Artsfest 2008 brings singing and dancing to Imperial

A week of arts events open to all staff and students - News

Monday 11 February 2008
By Naomi Weston

The sound of music will light up Imperial College London’s South Kensington Campus as the annual student-led ArtsFest starts today.

ArtsFest 2008, which runs from 11-15 February, celebrates the arts on campus with an array of singing, dancing and performance events, which are free for all students and staff to attend.

This year ArtsFest week will raise money for Theatre Crossroads, an educational charity developing programmes that teach basic maths and science concepts through music, games, movement and drama. It is a joint project between primary and secondary school teachers, medical and scientific experts, dance and theatre practitioners, and musicians.

Events include a lecture by Roderick Swanston, from the Department of Humanities, entitled, Music and the Invention of a Nation, which will examine how music is often used as a means of identifying national characteristics or even being the voice of communities.

The week will also see busking around the campus, including in the Tanaka Business School, Sherfield building and in the Sir Alexander Fleming Building. In addition there will be dance and drama workshops and a Big Band Valentine concert.

The last day will see a Finale Concert celebrating all the student clubs and societies who are involved with the week’s activities. Groups taking part will include the Windband, the Brass Dectet, the Chamber Choir, ICU Dancing, Funkology and Wu Shu. Tickets will be on sale for £3.

Chairman of ArtsFest 2008, Andrew Tan said: “This week is a great opportunity for Imperial to show off its artistic talents. It provides students with the perfect chance to go to concerts which they might not normally attend and it is a chance to get involved in different clubs and societies.”

The programme includes:

Monday:

• 12.00 – Capoeira, College Main Entrance
• 13.00 – Windband, College Main Entrance
• 18.30 – The Jazz Lounge, Senior Common Room, Sherfield Building
• 20.45 – Barn Dance, UCH, Beit Quad

Tuesday:

• 18.00 – Short film and Chamber Concert, Read Lecture Theatre, Sherfield Building

Wednesday:

• 15.00 – ICU Dancing, Funkology, East meets West, and Drama Society workshops, Mechanical Engineering concourse
• 16.30 – Talk on Music and the Invention of a Nation by Roderick Swanston, Read Lecture Theatre, Sherfield Building

Thursday:

• 20.00 - Big Band’s Valentine Gig, DB’s, Imperial College Union, Beit Quad

Friday:

• 19.30 - The Grand Finale Concert, The Great Hall, Sherfield Building

This year KPMG, one of the largest professional services firms, is sponsoring ArtsFest 2008.

For more information and a full programme please visit the website – www.icartsfest.com

For more information about Theatre Crossroads please visit the website - www.theatre-crossroads.org