SWCT Showcase
YOUNG PEOPLE SHARE THEIR CREATIVITY AT ROCHDALE LITERATURE AND IDEAS FESTIVAL SWCT JUST LISTEN - PERFORMANCE AND EXHIBITION
By Steve Cooke
At this year’s Rochdale Literature and Ideas Festival the young people of SWCT HUB shared their creativity with an appreciative audience.
SWCT HUB’s House Band got things off to a rocking start. Ahsan on keyboards, William, bass guitar and guitar from music facilitator Dave gave a live performance of tunes written by Ahsan and William. Amazingly William had only picked up a bass guitar for the first-time weeks earlier.
By Steve Cooke
At this year’s Rochdale Literature and Ideas Festival the young people of SWCT HUB shared their creativity with an appreciative audience.
SWCT HUB’s House Band got things off to a rocking start. Ahsan on keyboards, William, bass guitar and guitar from music facilitator Dave gave a live performance of tunes written by Ahsan and William. Amazingly William had only picked up a bass guitar for the first-time weeks earlier.
Build, Play, Record, Broadcast. SWCT members displayed the guitars they are building themselves before they go on to learn to play them and then record a piece of music in SWCT HUB’s Recording Studio to be broadcast on Defiant Radio, SWCT HUB’s internet radio station.
William gave an engaging illustrated talk about his photographs of different forms of transport. William, who likes to be known as Ashigara, shared not only his skills as a photographer but also an extensive knowledge of his subject matter. Having already played his own composition with the House Band we saw a video of him playing the Binns organ in Rochdale Town Hall emphasising just what a multi-talented young person he is.
Emma gave a very moving rendition of a powerful self-written monologue. In the voice of central character, Ethan, she explored bullying and related mental health issues in a performance that brought tears to the eyes of many in the audience.
Matthew, who is currently working his own composition, shared a song that means very much to him as it encapsulates how he sometimes feels. He sang Gonna Build a Wall from Shrek the Musical powerfully and expressively with a rendition of the final chorus laced with emotion.
Jack, the youngest member of the group, bravely shared an excerpt from the stand-up comedy routine he is working on.
Jenny shared her stunning artwork with an illustrated introduction to the characters she has created. She remembered the first time she came to SWCT HUB, sitting quietly on her own, not wanting to speak to anyone. She has now just started an Art Degree at Bolton University!
Adam and Matt gave an impromptu live performance of the comedy sketch the are currently filming.
Ahsan who had played his keyboard composition with the House Band earlier brought proceeding to a close with a hilarious stand-up routine.
Audience members left with a smile on their faces, a tear in their eyes and pride in their hearts.