Christmas with the Funtington Musical Group

The Christmas Musical Event for the Funtington Music Group was held at the University of Chichester on 14 December, where the prolific film maker, Mick Csaky, gave a fascinating presentation, Capturing Music on Film, covering a number of his music based films which he had directed for the BBC and other organisations over the past 40 years.
MickMick
Mick

During the first half he showed extracts from film interviews including one with Placido Domingo, and another with the composer, Michael Tippett, who shared in a remarkably poignant, personal, and self-effacing way, how he began to create the music in his third symphony. This was a really special and particularly unusual opening of the secrets of a composer to the wider world.

In complete contrast, he then showed the audience a short extract of a film that he had made about Sister Rosetta Tharpe, a little known singer pre-Elvis Rock singer, who was called The Godmother of Rock & Roll, with interviews from well-known personalities who explained how influential she was in the nineteen-forties, fifties and sixties.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The final film extract, before the interval, was one he had made for Roll Back Malaria. This film helped raise $20 million for anti-malaria research. It opened at the UN Assembly with an estimated audience of a billion people. The clip featured a formidable singer called Angelique Kidjo, whose voice was unbelievably moving, and which gave a real insight into the strength and power of African music.

After the interval, and in complete contrast to the first half, Mick Csaky played a number of extracts from his 90-minute opera movie entitled Mozart in Turkey, which was shot at the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. The clips allowed the audience to grasp the plot of the opera, The Abduction from the Seraglio, and also to soak up the atmosphere as the singers performed in the actual palace where Mozart had set the action.

David Tinsley, Chairman of the Funtington Music Group said, “It was a real privilege to hear about some of the films Mick Csaky has made and to see how films on music are put together. The ones chosen showed us a delightful cross-section of musical genres, and demonstrated how much passion Mick Csaky has put into his productions.”

Further details of the Funtington Music Group can be obtained from the Membership Secretary, Mrs Elizabeth Brooks, on 01 243 378900. Full details of our 2017 Programme can be seen on our website at www.funtingtonmusicgroup.org.uk.

Have you checked out our new Christmas section yet?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It's packed with ideas and tips to ensure you make the most out of the festive season.

There's recipes, suggestions for presents and everything from choosing your tree to recycling your packaging and paper.