#MfEMonday – 150th anniversary of Berlioz’s death

Music for Everyone

With this year being the 150th anniversary of the death of Hector Berlioz, we’re looking forward to performing Villanelle from his Les Nuits d’ete with Emma Brown at the Albert Hall on 12 October.

In contrast to the sinister psychopath in the BBC’s popular drama Killing Eve, Berlioz’s Villanelle is a carefree and flirtatious character who sings of love and the joys of spring!

The scoring of Villanelle is modest by Berlioz standards.  Berlioz was famed for his use of large orchestral forces (his last opera Les Troyens was so large it was never performed in his lifetime!), and his championing of unusual instruments such as the Octobass.

Click here to hear the Jaws theme played on the Octobass!!

https://www.cmuse.org/jaws-theme-octobass/

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

09/09/2019

admin@music-for-everyone.org

www.music-for-everyone.org | 0115 9589312

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

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#MfEMondays – Reflecting and Looking Forward

Music for Everyone

Well, what a year 2018/19 was for Music for Everyone! Here are just some of the office team’s favourite highlights from the past year:

Summer School – an amazing 3 days of music making celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing, all brilliantly captured on our blog by Helena (just in case you missed it!).

National Lottery Grant for Open Voices – an incredible £10,000 was awarded to MfE to help support the future of our 3 Open Voices groups.

Big Youth Music Experience – 6 months of events for young singers and players, culminating in the BIG weekend in July and plenty of radio/tv appearances (Robin’s a pro now!)

Sherwood Open Voices: Les Misérables – Sherwood Daytime Voices joined Open Voices for a spectacular performance of Les Mis, featuring solos from the choir members and amazing costumes for Sherwood Art Week, raising over £200 to boot for Open Voices!

The office is buzzing with the excitement of the new season starting soon, if you are in one of our regular groups, check out all the term dates on the website: http://www.music-for-everyone.org/whats-on/adult-music/ and http://www.music-for-everyone.org/whats-on/youth-music/

The Autumn term is filling up nicely and more details for events in 2020 (…yes, it really is 2020!…) will be coming out very soon. We’re looking forward to seeing you all over the next year for more MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS!

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

02/09/2019

admin@music-for-everyone.org

www.music-for-everyone.org | 0115 9589312

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

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#MfEMondays are Music for Everyone’s new weekly emails designed to keep you up to date with MfE events & to circulate interesting finds, special features, and motivational moments for your Mondays! We are aiming to send out something new each week.

To subscribe, please email admin@music-for-everyone.org

#MfEMondays – East Midlands Music Making

Music for Everyone

Welcome back! We hope all that attended the Summer School last week enjoyed it as much as we did – what a Voyage of Discovery we had! If you missed any of the action, we had a blog running over the 3 days which can be seen on our website – lots of great photos too! http://www.music-for-everyone.org/about-us/blog/

After a few days off, the MfE team is back and looking forward to the next season of music-making, we will be bringing you full details very soon!

In the meantime… why don’t you check out some of the other musical events happening in the East Midlands? We regularly promote 3rd party events and opportunities through a special page on our website – take a look for yourself, or perhaps a family member, there are opportunities for adult and youth alike!

https://www.music-for-everyone.org/whats-on/third-party-events-and-opportunities/

  • The Great British Bake Off starts again next week, have a look at these very realistic ‘too good to eat’ musical cakes! Musical cakes
  • Musical Joke of the Week:

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

19/08/2019

admin@music-for-everyone.org

www.music-for-everyone.org | 0115 9589312

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

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#MfEMondays are Music for Everyone’s new weekly emails designed to keep you up to date with MfE events & to circulate interesting finds, special features, and motivational moments for your Mondays! We are aiming to send out something new each week.

To subscribe, please email admin@music-for-everyone.org

Summer School 2019, Day 3 Part 2: The final countdown!

Music for Everyone

There was a buzz in the air all day in anticipation of the evening’s performance. Morning and afternoon, instrumental and choral pieces were given a final polish in both the individual and combined groups.

The lunchtime recital was a real treat, given by professional guitarists Saki Kato and Hugh Milington – the Miyabi Duo. Their performance of music spanning several centuries revealed the variety of styles and sounds possible from the guitar, including the use of both body and strings as percussive elements. Like other performers at previous Summer Schools, Hugh had participated in MfE activities as a youngster, though not as a player but a singer!

As you can imagine, arranging a hall to accomodate 150+ performers in wind band, string orchestra, full orchestra and choir formation, with three conducting points, four conductors, two pianos, an organ, two sets of timpani, lots of percussion and a table for tuned wine glasses, while still leaving space for a solist and audience of family and friends, takes some time and is no mean feat, but we did it.

Getting ready for the final rehearsal.

The performance of music reflecting this year’s theme of ‘Voyages of Discovery’ – both in space (Now you understand this blog post’s title!) and at sea – was well received. Everyone sang and played with great enthusism. It’s amazing how much can be accomplished in three days of intensive rehearsal with great tutors and conductors. Of course there were a few wrong notes, but there was always the right spirit in the music and the opportunity to perform, which is what Music for Everyone is all about.

