Ann-Marie Shaw

Catch the Stringwise Earlybird – today and tomorrow only

Helena Durham

DSC03287Stringwise bookings are flying in from people catching the earlybird price. This offer ends tomorrow, places will be £1.50 more from Thursday 5 October. Ann-Marie Shaw is Artistic Director of Stringwise, a playing experience for youngsters aged 7-18.  Whether you have only recently started playing the violin, viola, cello or double bass, or have been playing for years, there will be music you can play. You’ll practise in both a small group and DSC03198the big orchestra. All the music will be within your ability, whether you can play opens strings only or are up to Grade 6 (or more!) There will be plenty of people there to help you in every way. We’re sure you’ll have fun, and perhaps make new friends.

We send the music and a CD to you so you can look at your part and play along at home. There are then two days of rehearsals at Bluecoat Academy, Aspley, 4 & 5 November 2017. The following weekend you’ll have the amazing experience of performing in a concert at Nottingham’s Albert Hall, Sunday 12 November. All your family and friends can come to the concert, and no doubt give you a huge round of applause.

Click through for futher information and the booking button 

Did you know, Music for Everyone also has regular groups for young string players? There’s Strictly String for Grades 2-4 and the East Midlands Youth String Orchestra for players of Grade 5 and above. New members are always welcome.

 

A Trio of String News – Stringwise, Sheku and Strictly Strings

Helena Durham

sw3This weekend the youngsters of Stringwise will be polishing up their pieces for a family and friends’ concert on Sunday. Hopefully these musicians will have been inspired by local teenager and former Stringwise play, Sheku Kanneh Mason, winner of this year’s BBC Young Musician of the Year. As well as being quite a week for MfE’s young string players, it’s been quite a week for Sheku. He signed a record deal with Decca on a Nottingham City Transport bus! As you do, when you’re on your way home from your local Nottingham school. Congratulations!

As though Stringwise and Sheku weren’t enough letter Ss, we came over all aliterative and added Strictly Strings. Now there might not be a glitter ball, and there definitely won’t be judges, but there will be lots of fun in making music. Nottingham Strictly Strings is a new and exciting Music for Everyone group for young string players grades 2 to 5. The plan is for this to become a group that meets regularly, just like the East Midlands Youth String Orchestra for grades 5 and above.  To get the group up and running, there are going to be some FREE Taster Sessions run by the talented and lovely Ann-Marie Shaw, MfE’s String animateur.

When? Sunday 20 November, Sunday 18 December 2.00pm-5.00pm, with a break.

Where? Bluecoat Academy, Aspley Lane.

How do I book a place? Phone the MfE office 0115 958 9312 or email admin@music-for-everyone.org

Or for more information email: annmarie@music-for-everyone.org

And if your responsible adult forgets to book, never mind, just come along on either or both dates with your violin, viola, cello or double bass. And your bow, of course. Did we need to say that? Probably not.

 

NOW BOOKING – Blow the Dust off Your Instrument, and Nottingham Festival Chorus course and concert

Helena Durham

Feeling the chill of winter coming on? Warm it up by booking for one or both of our opportunities for adults, or tickets for the Festival Chorus Concert.

DSC01424Blow the Dust is for instrumentalists, including recorder players, on Saturday 7 January 2017 at Nottingham’s Albert Hall. We suggest Associated Board Grade 2 and above (or equivalent). You will play in different groupings of instruments to give you a wide and enjoyable experience during this orchestral playing day. If you play the recorder, any size of recorder, the ensemble meets in the afternoon only. For more details, click here.

What will we be playing?

The music has been chosen to give scope to players of all abilities and will include Berlioz’s rousing Hungarian March, Tchaikovsky’s lyrical Waltz from his Serenade for Strings especially arranged for full orchestra, the well known Trumpet Tune by Purcell and Elgar’s stirring Pomp and Circumstance March No 4.

There will also be items for windband (conductor Gill Henshaw) and string orchestra (conductor Ann-Marie Shaw). The recorder ensemble will have a varied diet of music carefully chosen by their conductor, Chris McDouall.

MfE-9839The Nottingham Festival Chorus event is spread over two weekends. The rehearsal course, always fun and a challenge to polish up those notes and your singing ability, will be led by Angela Kay, and takes place on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 January at the Bluecoat Academy, Aspley. The final rehearsal and concert are the following Saturday 4 February in the Albert Hall. For more details, click here.

What will we be singing?

This year, there are two works. One of the favourites of the choral music repertoire, Haydn’s Nelson Mass, which is packed full of memorable themes and classic choruses. And then, from the declamatory opening to the final exultant flourish of chorus and orchestra, Dvorak’s Te Deum is a joyous whirlwind of vitality and excitement! We are delighted to welcome Marcus Farnsworth as guest conductor of the concert. What a privilege and treat.

Concert: To book tickets for the Festival Chorus’s concert, click here.