Newbury College was excited to welcome producer and lecturer in electronic music at the University of West London Nino Auricchio on Wed 2nd March. During his visit he gave a guest lecture to the College's Music Technology students and provided them with information about progression routes with the University.
Alongside working at the University of West London Nino is a musician, composer and producer. His professional credits include performing at international festivals, the Jazz Café in Camden, playing and engineering on the BBC for live sessions, arranging for Song Music and writing/producing for films and Red Bull events. Nino is also currently studying a PhD in electronic music composition.
His particular expertise is in synthesis and his guest lecture focused on analogue synthesis using his analogue modular synthesis system. Unlike a digital synthesiser, a modular system contains individual components such as oscillators (which create the initial sound), filters (which change certain characteristics of the sound) and effects (such as delay and reverb) which can be connected together in an infinite number of creative ways.
Matt Foster, Music Technology lecturer at Newbury College said, We are very grateful to Nino for coming to talk to our students. His talk explored areas of Music Technology that are new to this student group and they really enjoyed the opportunity to create some of their own sounds using Nino's modular synthesiser.
Newbury College hair and beauty students recently took part in locally run event Prom Day' at Donnington Grove Hotel. An event specialising in Prom and Wedding suppliers including dresses, hair and make-up and transport.
Hair and Beauty students attending the event were involved in providing the hair and make-up to the catwalk models and also offered hair-ups, make-up and nails to visitors at the event.
Curriculum Manager for Services, Rachael Elsey said, The event was a fantastic opportunity for our Hair and Beauty students to demonstrate their skills. With a constant stream of models it provided great work experience for the students and enlightened them into what could be expected of them in the industry. The students all thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
As part of their skills project Newbury College Art students set up an exhibition at The Green Park Conference Centre, Reading, where employers are voting for the pieces they would like to see displayed permanently on site.
Each year students at Newbury College carry out a skills project that meets the needs of a local organisation. The project is aimed to build students' knowledge and skills and develop their confidence in leadership, communication and teamwork. Students had been asked to produce art work on the theme of Spring' to refresh the corridors of the conference centre, Reading.
Art Lecturer Jackie Heggs said, This creative project has given students an amazing opportunity to showcase their work whilst gaining invaluable employability skills in working to a real brief. Students have really grown in confidence as a result of the experience and we hope that this project will become part of a cycle of opportunities to produce art work for the site.
Newbury College hosted the West Berkshire heat of the Rotary Young Chef Competition on Saturday 16 January in the College's excellent teaching kitchens.
A number of local schools in West Berkshire took part in the contest in which entrants, between the ages of 11 to 17, were required to prepare a healthy three course meal for two people costing no more than £15.
Curriculum Manager for Services at Newbury College Rachael Elsey said, We were delighted to host the West Berkshire round of the nationally run Young Chef of the Year Competition. There was a real buzz amongst the young competitors who enjoyed the chance to test their skills in a commercial kitchen.
The winner of the local heat was Newbury College student Martin Fisher who will go on to compete at the Regional Final in February.