Sounds/Roland Competition Prize Giving

A Christmas morning atmosphere pervaded Roland's Brentford offices on Friday 13th June. Far from being Black Friday it was a very lucky day indeed for the five winners of the February Sounds/Roland Competition.

The prizes, worth £4,314, were enough to equip a whole band and the winners, who were all keen young musicians had to answer a series of questions on Roland products and complete a tie-breaker.

The picture shows (left to right): Tim Vincent accepting a prize of a C60K keyboard amplifier, Boss PC, HC2 and DB11 music conductor on behalf of the winner Graham Gartside of Hoylake, Merseyside; Nick Capon of Reading who won a TR727 latin percussion rhythm unit; Roland Sales Director Fred Mead who presented the prizes; Peter Steer of Warlingham, Surrey who won an Axis-1 remote keyboard; Stephen Cluett of Southampton whose prize was an SCL60 guitar amp, Boss CE2 chorus, VB2 vibrato, DR110 rhythm machine and a TU12 tuner; Simon Okotie of Swaffham, Norfolk who won the first prize of an MKB300 mother keyboard and an MKS10 piano module.

Fred said that I wasn't to use the photograph of him with an extremely grateful Nick Capon but I must maintain my editorial independence. I only hope I can maintain my employment at the same time! Anybody gotta job?

TSB Rock School Competition

No sooner have the last chords died away at the National Final of TSB Rock School 1986, than plans are already underway for the Seventh Competition. Roger Davies, National Organiser, reports.

Each year this unique event attracts hundreds of schools and thousands of young people, providing a platform for youngsters to show the enormous wealth of creativity and talent they have to offer. Prizes are worth over £6,000 and this year BBC's 'Saturday Superstore' was there to record the event for a twenty five minute transmission ten days later.

The ever increasing changes in high tech musical instruments means the Rock School Organisers and road crew have to keep abreast of developments. The young musicians we meet keep us on our toes.

Roland (UK) Ltd supports TSB Rock School with their excellent range of keyboards for young competitors to use on stage all over the country. The TSB Rock School Teacher Workshops held each year also provide an opportunity for music teachers to get to grips with the latest developments in music making. Here too, Roland provide us with valuable advice and equipment.

The Roland equipment we used this year included the JX8P, SDE3000 Echo, SEQ315 Graphics, and SRA2400 Amps, together with other ancillary pieces of equipment.

It is fitting that 'Etiquette', winners of TSB Rock School 1986 have two excellent keyboard players. One of them Neil Best (pictured) certainly used Roland to rock to success.

For further information about the Seventh TSB Rock School Competition write to: Roger Davies, National Organiser, (Contact Details)

Synth Contest Winners Tape

A compilation of "The Winners' Pieces" from Roland's 9th Synthesizer Tape Contest is now available on cassette.

The tape features fourteen recordings produced by a unique selection of professional and amateur talent from the USA, West Germany, France, Austria, Japan, and the UK winner: Mr Stephen Godsall with his entry entitled 'The Sign of Four'.

The prize winning synthesists, with ages ranging from 14 to 37, have produced a wide variety of musical styles and sound effects covering pop and hip-hop to 'new age' and classical including a feline dance called the 'Walzing Cat' to an interpretation of the 'Alla Hornpipe (D-dur)' from 'Wassermusik' performed by a junior school synthesizer orchestra.

The cassette is available at £4.95 (inc postage & packing, overseas orders add £1] from Synsound (Dept. STC), (Contact Details).