UCOL BLOG

UCOL Certificate in Contemporary Music students will pour a large serving of Instant Brew – Volume Two at their end of year show. The show, at the Regent on Broadway on Saturday 19th November, is open to the public.

The title reflects the range of music genres and disciplines the graduating class has studied during the year, including Rock, Reggae, Blues, Pop, and Urban.

The 35 students taking part will perform their own original music, including lyrics, as well as some covers.  Programme Leader Kane Parsons says, “After a year of putting students in many different combos for different genres, they’ve progressed to producing high quality original songs and arrangements.”

The students have recorded and produced a CD of their original sounds for sale on concert night.

There’ll also be a DVD for sale, thanks to the Music students’ collaboration with students on UCOL’s Bachelor of Applied Visual Imaging programme (BAVI).  BAVI students studying film have created music videos of the Music students’ songs, while BAVI illustration students created a dynamic poster to promote the concert. Clips from the DVD will be posted on UCOL’s Facebook page and on YouTube.

Kane hopes to see Palmerston North taking a real pride in the achievements of the Contemporary Music students: “It’s been a very fruitful year, watching talent develop and begin to find their own feet. This concert will leave the public amazed at the musical prowess on offer in this city.”

Tickets for the show cost $5 for students and $10 + booking fee for the general public, available at TicketDirect at The Regent on Broadway.  CD’s and DVD’s are $10 on the night.

When: Doors open 7.30pm for 8pm show, Saturday 19th November.

Where: The Regent on Broadway.

Photo: Sam Nelson performs at last year’s Instant Brew concert.

Forty one UCOL students will exhibit their creations in wood, moving images, still photographs and interactive displays at this year’s graduate show.

UCOL 11: Fine Furniture and Applied Visual Imaging is a combined exhibition at Te Manawa showcasing the talents of students of the Diploma in Furniture Design and Making, the Bachelor of Applied Imaging (BAVI) and the Diploma in Photographic Imaging programmes.

It is the second time the creative programmes have shared exhibition space. BAVI Lecturer and show organiser Anna Kernohan says the graduate exhibition gives the students a chance to display their work in a realistic gallery environment, “with all the preparations and pressures that go with it.”

The exhibition will open with an invitation only event at the MacDiarmid Gallery at Te Manawa on Friday 18 November. It is open to the public on Saturday 19 November and will feature artist talks from 2.00pm.

Amy McPhie is one of 31 BAVI students taking part in the exhibition. During her final year, Amy has undertaken a complete re-branding exercise for a local hairdressing salon. Business cards, packaging and even the interior design of the premises have had the Amy touch. She has designed ten elements for her clients. “I wanted to reinforce a single, smooth theme that was consistent throughout the business,” she says.

Read More: “Joint exhibition showcases UCOL creativity”…

UCOL Photography student Fleur Verhoeven has won the 2011 Canon EYEcon photographic competition with a portfolio the judges described as a controversial and powerful use of imagery.

Fleur, a second year student on UCOL’s Bachelor of Applied Visual Imaging programme, receives a prize pack unlike any other. The combination of cash, Canon products and a full day on location with each of the three EYEcon mentors – Chris Sisarich, Hannah Johnston and Johannes van Kan – makes it the most substantial prize for a competition at this level.

Second place was awarded to Bianca Mar’e-Fletcher, also a second year Photography student at UCOL. Fellow UCOL student Tony Kim received a special mention.

Leading New Zealand photographers Sisarich, Johnston and van Kan judged the submissions of work in a lengthy and detailed judging process.  Read More: “More national awards for UCOL Photography”…

Two UCOL Diploma in Performing Arts students were recognised for their thespian talents in the annual Student City Arts and Cultural Awards recently.

Jacob Dale was presented with an Outstanding Single Achievement in the Arts award and the Artist of the Year award for his memorable performances on stage and active involvement in the Palmerston North theatre community.

As a Performing Arts student he has played roles in several Diploma programme’s productions including Antigone, Blood Wedding and Cabaret. Read More: “Ovation for UCOL performing arts students”…

The arts and design sector has been invited to contribute to a wide-ranging UCOL initiative to determine the future of its Arts and Design portfolio.

The project follows identification by the UCOL Council of three preferred areas of specialisation for UCOL: Trades, Health and Arts and Design, with their revitalization as a goal. It will seek ideas and contributions from practitioners, experts and commentators, educators, secondary students and staff and UCOL staff, students and graduates, regionally, nationally and internationally.

UCOL Chief Executive Paul McElroy says the initiative, titled Prospective: Revitalisation of UCOL Art and Design, will be a ‘blue sky’, blank paper exercise based on the question: “If you were to assemble a portfolio from scratch with Arts and Design at the centre, given where industry, technology, and the arts are heading, what would that look like, and how would it hold a nationally and internationally competitive position?”  Read More: “Manawatu arts sector asked to help scope the future of Art and Design at UCOL”…

As a registered nurse of more than 30 years’ experience, Whanganui UCOL’s Quay School of the Arts student Bridget McArthur’s artistic expression was always going to be related to health.

Bridget’s creative concern, however, goes beyond human health, and refers to the welfare of the whole planet.

Her colourful installation, Let me care for you is part of the Bachelor of Fine Arts graduation exhibition that opens on November 5 at Whanganui UCOL’s Atrium.

She will be joined by fellow graduands from the four year degree programme in an exhibition titled 3 Ladders, as part of Whanganui UCOL’s month long, annual arts festival Artrageous. Read More: “Intravenous art”…