Dear Supporter, The wait is over! The Big Give starts today!
If you donate to the Ulster Orchestra this week via the Big Give your donation will be doubled!
The match fund is limited and when it’s gone it’s gone; so we simply ask that you make your donation as quickly as possible!
Please give what you can to help us raise £20,000
online this week and access £20,000 of match funding!
Thank you – in advance – for your support;
it really will make a difference to the work of the
Ulster Orchestra. Please click on the video to see
examples of how your money can be used.
If you are considering making a donation to the
Ulster Orchestra then this week as part of the
Big Give really is the time to do so!
The Big Give will double your donation allowing us to
receive a bigger gift on your behalf – at no extra cost to
you. Gift Aid is also available so please do remember to
add Gift Aid, if you can, to maximise your donation to the
Ulster Orchestra.
Whether it is £5 or £500 every donation will be matched.
There is a set amount of match funds available each
day this week – once the fund today has been allocated
the website will say so, so please log on again
tomorrow when the fund will re-open.
Thank you
If you have any queries regarding the online donation process please contact us and we will be happy to help.
Furlo, who recently signed with Belfast based indie label Yogen Records have teamed up with local director Eugene Magee to produce a promotional music video for their debut single ‘Your entire glows’.
The video fuses the passion and energy of Furlo’s live performance with the intimacy of a live venue that Furlo’s fan’s have come to expect. With the backing and support from local producers, directors and record label, Furlo will be a band to watch in 2011.
Furlo are no strangers to the Irish music scene, playing venues and festivals up and down the country since their formation in 2006. Their determination and hard working ethics are now paying off as they have developed a sound that simply must be heard.
2010 saw the release of their 2nd EP ‘SIGNATURE’ which has received plenty of airplay on show’s such as BBC Radio One, BBC Electric Mainline, BBC Radio Ulster, and many more. Also this year they’ve had gigs supporting ‘And so I watch you from afar’ and joined, ‘General Fiasco’ on the G Sessions stage at Glasgowbury’s 10th anniversary.
The single released on 12th December so for now enjoy the video – whatsonni.com give it a big thumbs up!
Fed up with the crowds and hustle and bustle while trying to do your Christmas shopping? Then visit Mount Stewart House and Gardens and do it surrounded by the peaceful gardens and tranquil walks.
The National Trust shop at Mount Stewart stocks a wide range of home ware products, gifts, food and craft. Keen to support local supplies you can find a host of local products as well as Christmas stock and wintry woollies. There is also a great range of Christmas cards with all the season’s specialities, from baubles and candles to traditional scenes and the Twelve Days of Christmas.
To make your shopping experience even more memorable Mount Stewart will open their Christmas Gift Shop at the lookout in the main car park from Saturday 4 December until Thursday 23rd Dec This fabulous location offers you the chance to peruse the wares and fares on offer while taking in the breathtaking views of Strangford Lough. Opening hours are from 11am until 3pm Monday to Friday and 10am until 5pm Saturday and Sunday.
Picking out that perfect Christmas tree is a long arduous task, not to mention trying to fit in your car and picking up the pine needles from the car seat long in the New Year. If you haven’t got your Christmas tree yet then wait and choose a real one from Mount Stewart. Not only are they available to order but National Trust staff will also deliver it to your home and dispose of it come January. It couldn’t be more hassle free. We’ll leave the decorating up to you however!
We all love a bargain so you can be sure there’ll be sale items to snap up as well as some beautiful Christmas trim and food to complete those Christmas dinners. A tasty jar of special cranberry sauce is the perfect accompaniment for the turkey and stuffing, or a beautiful cheese board will go brilliantly with your Christmas dining. You can also let the children help prepare the that special dinner with our new Bake Me A Cookie set for those budding young chefs.
It’s the perfect way to spend your free time. Why not go for a walk around the Lakeside Gardens before popping into the shop to get a loved one that ideal hand made piece of pottery, then relax in the Bay Tree restaurant with a hot drink and sweet treat. Who says Christmas has to be stressful?
