Olympic Update by Federation - Urgent

With less than one year before London 2012, the Federation has continued to source information from LOCOG regarding performance and other opportunities for Marching Youth Bands in London and the Regions. 

We have recently received the following information: (dates in brackets indicate when information received)

a) LONDON 2012 SEEKS VOLUNTEER PERFORMERS FOR THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH
London 2012 Ceremonies has announced the campaign to recruit volunteer performers to participate in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Performing in front of a live audience of 70,000 and a broadcast audience of more than one billion people this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be part of one of the largest events ever staged in the UK. Artistic Directors, Danny Boyle and Kim Gavin are searching for
10,000 volunteer performers to fill roles as dancers, percussionists and general all-round performers in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies respectively. To be eligible you must be aged 18 years or older on 1 March 2012 and able to meet the commitments for rehearsals. Performing opportunities for Under 18’s will be facilitated through a separate process, with details to be announced at a later date. To find out how to apply to audition for this once in a lifetime opportunity and for full details on the commitments involved - please follow this link www.london2012.com/ceremoniescasting (August15th)

The Federation will make representation, but we believe it would be useful for bands to make their individual enquiries.

b) Whatever has been rumoured, nobody has secured any performance slots, nobody has been booked yet. The team that leads on the spectator experience is currently working to finalise requirements and conditions. Regional Creative Programmers will be the first to be made aware of what is needed so it it very important that, as advised previously, bands make sure their regional programmers are aware of what individual bands can offer. (8th August) Click here for details

c) KI Concerts, ECE events and Live Travel & Tours have been asked to let LOCOG know of any bands and other musical groups that they may be bringing to London/UK in 2012. This request does not constitute an invitation, endorsement, exclusivity or offer to procure. (June 2011)

d) By late September, five producers will be in post to develop outdoor performances in North/South/East/West and Central London. The events company Allium Opus has just been contracted to manage and deliver this seven week programme. The Federation will make contact with this company and with the five producers and encourage them to include MYB in the events. See Repertoires (below) (10th August)

e) Young Games Maker Programme. This has just been launched so that young people from schools and youth organisations can be involved in helping at specific Olympic events. This will be based around ‘teams’ 
from schools and youth organisations rather than by recruiting individual young people. For details http://london2012.com/get-involved/volunteer/young-games-makers/ 
(10th August)

f) Eton Dorney. 500 volunteers are needed to help outside the Eton Dorney venue, welcoming visitors to local transport hubs and advising them of local facilities. If you are based near this Olympic site view the following for more information: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ2_t6rsbQMSubject (10th August)

g) Torch relay. Those nominated will have just been advised if they have been selected for the ‘long list’ from which the actual torch bearers will be finally selected. The broad route has been confirmed and Local Authorities are involved in determining the exact road routes. (10th August)

h) Torch Relay performances. As previously suggested, performing on the route by making individual arrangements may be the best way of being sure of taking part in an Olympic event. The nightly torch ‘stopovers’ in 72 places will be celebrated with evening events, and again it is suggested that if bands are close to such a stopover celebration, then they make an approach to the Local Authority as soon as possible.  Click here for details

PARAPLYMPICS. It is very important to include the integral Paralympics in all of our preparations

LEGACY. The best legacy from London 2012 for our activity is that it encourages retention of current members and the recruitment of new members. For this to happen bands will need to be proactive in the autumn with some clear plans for involvement. For example, as previously advised, a local Torch Relay route performance could be an almost certain opportunity, so could be used to rightly claim in recruiting “ be part of our band to take part in our Olympic celebrations”. Additional opportunities may not emerge until the New Year when it may be too late to launch Olympic linked recruitment
(Note: Please don’t use Olympic imagery (logos etc) in recruitment material, they don’t like it !)

Repertoires. May we again respectfully suggest that bands consider their 2012 repertoires to ensure that they reflect the likely celebratory atmosphere of events. Also, that it may be useful to rehearse one or more smaller ensembles for events that cannot cater for the whole band – for example on outdoor stages. To reflect what we do as marching bands - linking live music with movement - small ensembles with a choreographed routine would seem a good idea. Fanfares might be a requirement of many events. Quality will be the key to everything we do to represent the activity at its best.

BIG LIST. We launched our ‘Big List’ two years ago, so that every band that registered for publication on our web site would be available for Olympic and other events. Bands need to make sure that the contact information remains correct. Please advise the Federation of any updates.

BAND PROFILES. It is likely that the Federation will increasingly receive requests from hard pressed event organisers who will have little time to research bands. The Federation welcomes any suggestions on how we might provide easily accessible accurate on-line information on bands for event organisers, and in particular one or more volunteers to help the Federation action this on behalf of the whole activity.

OTHER STUFF ..........................

Marching for Gold
Bands from 20 Counties took part in the Federation initiated ‘Marching for Gold’ project during Olympic Open Weekend in July. 
Congratulations to all bands who made their mark. See report on Federation web site www.marchingbands.org.uk

19th August 2011