“Sometimes you want to give up the guitar, you’ll hate the guitar.
But if you stick with it, you’re gonna be rewarded”
Jimi Hendrix

Scratch Electric Kernow (SEK) is a ground-breaking new music project which captures the exciting sound of massed electric guitars, bringing together young people with a passion for electric guitar from Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to create and perform their own original music for electric guitar orchestra. SEK launched in 2018 with weekly workshops in 6 locations across Cornwall from Saltash in the east to St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly. We presented highly successful electric guitar orchestra showcase concerts in St Austell, Saltash, Camborne and St Mary’s, culminating with a final showcase with representation from all mainland orchestra groups in Truro, February 2019.

Call for new groups 2019-20

In the next SEK project, SEK2 commencing Sept 2019, we want to include more start-up groups. We want to hear from you if you think your community might benefit from a new ‘Scratch Electric’ group whether it be in your local school, college, youth centre, community or village hall. We also want to enlarge our roster of tutors and will be offering CPD training. For further info about the SEK approach to creative work with electric guitar ensembles, please take a look at our FAQs page and complete our ‘expression of interest’ form by the 12 July deadline.

SEK2 will be in 2 phases:

•Phase 1 Sept-Oct 2019 – 2-week programme of one-off taster workshops + CPD training. We want to contact experienced guitar teachers and music leaders to work with us in setting up 10 one-off workshops in 10 new locations across Cornwall. Artistic Director, Adrian Lee will lead the workshop sessions with a member of the SEK team or a locally-based guitar tutor. CPD training will be available to support guitar teachers / music leaders who would like to develop their skills in this creative use of electric guitar in group work. Our aim is to find out if there will be sufficient grassroots interest to support further development.

•Phase 2, Jan-Mar 2020 – Extended 6-week programme of SEK workshops culminating in showcase concerts. Our aim is to support the development of at least 3 new orchestra groups emerging through Phase 1 plus ensembles established in the previous SEK project (SEK1, 2018-19).

If you’re an experienced guitar teacher or music leader you might like to think about working with us to set up a ‘Scratch Electric’ group in your local area and connect with other electric guitar orchestra groups in Cornwall through the SEK network. Please get in touch using our ‘expression of interest’ form by 12 July deadline or email for further info.

The ‘Scratch Electric’ approach

SEK workshops give young people the chance to create and present their own music for electric guitar orchestra with guidance and support from leading professional guitar tutors. We welcome mixed-ability groups and the showcase concerts, in which participants present their own work, are fully supported by the professional team. The workshops draw on a wide range of sources from rock and pop, jazz, improvised music to world and contemporary classical. Please see our FAQs for further info.

Testimonial

•Email comment from parent – “I just wanted to say that we really enjoyed the concert on Saturday. My son has enjoyed every second of the process, rehearsals, composition and performance. He has gained so much from participating in Scratch Electric. His increased confidence in his musical abilities has led him to choose GCSE music as one of his options and I feel that this decision was strongly influenced by participating in Scratch Electric and through the people he met including Adrian Lee…”

Artistic Director

Composer and guitarist Adrian Lee’s output comprises over 60 scores for theatre, TV, radio, film, dance and music theatre. He has worked extensively with theatre companies including the Royal National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company and Young Vic Theatre. TV scores include music for documentaries broadcast by BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.

Contact

Phil Webb, Project Manager SEK & Cornwall Music Network, Tel: 01209 312503 / 07865 072744 E: philmw7@hotmail.com / Adrian Lee E: musicotopia@me.com

© Scratch Electric 2019