The String Orchestra enjoyed a rare opportunity for an amateur group – playing a concerto with a professional soloist. Conductor Abi Smith and leader Isobel Bounford ensured a wonderful balance between orchestra and soloist, Hugh Millington, leading to a beautiful performance of Vivaldi’s Guitar Concerto.

The concert ended with a mighty fine I vow to thee my country by all performers and audience – this was within the full orchestra’s rendition of Holst’s Jupiter, which included particularly splendid horn playing.

At every great event, much goes on behind the scenes to ensure everything runs smoothly and each participant has a great experience. MfE office staff Amy and Kirstie packed away the urns after the final break having made and served several thousand cups of coffee and tea. (Not forgetting putting out hundreds of biscuits that always disappeared within a few minutes.) They then turned their hands to playing percussion in the evening concert, alongside ‘Events’ Anne tootling her flute and Executive Director Robin compering the evening. And somehow, inbetween and after all that, they collected, set up and served the farewell buffet, then cleared EVERYTHING away until the High School was as though we had never been there.

Huge thanks go to them all, and to conductors Hilary Campbell, Gill Henshaw, Angela Kay and Abi Smith, recitalists and workshop leaders, Richard Cox – THE most amazing accompanist, Nottingham High School for being such fab hosts, and to every participant. We hope you had a great time.

Hilary encouraged the choir to ‘be more Hollywood, less British’, so it seems fitting to say ‘It’s a wrap’ for Summer School 2019! We’ll be back next year with Summer School 2020.

Summer School 2019, Day 2: Zorro and the Bumble Bee!

Music for Everyone

Rehearsals for all groups continued throughout the day. Hilary Campbell had the singers drawing the Z of Zorro with imaginery swords – one swiped line for each triplet note to ensure the perfect rhythm of three against two.

Hilary also rehearsed the string orchestra for the works accompanying the choir, with MfE’s Abi Smith taking and inspiring the group’s other rehearsals.

Today’s recital, given by Zephyr Winds – five professional players with national and international careers – was a virtuosic display of the colour and versatility of flute, clarinet, obe, horn and bassoon. The playing was by turn dramatic, tender and comical – particularly superb were the animal sounds in Jim Parker’s Les Animeaux. Director Chris Swann dazzled on clarinet in the world premier of an arrangment by Matthew Lax (MfE’s Treasurer and Trustee) of Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Flight of the Bumble Bee. Phew!

Lunchtime recital – Zephyr Winds

Each member of the quintet led a workshop for small groups of Summer School players – brass, oboes, bassoons, flutes, clarinets and saxophones. These groups then performed their workshopped pieces to each other. This was in addition to the players rehearsing as a windband with MfE’s Gill Henshaw, and then with the strings in the full orchestra.

The visiting professionals offer Summer School participants unique access to leading players, singers and conductors. There are opportunities to ask them for advice about individual issues or technique in general. But the days are not all work – there are refreshment breaks morning and afternoon, and today’s sunshine meant outdoor lunch for many. There is time to chat with friends, meet new people and browse the stalls, including Windblowers’ array of instruments.

You can hear the improvement all the tuition and rehearsing is bringing about. Players and singers are developing confidence in performing their own lines, listening more carefully to each other to create a blended sound, and adding in not only the dynamic and expressive effects written into the score, but the emotion that turns notes into music and a collection of individuals into a band, orchestra or choir. Tomorrow’s concert audience is in for a treat.

Today’s interesting fact: Oboes are not automatically always in tune!
An oboe gives the note for the band or orchestra to tune to because its sound is clear and carries. To enure the note given is spot on, the responsible oboist must first warm their instrument and tune to a perfect A by using a tuning fork.

Click for biographies of the staff of MfE at the Summer School

Additional photos can be found on our Facebook page.

Summer School 2019, Day 1: Pastries and Tummies!

Music for Everyone

This morning Music for Everyone’s three-day Summer School got underway once more, but at a new venue – Nottingham High School. About 150 instrumentalists and singers arrived looking cheery, pleased to have overcome the absence of trams and the road closures. Or perhaps at the prospect of fresh coffee and pastries…

The day was filled with a rich variety of rehearsals and workshops in preparation for Wednesday’s concert performance. The repertoire for all groups has been themed to complement the 50th anniversaries of both the moon landing and Sir Robin Knox-Johnson’s circumnavigation of the globe.

Fly me to the moon, and let me play among the stars!

More about the wind band and strings tomorrow – today’s focus is on the choir. Angela Kay, Music for Everyone’s founder and artistic director, led the singers through warm ups and into Ola Gjeilo’s Across the Vast Eternal Sky (one of her favourites, apparently). Then she had everyone swinging Fly me to the Moon before ending the morning with a first go at Handel’s Let their celestial concerts, superbly accompanied by Richard Cox. 

Lunch was followed by a recital and workshop with mens’ vocal quartet Scaramella. They entertained us with snatches and glees from 18th century gentlemen’s clubs – as you might imagine, the lyrics featured much wine and were at times on the naughty side! The workshop stretched the singers physically and vocally, and everyone enjoyed exploring Pearsall’s poignant Lay a Garland.

