A 26 minute documentary Directed by Corine Dhondee.

Executive Producer Christopher Hird.

Production Company Dartmouth Films.


In 1958 Duke Ellington met Queen Elizabeth II at a private reception to mark the bicentenary of Leeds Festival. The meeting inspired him to dedicate The Queen's Suite to her.


In 1959 one pressing was made and sent directly to Buckingham Palace. The suite, one of Ellington's most beautiful works, remained hidden from the public until after Ellington's death. In 1998 the Bob Wilber orchestra performed the Queen's Suite in Oldham.

Fifty years after Ellington wrote the suite, 27 year old Peter Edwards transcribes the suite from some scores and a record.


His dream is to perform the Queen's Suite to the Queen.



Tuesday 16 March 2010

The Queen's Suite in Dune Music's newsletter

Dune Music has a write-up about The Queen's Suite in it's newsletter.

'Corine Dhondee's film celebrating the performance of Duke Ellington's Queen's Suite has been accepted by the prestigious Kansas City Jazz FilmFest, running from April 14th-18th
The 26 minute documentary focuses on arranger/pianist Peter Edwards assembling and rehearsing the Tomorrow's Warriors Jazz Orchestra, and finally performing at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in Autumn 2009
The Queen's Suite is a rarely heard masterpiece by Ellington which was especially composed for the Queen of England in 1959.'

Read the write-up on the link below.

http://dune.posterous.com/the-queens-suite-for-kansas-jazz-filmfest






Saturday 13 March 2010

The Queen's Suite will screen at the KC Jazz Film Festival

Hey folks,

I opened my email this morning and what news, The Queen's Suite has been accepted to screen at the KC Jazz Film Festival in Kansas.



Isn't that great news?

For the moment that's all I can tell you because they are updating their web-site and that's all I've been told.


When I have more information I will send through the link.

The film festival has a long tradition in Kansas and although they like to show American documentaries the Queen's Suite was accepted.


The film festival is from April 14th - 18th 2010.

Today, on such a gloriously sunny day, I'm happy to tell you that The Queen's Suite will be premiering in Kansas.

It's fantastic news for Peter and The Tomorrow's Warriors Jazz Orchestra whose talent will be seen.

Enjoy your day,

Corine


Sunday 7 March 2010

What's happening?

Hello folks,

I received a lovely email today asking me how the film is going.

The film is in post-production.

I have done the edit, which I'm really happy with. The edit took about 12 weeks in total. I'm not a professional editor so I have no idea about colour grading, sound processing, titles and general tech issues.

But I have had a meeting with a professional editor who works at a production company in Soho.

He loved the film and he has agreed to do the final edit (all of the above).

That will happen next week and so the film is nearly completed.

I have to raise some funds to finish it and I'm hoping to do some of that through the web-site.

There are a lot of fun ways for people to get involved from one to ones with the Exec Producer who will take you to lunch at the exclusive Hospital and talk to you about how to make it in film, and he would know, having 20 years experience and also producing some great docs including this year The End of the Line, a doc that has changed public policy in the UK this year and also how supermarkets and restaurants buy fish.

Then there is a one to one session with Peter who will teach one lucky person piano, and then the award winning cinematographer Tunji will also share his skills on cinematography and lighting with one person and then I will be sharing my knowledge of how to direct a short with no budget. The popular Premises studios has offered a recording studio with an engineer.

So all of this plus more will be on offer to buy and all the fees made will go into the post-production of the film.

I'll keep you all posted on the progress of the web-site.

I hope you are all well.

All the best Corine