A local performing arts and specialist education hub has joined forces with Tamworth Arts and Events. 

Riverside Studios in Kingsbury will be collaborating with Tamworth Arts and Events which will see industry professionals teaching students at the historic Assembly Rooms in the town. 

Subject to Government coronavirus guidelines and restrictions, From Spring 2021, the beautiful and newly refurbished Assembly Rooms will be the ‘On Location’ venue for RockSchool vocal, music and performing arts courses.  Lucky students will be training at this historic and fully functioning theatre as part of their courses, as well as at the state-of-the-art music and vocal rooms at the studios In Kingsbury.  The Assembly Rooms will also be the official ‘Home’ venue for Britain’s Got Talent Finalists The D-Day Darlings where they will perform exclusive shows.

Katie Ashby, Director of RockSchool at Riverside studios and lead singer of the D-Day Darlings said, ‘We are thrilled to announce the collaboration with Tamworth Arts and Events. There will be more announcements in the next few weeks of how this collaboration is going to open a whole world of opportunity and create some wonderful moments for the whole of our community and beyond! Having the RockSchool on location venue will give students the opportunity to learn and train in a professional theatre setting surrounded decades of history.’

Industry professionals Annabel Williams, voice coach for The X Factor, and Shaun Paul Smith, choreographer for The Voice UK, are just two of the coaches who will be leading the sessions.  

The Assembly Rooms were first opened more than 125 years ago on October 8, 1889, and the building has just undergone its most significant transformation to date with a massive £5million redevelopment. The project was supported by the Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Local Enterprise Partnership, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England, Tamworth Borough Council and Staffordshire County Council.

As well as preserving and celebrating the building’s magnificent heritage, the project has also ensured the theatre is fit for 21^st century audiences.

Adey Ramsel, theatre, artistic and events manager, said: “We’re really excited to be teaming up with RockSchool and the amazing nationally-renowned D-Day Darlings and look forward to welcoming them to their new home theatre next year.

“Nurturing young local talent is one of our core ambitions at the Assembly Rooms, so it’s great that the RockSchool students will be able to rehearse in our beautiful theatre. Although the theatre is closed at the moment due to the coronavirus pandemic, there’s lots of work happening behind the scenes to get plans in place for when we do re-open, including creating exciting new partnerships such as this one.”

RockSchool Director Katie has worked in the entertainment industry for over 25 years and is the founding member and lead singer of the The D-Day Darlings who found fame on Britain’s Got Talent in 2018.  Katie is also signed to one of the biggest record labels in the world – Sony Music UK – achieving major chart success and a BRIT award for smash hit album “I’ll Remember you”, reaching number 5 in the Official UK album charts.

Katie, who is passionate about passing on all her years of experience & knowledge to aspiring performers & artistes, will be awarding TWO OUTSTANDING RockSchool scholarships, commencing November 2020 to April 2021, to new students who show passion, commitment and potential! One scholarship will be awarded to a vocal or performance student and one will go to a music student!

New students who sign up for lessons and courses before RockSchool opens on November the 2nd, will be in with a chance of gaining this outstanding scholarship. Students will also need to attend one of our FREE open days on 18th and 25th October and our RockStudent Enrolment & Scholarship Assessment day on 1st November. The lucky recipients of the scholarship will be announced that evening, before the curtain rises on RockSchool the very next day!!!

Book a Lesson or Course Now

Revival Live and Riverside Studios, home of Britain’s Got Talent finalists The D Day Darlings and this year’s auditionees The D Day Juniors, have appointed a new Head of PR and Marketing.

Verity Brown joins the team from Premiership Rugby Club Wasps where until recently she was Marketing Manager. 

Verity formed a friendship with Katie Ashby, Founder and Lead Singer of the D Day Darlings back in 2019 when they first met at the Ricoh Arena.

Katie, who is also Director of Riverside Studios and Revival Live said;

‘Verity and I formed a firm friendship after she brought The D Day Darlings in to perform at a Wasps Rugby matchday at the Ricoh Arena. With her grandfather being a Dunkirk hero, Verity completely understands the importance of what we do. She is a complete one off with amazing energy and enthusiasm. She has years of experience, lots of skills along with a passion and belief in our brand. We cannot think of anyone else we’d rather have join the team. I’m over the moon to have Verity on board and I was thrilled when she accepted the position.’

Verity joined Wasps back in 2015 after volunteering for them for 8 months and prior to that she held roles within the retail, recruitment and training sectors. 

‘Redundancy from Wasps due to the impact of COVID 19 came as a huge blow as I truly loved my time there,’ said Verity. ‘I started looking for other opportunities fearing I would never find a role as exhilarating or as exciting. Katie contacted me as soon as she heard that I was available, and we talked about what role I could play within the business.  I am incredibly excited to be joining the team. The vision, passion and creativity of everyone here is amazing and I feel so privileged to be part of this exciting journey.’