After a cuppa, Jane McDouall, fresh from the south, returned to a warm welcome and led a singing technique session followed by a Q+A. Everyone will be breathing (inhaling, Jane prefers) with shoulders down and the right muscles in play tomorrow. ‘Basically,’ Jane said, ‘there’s no point trying to hold your tummy in and look good if you want to have breath for singing!’ The choir is looking forward to Tuesday’s arrival of visiting conductor and choral director, Hilary Campbell.

“Let those tummy muscles go!”

#MfEMondays – Office Holidays!

Music for Everyone

Just a little #MfEMonday to say…

Next week, the MfE Office will be closed due to all staff attending our annual Summer School from Monday to Wednesday, followed by a well-deserved few days off before preparing for our new season! However, all 3 of our Bookwise shops (City Centre, Southwell and Newark) will still be open and if you are still in need of a good book for your holidays, why not pop in and say hello to our lovely volunteers!

All the book shops stock a wide range of reading material, from dictionaries to novels, biographies to cookbooks – as well as sheet music for all abilities and CDs.

The Summer School will be taking place in the beautiful Nottingham High School and we are really looking forward to a fantastic 3 days of music-making. We also have talented special guests Scaramella, Hilary Campbell, the Miyabi Duo and Zephyr joining us to take workshops and recitals. The Lunchtime Recital Series and Summer School Showcase Concert are open to all so why not pop along! http://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/ss-concerts-19/

PROMS THEME!

  • The Proms 2019 are off! Click here to find out 10 extraordinary facts about the history.
  • Ever wondered what the conductor looks like during a performance to the orchestra? Click here to see 10 conductors having the time of their lives at the 2017 Proms…!

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

05/08/2019

admin@music-for-everyone.org
www.music-for-everyone.org | 0115 9589312
10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

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#MfEMondays are Music for Everyone’s new weekly emails designed to keep you up to date with MfE events & to circulate interesting finds, special features, and motivational moments for your Mondays! We are aiming to send out something new each week.

To subscribe, please email admin@music-for-everyone.org

#MfEMondays – “My last #MfEMonday…”

Music for Everyone

No particular theme for today’s #MfEMonday, just another place to share some news!

As always, please continue to send through your events & happenings to admin@music-for-everyone.org as would love to feature them.

Summer School
You can now book your lunchtime recitals and concert + buffet tickets online and through the MfE Box Office.

Open Voices
At Friday’s Open Voices Les Misérables concert over £200 was raised through generous donations. Thank you so much, and huge congrats to Open Voices. Here’s to your future!

Third Party Events page
Playing in any concerts? Looking for new members for your group? Want to see events happening near you? Our Third Party Events page on our website is chock-full of upcoming concerts and opportunities. Email admin@music-for-everyone.org if you have anything you’d like to advertise for FREE!

My last #MfEMonday…
“It has been my absolute pleasure to work for MfE as Adult Programme Assistant/Marketing Officer for the past 6 months. Angela + the office team have made me feel so welcome and I will forever be grateful for my time here! Rest assured I will continue to be a part of the excellent courses + concerts for as long as I can, but oh, how I will miss writing the #MfEMondays!!! All the best for the future, see everyone at Summer School!”

– Amy Howe

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

29/07/2019

admin@music-for-everyone.org
www.music-for-everyone.org | 0115 9589312
10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

Like us on Facebook
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#MfEMondays are Music for Everyone’s new weekly emails designed to keep you up to date with MfE events & to circulate interesting finds, special features, and motivational moments for your Mondays! We are aiming to send out something new each week.

To subscribe, please email admin@music-for-everyone.org

#MfEMondays – Over the Moon!

Music for Everyone

A Tuesday #MfEMonday for you (it’ll make your week feel shorter!)…

Yesterday the MfE Office was dominated with the upcoming Summer School – music has been sent out to 150 excited participants, in preparation for three glorious days of music-making at Nottingham High School this August!

I’m sure you’ve all heard about our Summer School, and this one certainly is not one to miss. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, we have a stellar repertoire list everyone can enjoy, including Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra, the theme from The Onedin Line, an arrangement of Jupiter, Ola Gjeilo’s Across the Vast, Eternal Sky, the classic Fly Me To The Moon and more!

We also have talented special guests Scaramella, Hilary Campbell, the Miyabi Duo and Zephyr joining us to take workshops and recitals.

There is more information with a full repertoire list on the Summer School website. We are super excited for our 5thSummer School and hope to see you there!

On another equally as exciting note, Music for Everyone is delighted to announce that we have received a grant for our Open Voices initiative, all thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund!

This grant will support the group as it grows and continues to enlighten the lives of individuals and their communities.

Keeping the space-theme, we are OVER THE MOON to accept this grant!

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

23/07/2019

admin@music-for-everyone.org
www.music-for-everyone.org | 0115 9589312
10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

Like us on Facebook
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*Support us with easyfundraiser*

#MfEMondays are Music for Everyone’s new weekly emails designed to keep you up to date with MfE events & to circulate interesting finds, special features, and motivational moments for your Mondays! We are aiming to send out something new each week.

To subscribe, please email admin@music-for-everyone.org