Pecha Kucha hits Manchester!
Tuesday 1st December 2009 saw the very first Pecha Kucha (PK) night in Manchester. The evening was organised by Andrew Thorp and Phil Harris and on the night, 11 presenters talked about a wide range of subjects to a packed out Contact Theatre on Oxford Road, Manchester.
PK is a social phenomenon running in 260 cities globally and presenters get just 6 minutes and 40 seconds to get their message across by constructing 20 Powerpoint slides, each rotating every 20 seconds. This means it’s a great way for speakers to connect with the audience and gives presentations a nice rhythm as if telling a story around something you are truly passionate about.
Neil Firth of The Vocal Group gave the final presentation of the evening, uncovering the myths of where ‘barbershop’ harmony first started and how it really got its name. He also talked through the progress it has made in attracting many younger singers to this unique style of a cappella singing, and how the techniques are being used to great effect in The Vocal Group’s Corporate Training programmes.
The second half of the presentation included a demonstration of how the 4 harmony parts come together to create the ‘lock and ring’ specific to barbershop harmony. Two members of the current British Association of Barbershop Singers Bronze Medal quartet ‘Celebration’ were on hand to ably assist with the singing, along with Neil and another member of the Cottontown Chorus from Bolton.
A thoroughly enjoyable experience not to be missed and the singing helped lift the spirits of an already excited and enthusiastic audience.