will also notify choir contacts when and how we will be singing them. Choirs may also wish to include anti-war songs in their Saturday afternoon busking sessions around the town.

Also please note the new set of words for Not in My Name (can be downloaded as above).

7. CAMPING OFFER

One of the Rough Truffles members is offering the opportunity to pitch your tent for the Festival in her large garden which is located centrally to all the weekend's activities. She can offer (limited) toilet and washing facilities and a toast and cereal breakfast, if required. Please phone Annette Young direct on 01773 820050 if you are interested – first come, first served.

6. FESTIVAL SONGS

The music for the songs chosen for this year's mass sing will be sent out by post in the next few days (today is the 20/3/03). The pack will contain some songs you already know, perhaps in somewhat different arrangements, as well as others we hope are new to you. Some are very simple, others more challenging, but all should be a pleasure to sing in such a large assemblage.

The one song missing from the pack will be the newly commissioned song from Lester Simpson. Lester is due back from New Zealand in early April and has promised the results of his efforts on his return. We will circulate this just as soon as possible.

5. REMEMBER TO REGISTER

A reminder that choirs need to register their initial interest for the Festival by the 15th March. This will give us a better feel for the numbers of people attending and will help a lot with our planning - particularly on the catering and accommodation fronts. The Vegetarian Tram (see Links page) has been booked for the weekend and we will be providing drinks and home made snacks from our Registration point on the Market Place. The Tram will move down to the River Gardens for the Sunday events and we will also be providing picnic boxes for an outdoor get-together in Belper's special musical arena.

4. ACCOMMODATION ISSUES

We have booked the nearest reasonable hostel accommodation at the Glenorchy Centre in nearby Wirksworth. Details of the centre can be found with the booking form on our contact us page or at www.glenorchycentre.org.uk.

For Bed and Breakfast accommodation the local Tourist Information Centre in Ripley is most helpful. Their web site at www.ambervalley.gov.uk/tourism/accommodation has useful lists of hotel and B&B accommodation in Belper and the surrounding area. Alternatively they can be contacted by telephone on 01773 841488 or e-mail at tic@ambervalley.gov.uk.

Useful hint on using the TIC web site: For Locality select ALL, and use one of the following keywords –
"SERVICED" will access the complete list of B&B, Guest House and Hotel accommodation in Amber Valley.
"CAMPING" will access the list of Camping and Caravan sites in Amber Valley. Belper is pretty well in the centre of the Amber valley area.

February update now available:

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3. HEADLINERS BOOKED

The performers for the opening Friday night concert of this year's Festival have now been booked to appear at our concert venue, Nailers. We have two very special singers/songwriters/instrumentalists of contrasting styles - Helen Watson and Lester Simpson - and we think you will be in for a real treat of singing talent.

Helen is a regular visitor to Belper and always puts on a tremendous show with her easy-going blend of jazz, blues, early rock 'n roll - you name it, she sings it. Lester played last years Festival in his role as one third of Coope, Boyes and Simpson but this year will be performing solo from his songs and instrumental pieces in the folk tradition.

As a bonus we have persuaded both performers to run workshops during the weekend – look out for details later.

Because of size limitations the concert at Nailers could well be a sell-out
and we have booked an second venue with a contrasting musical style. Robb Johnson and Saskia Tomkins will be performing at The Queens Head. Guitarist Robb is recognised as a fine songwriter, often with incisive political comment, and has performed and recorded with fiddle player Saskia regularly over the past two years. [A word of warning - this is a first floor venue and is not accessible for wheelchairs].

2. A FESTIVAL SONG

The 21st Anniversary of the Festival seemed to us a special occasion and we wanted to mark it in some way. We have commissioned local songwriter Lester Simpson to write a song specially for us. Lester has promised the new song in a 4-part mixed choir arrangement in time for us to distribute to all our choirs some weeks before the festival takes place.

Pili Araujo will lead the massed choir sing-in in the Memorial Gardens in Belper in the first public performance of the song – a veritable World Premiere!

1. UP AND RUNNING……..

The Rough Truffles and Belper stepped in at the 11th hour to save this year's Festival and the race is now on.

We lost nearly six months in the gap between The Hebden Bridge event and our acceptance of the challenge. Also since Pili, our leader, is returning to her native Spain this summer we have had to bring the festival forward to May this year. However we now have our committee ( and a promise of much help from last year's organisers) and we are furiously tackling the long list of 'things to do'.