After announcing a shift to remote one-to-one vocal sessions, Riverside Studios has been inundated with requests for our industry-pro coaches to offer a wider variety of classes to keep them entertained. So, we have an exciting new addition to our offerings… drama!

Our existing students will already be aware of our fun Musical Theatre sessions, which we usually run here at our performance academy led by our amazing MT coach, Richard Hazlewood.

Rich is not only an experienced tutor but an accomplished triple-threat performer in his own right, having sang, acted and danced in many well-known stage productions at theatres and other entertainment venues across the country and overseas, find out more by watching this short video.

And now, Rich is bringing his impressive skills and knowledge to deliver one-to-one drama lessons online to our students remotely. Each session will be held over Skype video, meaning students can access high quality creative arts training without having to leave their home.

Why take up drama?

In these difficult times of lockdown and isolation, it’s important to keep occupied for your own mental health and wellbeing. We appreciate that many will be unsettled by current events but we’re firm believers in turning negatives into positives and so join us by taking this opportunity to learn new skills and have fun at the same time.

As well as reducing feelings of isolation, other proven benefits to taking up drama include:

• helps to improve trust, behaviour, communication and social skills
• provides clarity to inner experiences, encouraging a greater self-understanding
• offers healthy and creative ways to explore personal experiences and express feelings
• makes use of all the senses
• reduces self-consciousness and resistance
• improves confidence and creates positive self-esteem
• relief from anxiety or depression

Why Riverside Rockdown?

With Riverside, you’re in the best hands, with an experienced coach who will lay out a lesson plan to suit your skills level and go at a pace that accommodates your requirements.

Without having to leave your house, you can access professional training and learn various performance techniques, such as role playing, improvisation, storytelling and projective play. Then, when we’re all ready to return to normality, you have the opportunity to either come and tread the boards of our state-of-the-art studio where you can act out your new skills in person, or you can continue learning remotely at home.

Sound fun?

Well it certainly will be so what are you waiting for? Get in touch now to sign up for your induction lesson and start your excitingly dramatic #RiversideRockdown journey!

The past few weeks have been unlike any we’ve ever known and we know how difficult it is to keep young Rockstars entertained… even if the Easter Bunny has managed to drop off a parcel of choccy goodies!

That’s why Riverside Studios has put together a boredom-busting book packed with puzzles, jokes and vocal exercises to while away a few hours in true #RiversideRockdown style.

All you need to do is download and print the document via the link below, grab some colouring pens or pencils and find a spot in your house or garden. Then, get exercising those brain cells with these fun and creative Rockdown activities!

 

? RIVERSIDE ROCKDOWN ACTIVITY PACK ?

In light of recent events, the team at Riverside Studios have been encouraged to explore new and innovative ways to continue delivering our professional vocal sessions.

Though our doors may be closed for a while, students will still be able to carry on with their lesson plans as our industry pro coaches take their sessions online, bringing the same high-quality one-to-one vocal training through video calls via Skype.

Not only is this welcome news to Riverside’s existing students who get to avoid any interruptions to their progress, it also means that anyone who would like to start their own singing journey can do so in their comfort of their own home.

Why start singing now?

Whether you’re in self-isolation or full lockdown, there are many physical and mental benefits to taking up vocal lessons. Singing can:

• help strengthen your immune system
• give your lungs a workout
• improve your posture
• lower your stress levels and help
• improve the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain
• enhance mental alertness, concentration, and your memory
• help build confidence

At these unprecedented times of being indoors for long periods of time, singing can also stave off boredom and interacting with our coaches on a regular basis will help you to avoid feeling lonely.

Why Riverside Rockdown?

At Riverside Studios, we carefully select our coaches to ensure our students have access to the best musical education with experienced performers who cover a wide range of styles, techniques and repertoires.

Each vocal coach is trained to the highest standard, with knowledge across all areas of the music industry and have been highly accomplished performers in their own rights. They have all performed alongside well-known artistes and bands, at prestigious venues worldwide, and they apply all the knowledge they’ve gained throughout their careers to show students how they too can achieve their dreams through a tailored learning plan.

Whether you’re considering taking up a new hobby, or want to progress your singing career, you’re in the best hands with our team of leading industry professionals – and now you can receive one-to-one training remotely through our Riverside Rockdown programme.

Want to start your singing journey?

Click here to find out more about our vocal academy, and if you’d like more information about our Riverside Rockdown programme, sign up below and you’ll receive a FREE inspirational video guide.

Featuring our director, Katie Ashby, who you may also recognise from The D-Day Darlings, the video will include breathing exercises, vocal warm-ups along with technique tips and demonstrations.

Katie will also explain how you can achieve a successful singing career, giving an exclusive insight into her experience on Britain’s Got Talent and what it was like being signed to Sony Records where she recorded and written original songs with top music producers.

Keep Calm and Carry on Singing with #RiversideRockdown – SIGN UP NOW