.All income generated from National Trust shops enables the Trust to continue its valuable conservation work. So invest in protecting your heritage by shopping with the National Trust this Christmas – it will be money well spent.
If the run-up to Christmas is making you see red, the Ulster Orchestra may be able to help. Its Best of Broadway concert on Saturday 18 December in the Belfast Waterfront offers the perfect antidote to Christmas shopping, wrapping and rushing around.
Last year’s Broadway show was a sell-out success. This new selection from some of the finest music from the world’s favourite musicals builds on that success. The concert features songs and orchestral music from award-winning Broadway shows such as Love Never Dies, Phantom of the Opera, Oliver!, Wicked, Aspects of Love, West Side Story, The King and I and more.
Conductor Gareth Hudson is no stranger to seeing his name up in lights – he has worked with many Broadway and West End stars including Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jason Donovan. He brings with him a trio of singers, all with West End credits to their names: Annalene Beechey; Grainne Renihan and Scott Davies.
So if you want to banish the winter blues and escape the Christmas rush, why not book the hottest tickets in town and celebrate all things Broadway with the Ulster Orchestra and guests? Top hats and tails are optional!
A unique new DVD telling the story of Belfast’s early history is out now. “Belfast, Birth of a City” travels through 8,000 years, exploring how the second largest city on the island of Ireland has developed from an ancient ford over the river Lagan.
“As far as we know, there has never been anything produced like this before,” said local historian Joe Curran. “Belfast people have a real love of history so we were surprised when we began this project to discover that no one had done this before us.”
The DVD was produced by local company, Belfast Bohemian Productions. The film’s director James Rea, and writer Joe Curran, worked for a year to put this fascinating story together. Using a combination of dramatised scenes, old photos and present day footage, Joe expertly narrates the development of Belfast from its prehistoric origins through to the beginning of the19th century and the Act of Union when Belfast was on the cusp of becoming a major city. The DVD describes Belfast’s development against the dramatic backdrop of thePlantation of Ulster, the Glorious Revolution and the United Irishman’s 1798 rebellion.
The film has a wealth of fascinating details on the lives of the early townsfolk and it also sheds light on how the streets and entries in the oldest parts of the city came to be named.
“People love to learn more about Belfast’s colourful past. For example, there is now no trace of the original Belfast Castle which was once a defensive stronghold for Norman knights guarding an ancient, strategic ford over the river Lagan. Streets such as Castle Place and Castle Lane echo the location of the old castle but this DVD actually shows what the castle probably looked like and what happened to it.”
The DVD will shortly be available in Irish and Ulster Scots. Belfast Bohemian Productions plan to produce a second DVD continuing the history of Belfast from 1801 through the Victorian period up to 1888 when it finally became a city. “We really want to encourage people to delve into the history of the city. The DVD isn’t meant to be an academic thesis but more an entertaining, informative insight into the
early development of Belfast,” he added.
The DVD is available now; from: HMV, The Wickerman, The Belfast Welcome Centre, Eason, The Ulster Historical Foundation, The Bookshop at Queens, Belfast International Airport Tourist Information Centre.
See website for further information and full details of stockists:
Former Miss NI Lucy Evangelista, Simon Moutray, Lavery’s and Briege Clenaghan, Diageo NI are pictured enjoying a bottle of Guinness Black Lager at the Laverys Bar in the Continental Market.
For the next three Thursdays, in the run-up to Christmas, the makers of Guinness Black Lager are giving fans of Ireland’s newest lager something a little bit special for the festive season.
The Guinness Black Lager team are offering a unique promotion at Laverys Bar in the Continental Market, Laverys Bradbury Place and the Pavilion, in Belfast. Customers who buy just two bottles of Guinness Black Lager between 25th November and 16th December, at these venues, will be given access to the ‘Black Stage Experience’ in Laverys bar, Bradbury Place, for exclusive performances from some of the best artists appearing in Belfast this Christmas, including Foy Vance, Duke Special, Fred Deakin (Lemon Jelly), Cut La Roc and Bentley Rhythm Ace.
