London 2012 inspires Winchester - University of Winchester

University News VENTA / Issue 26 / Summer 2012
University’s vocal studies hits the right note with BBC’s
The One Show
The University of Winchester
featured on the BBC’s The One Show
on Thursday 15 March, the first of
two brief films that explored the
workings of the human voice, in the
run up to the BBC’s new series, The
Voice UK.
The first spot on The One Show focussed
on the ‘high’ vocal register and included
a showcase of vocal work by some of
Winchester’s Vocal and Choral Studies
students filmed around the campus,
specifically in the University’s Performing
Arts Studios. The programme also featured
consultant otolaryngologist Nimesh Patel
who works with the course on a regular basis.
An interview with Programme Leader,
Amanda Smallbone discussed the physiology
and anatomy of the voice in relation to
a range of different singing styles and
techniques.
capacity. It is a testament to the strong links
that the programme has established within
the industry since its inception.”
The second spot on The One Show which
was shown on Tuesday 20 March, focussed
on the production of ‘low’ notes and for this,
Winchester’s Vocal and Choral Studies team
were able to develop links with Professor Paul
White at The Institute of Sound and Vibration
Research at Southampton University. This
feature also included an interview with Dr Yvon
Bonenfant, Programme Leader in MA Devised
Performance at Winchester and an expert in
voice and extended voice.
BBC’s singing contest The Voice UK started on
24 March and includes Sir Tom Jones, Jessie J,
Will.i.am and The Script’s Danny O’Donoghue
working as coaches to the contestants. The
premise of the series, which has already been
successful in the US, is to find a pop star based
solely on their singing voice.
“This is an amazing endorsement of our
programme,” explained Amanda, who was
trained as a singer at the Guildhall School of
Music and Drama. “Everyone who appeared
on the film works with the course in some
Amanda Smallbone, Programme Leader of Vocal and Choral Studies.
University excavations inspire Winchester Pilgrimage to
raise funds for Leprosy
A team of archaeologists from the
University of Winchester organised a
traditional pilgrimage in May from the
centre of Historic Winchester to the
site of Britain’s oldest known leper
hospital to raise funds for the Leprosy
Mission.
The event fell on a day dedicated to St Damien,
Patron Saint of the Leper and Leprosy, and
began at Winchester Cathedral with stopping
stations at St John’s House, St John’s in the
Soke, St Giles Hill and Morn Hill.
“As a result of our archaeological excavations
at the site of the Hospital of St Mary Magdalen
we’ve developed a growing interest in many
of the issues surrounding leprosy,” explained
Dr Phil Marter, from the Department of
Archaeology at the University of Winchester
who is helping to run the pilgrimage. “We
wanted to help highlight the continuing plight
of sufferers of Hansens disease. It is a disease
that still affects thousands of people across the
world but it can be treated very successfully
with modern drugs.”
The idea of a pilgrimage came from one of
the burials found during the archaeological
excavations. A young man with leprosy was
buried with just one artefact – a scallop shell,
traditionally a symbol of the pilgrimage to
Santiago de Compostela.
“Far from being treated as sinners and outcasts,
our excavations have shown lepers were in fact
afforded tremendous dignity as human beings,”
said Dr Marter. “We have found evidence that
suggests pilgrims might have been buried
alongside them. Far from being shunned, they
were revered and respected.”
The Winchester Pilgrimage 2012 began
at the west end of Winchester Cathedral.
Pilgrims were asked to make a small donation
(minimum of £1) to Leprosy Mission UK. All
participants who completed the walk received
a special commemorative pilgrim’s badge.
Remains at the Hospital of St Mary Magdalen
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