The last four decades of the 20th century saw an explosion of creativity in popular music. Both the form, content and concept of what a song could be were radically extended. A competitive music industry, supported by a youth culture where music was central, dynamically interacted with developments in recording technology, new instruments, radio and TV broadcasting, and the vinyl single and LP. Songs bought by hundreds of thousands became something more than dance music. Musicians and songwriters began to see their work as a form of art, stretching their ambition. Distinctive approaches to melody, harmony and rhythm emerged repeatedly across these forty years.
This day school provides a history of those years by surveying some of the most memorable recordings to emerge from 1960 onwards. The story will be told via selected tracks from many famous male and female solo singers, and vocal and instrumental groups. It will open up the characteristics of songs from a variety of musical genres, to hear distinct features of their lyrics, harmony, arrangement and production. The aim will be to enhance our appreciation of the artistry of these recordings. There will be hit singles, album tracks, film songs, cover versions, selected from the catalogues of many innovative artists and groups from the era. No prior musical knowledge is needed.
Please note: this event will close to enrolments at 23:59 BST on 12 June 2024.