Speaking about the programme Senior Brand Manager Sarah Spain said: “Guinness Black Lager is all about creating an enhanced lager experience and we wanted to bring that to life through one of the best events this Christmas.”
“We wanted to give our consumers something special and we think that ‘Black Stage’ access to Laverys in the Continental Market and Bradbury Place is the best possible way to celebrate the festive season. It gives people a chance to enjoy the incredible tastes of the market and then relax with the best taste in music – after all Guinness Black Lager is all about the taste!”
Tickets for the ‘Black Stage Experience’ events and complimentary bus passes from the Continental Market to Laverys bar, on Thursday nights, are available with the purchase of two bottles of Guinness Black Lager at: Laverys in the Continental Market; Laverys Bradbury Place and The Pavilion. Terms and conditions apply.
Oscar-nominated director Mike Leigh has given his backing to The Big Arts Give, the online fundraising campaign in which QFT is aiming to raise £5000 from Monday 6 – Friday 10 December 2010.
Celebrated worldwide for his work as director of such QFT favourites as Vera Drake, Another Year and Secrets and Lies, Mike Leigh said:
“The QFT is a great film theatre, which I have much enjoyed using over the years. I fully support the cinema’s involvement in The Big Arts Give, and hope it continues to go from strength to strength.”
A regular award-winner at the Cannes Film Festival and winner of three BAFTAs, Leigh is just one of the many high profile cinema figures who have visited and supported QFT. During its 42 year history, QFT has brought the work of many other great directors – such as Martin Scorsese, David Lynch and Ken Loach – to Belfast audiences for the first time and has been honoured to welcome many of them in person.
Michael Emmerson, who co-founded QFT in 1968 has also added his support to The Big Arts Give:
“Of all the things of which I am most proud in my life, one of the most important is the establishment of the Queen’s Film Theatre. The fact that it has survived and thrived for the last forty years is a testament both to its value to the community and to the excellent management which it has enjoyed over all these years.
If QFT is to last another forty years it needs your help now – so please give generously to ensure that it continues to bring the best of cinema to Belfast.”
Offering local audiences the only real alternative to the multiplex, QFT is the only specialised cinema in Belfast dedicated to showcasing independent, classic and world cinema and reflecting cultural diversity. Without QFT, audiences would have to travel to Dublin for any similar cultural cinema experience.
Last year was a record year for QFT, as 87,000 patrons including almost 6,000 children and young people engaged with film through QFT. As the moving image becomes more embedded in the school curriculum, the QFT Education and Outreach programme is even more important as a unique resource for film-lovers of all ages, offering a range of introductory talks, workshops and other activities to complement film screenings.
The team at the cinema also works closely with creative partners, galleries and museums to present film to new audiences in an exciting and accessible way. QFT has strong links with local charitable organisations and creative collaborations with Autism NI, Unite Against Hate and Outburst amongst many others which reinforce its commitment to the local community.
The Big Arts Give is open online from 10am on Monday 6 – Friday 10 December 2010, so please note those dates in your diary now! To take part, please log on to http://www.thebiggive.org.uk/donate/qfton Monday 6 December and donate whatever you can. A range of campaign events will be taking place at QFT throughout the week.
Every penny you donate through The Big Arts Give will go directly to support the work we do at QFT. Your gift will help us deliver to the highest standards – from the films we show, to the projects we undertake; from our support of local film culture to the quality of our projection experience.
One of the Ulster Orchestra’s most popular concerts – Handel’s Messiah – takes place this year in the Belfast Waterfront on the 10 and 11 December, but this year it takes on a different twist, as the Ulster Orchestra searches for a couple whose very first date, over 50 years ago, was Handel’s Messiah.
