Celebrate with the Melodians the news that Terry Noel, the founder and leader of the Melodians Steel Orchestra UK, has been appointed by HM Queen Elizabeth II as an MBE in the New Year Honours for 2015 – for his services to Music.
Terry formed the Melodians in October 1987 and has been the Leader ever since. The Melodians is a ‘not for profit’ organisation and became a registered charity in 1994. The Melodians currently has 34 members with ages ranging from 11 to over 70.
The achievements of the Melodians in the past 27 years have been numerous and diverse. Among other things:
- They played at 8 successive Commonwealth Day services in Westminster Abbey
- They played at 14 consecutive BT Christmas concerts at the Royal Albert Hall
- They have played at a number of Royal Garden Parties
- The versatility of the orchestra’s repertoire has been recognised and it has received two Performing Rights Society Enterprise Awards, a Royal Anniversary Challenge Award and a BT Innovation Award
- They have travelled around the world to perform at music festivals, British Embassies for the Queen’s Birthday Parties and other events.
- In 2013 they travelled to Venice to participate in the 55th Venice International Art Biennale having recorded the background music for Jeremy Deller’s film ‘English Magic’ that was displayed in the British Pavilion.
- They also took part in the Making Music ‘Adopt a Composer’ scheme in 2011 and worked with Neil Luck on a new composition that was played on Radio 3 in early 2012.
- They played at the Paralympic Games torch relay in 2012
- They played at Windsor Castle for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012.
It is through the hard work and dedication of Terry Noel as their leader that all of this has been possible. He is the person with the vision to see the potential of a steel orchestra and he takes the initiative to constantly seek out new challenges. In his view nothing musical is impossible for the Melodians.