“With the full orchestra and Belfast Philharmonic Choir, Messiah is always a wonderful part of the Ulster Orchestra’s season and one that has been part of our Christmas repertoire since our foundation,” Lydia Gamble, the Orchestra’s Head of Marketing and Development said. “But this year we are looking for a couple whose first date was to a performance of Handel’s great oratorio over half a century ago.”
She explained that at the Orchestra’s performance of Fauré’s Requiem on 12 November one of the performers was talking to a couple who said that their first date had been a performance of Messiah and they had just celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary.
“If they are coming to the concert next month we would love them to get in touch beforehand,” Lydia Gamble said, “If they aren’t we would still like them to get in touch by emailing info@ulsterorchestra.com or calling 028 9026 0473.”
Smirnoff Ireland curator Siobhan O’Dowd, from Belfast pictured with Argentinean artist Jorge Molina preparing for the SMIRNOFF® Nightlife Exchange Project this Saturday, November 27th at The Wright Venue in Swords.
Irelandwill receive the best of Argentina’s nightlife culture as part of this global Smirnoff initiative, which sees 14 countries swap the best of their nightlife on the same night.
The SMIRNOFF® Nightlife Exchange Project at The Wright Venue will feature all that’s great about Argentina’s nightlife with delicious drinks including an Argentinean take on the signature Smirnoff Mule, the best food of Argentina including an asado style BBQ, music from Argentina’s top DJ Elio Riso, and awe inspiring theatrical acts inspired by Argentina.
Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones, Dougie Poynter, Harry Judd - McFly!
The Odyssey Arena, Belfast
14th March 2011
The O2 Dublin
16th March 2011
TICKETS ON SALE SATURDAY 4TH DECEMBER AT 9.00AM
Ticketmaster
In person: From 100 Ticketmaster Outlets Nationwide
By Telephone (24 Hour):
ROI – 0818 719 300, Northern Ireland – 0844 277 44 55
Book On Line: www.ticketmaster.ie
“ABOVE THE NOISE”
NEW ALBUM
Released November 12th
Pop heavy-weights McFly released their sixth studio album “Above The Noise on November 12th.
Featuring hit singles “Shine A Light” and “Party Girl”, McFly push the boundaries with an edgy new rock/R&B sound following the collaboration with American R&B super-producer Dallas Austin (Michael Jackson, Madonna, Pink, Usher).
The new album “Above The Noise” sees the boys return to their old stomping ground; Island Records. After successfully releasing their last album, ‘Radio:Active’ independently (initially and then groundbreakingly given away with the Mail On Sunday) the boys have joined forces with Island in a unique partnership for their upcoming releases.
7 UK Number One singles, 5 Top Ten albums and numerous sell-out tours have secured McFLY’s place as one of the UK’s most successful bands of all time. Most recently, the band have conquered Latin America, completing a string of capacity shows and receiving a nomination for an MTV Latin America Award.
McFly are Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones, Dougie Poynter, Harry Judd.
Furlo, who recently signed with Belfast based indie label Yogen Records have teamed up with local director Eugene Magee to produce a promotional music video for their debut single ‘Your entire glows’.
If the run-up to Christmas is making you see red, the Ulster Orchestra may be able to help. Its Best of Broadway concert on Saturday 18 December in the Belfast Waterfront offers the perfect antidote to Christmas shopping, wrapping and rushing around.
A unique new DVD telling the story of Belfast’s early history is out now. “Belfast, Birth of a City” travels through 8,000 years, exploring how the second largest city on the island of Ireland has developed from an ancient ford over the river Lagan.
One of the Ulster Orchestra’s most popular concerts – Handel’s Messiah – takes place this year in the Belfast Waterfront on the 10 and 11 December, but this year it takes on a different twist, as the Ulster Orchestra searches for a couple whose very first date, over 50 years ago, was Handel’s Messiah.
