East of England Singers

10th October 20152nd December 2015 Music for Everyone

Having founded the Nottingham Choral Trust (now Music for Everyone) in 1983, Angela decided that a permanent chamber choir might add to the confidence of the Nottingham Festival Chorus and enable even more challenging works to be sung. In 1985 she formed an auditioned group, the East of England Singers (EOES), originally intended to perform for part of each season with the East of England Orchestra (now Sinfonia Viva) – hence the name.

2015 EOES

Some of the current choir have been members ever since, and in June 2015 the choir celebrated its thirtieth birthday with a reunion choir performance of Bach’s magnificent Mass in B minor. Members often say that EOES is the friendliest choir they have ever sung with. We work hard not just at our singing but also for Music for Everyone, with most of us contributing something to other groups, both adult and youth: Tea makers, cake bakers, shop runners, Bookwise helpers, blog writers, programme note writers, tour organisers, membership secretaries, accounts, NFC accompanist, Daytime Voices and Vocals! conductors, accompanists and helpers, recorder players, organist, violinist, harpsichordist, staging, lighting, sound, photography etc. You name it, we do it!

Our next concert is very soon. Saturday 17 October, 7.30pm, St John’s Church, Mansfield Rd, Carrington, Nottingham. The programme, spanning almost three centuries, comprises sacred and secular works that vary in mood from sombre to joyful, and in sound from gentle and melodious to rhythmic and dramatic. There will be trumpets and drums, other brass and wind instruments and, of course, the choir. We would be delighted to see you there and for you to enjoy music by Purcell, Stravinsky, Mozart and Bruckner.

Click here to see the programme and for tickets.

More about EOES and joining the choir.

Angela Kay – a very worthy recipient

9th October 20152nd December 2015 Music for Everyone

The 2015 Lady Hilary Groves Prize for outstanding contribution to music in the community is awarded to Music for Everyone’s founder and artistic director, Angela Kay MBE.

Many congratulations, Angela, we (singers and instrumentalist, staff and supporters) are delighted that your commitment to inclusive music making in Nottinghamshire since 1983 has been recognised once again. Thank you for enriching the lives of so many people with great music making and infectious enthusiasm.

Follow the link to read all about it: Making Music: Lady Hilary Groves Prize 2015

Angela being applauded by the audience, orchestra and choir after conducting Bach’s Mass in B minor, June 2015

Simply Romantic – the workshop

7th October 20152nd December 2015 Music for Everyone

As the Indian Summer continued, over 100 singers enjoyed a day of Romantic choral music. There was a relaxed and cheerful mood to the day. For example, Angela said Mendelssohn’s Grant us thy Peace was so beautiful she would like it to be sung at her funeral!

P1110399 It was good to have time to look at the pieces in depth and learn some singing techniques. Angela and Alex talked about the importance of supporting the breath with those abdominal muscles. (Did anyone see Strictly? Weren’t there some abs on view!) We considered the importance of posture, and how to lift the sounds of our voices from strangled-cat in the throat to beautiful and resonating in the mouth.

After the tea break we muddled up to sit next to someone singing any part but our own. This encouraged us to listen to the other parts and blend with them, while also concentrating on our performance – no hanging onto the sound-tails of our neighbours! Although a little daunting, it proved enjoyable. The tuning improved and there was more expression and musicality. Angela stopped conducting to encourage us to listen to each other even more. The front two rows then turned round and faced the back three and we sang the piece again, just as a small group would do. Fantastic.

The next Nottingham Festival Chorus event will be the January course for the February concert of Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis. Angela enthused about what a great work it is but also mentioned that it is one of the harder pieces in the choral repertoire, and so singers will need to be well prepared before the course: no sight reading on the first day of the course! Singing done, we went home to the rugby. Nuff said.

Simply Romantic – Tchaikovsky, the Legend

29th September 20152nd December 2015 Music for Everyone

“Inspiration is a guest that does not willingly visit the lazy.” Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) was a prolific composer: ballet scores, e.g. Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, concerti for the violin and piano, six symphonies and other orchestral works. He wrote songs, instrumental music and opera, the best known of which is Eugene Onegin. He was a troubled man from a young age until his death. Whether he died from natural causes or suicide remains a point of conjecture. He wrote music of passion and deep emotion, but by no means all melancholic. Music, it’s good for the soul.

The original version of Legend (Легенда) (also known as Crown of Roses), which we will be singing on Saturday, appeared first in Tchaikovsky’s 1882 collection, 16 Songs for Children. He arranged it for SATB chorus in 1889. The words tell a legendary story of children meeting with Jesus. The verses foreshadow the Easter story, yet the piece is often sung at Christmas, perhaps because it begins “When Jesus Christ was yet a child”.

No doubt we will be looking at how to make the oh so important opening of Legend sound beautiful. ‘When’ is not an easy word to start on, it can easily sound from too far back, in the throat and a bit strangled. The soft and breathy consonants of ‘wh’ can be lost. A further problem is that the note for both ‘When’ and ‘Je-‘ is the same, and whenever a note is repeated, there is a risk that the second occurrence will come out a shade flat. This can be compounded by a descending phrase, which is just what the sopranos have. Preventing the tuning slipping downwards comes by supporting the breath with the body – firm up those abs and support the diaphragm folks – and the mind. The mind? Yes! Think up and hold up, and all being well the notes will stay in tune. See what you think of the opening in this version:

This is the final Simply Romantic blog post before the day itself, but you might like to take a look at these videos in the meantime. See you all on Saturday, we’re looking forward to it. There will be a review entry of the day itself and then news about the East of England Singers’ concert on the 17th of October at St John’s, Carrington – Purcell, Mozart, Bruckner and Stravinsky. Voices, drums, woodwind and brass. Not to be missed!

(If you are reading this blog post in the emailed format, the video of Legend may not show. Click through to the website to watch it.)

Simply Romantic – Prince Igor

28th September 20152nd December 2015 Music for Everyone

For a change of mood and style, let’s go to the opera. Alexander Borodin was a doctor and chemistry professor at the St Petersburg Academy of Medicine. This left him with little time for composition, and though he worked on his vibrant opera, Prince Igor, for 18 years, he was unable to complete it before his death in 1887, aged 54. Thankfully, his composer friends Rimsky-Korsakov and Glazunov set to work on Borodin’s manuscript.

‘Glazunov … was to fill in all the gaps in Act III and write down from memory the Overture played so often by the composer, while I was to orchestrate, finish composing, and systematise all the rest that had been left …’ (from Rimsky-Korskov’s Chronicle of My Musical Life, 1909)

From the LBSO programme notes: Prince Igor is based on a Russian epic from the twelfth century. It recounts the story of the heroic Russian warrior, Prince Igor, who goes to war with the Polovtsi, a Tatar warrior tribe. When a sudden eclipse of the sun foreshadows the defeat of Igor’s army, the Prince is captured by the Polovtsi’s Khan, who attempts to seduce Igor into joining forces with him by means of the sensuous dancing of the Polovtsian slave maidens. Igor, however, manages to escape and rejoin his faithful wife.

We’ll be singing two choruses from the Act that includes the Polovtsian slaves – so up to 5mins 45seconds in the video, but enjoy the rest if you have time to. Might there be dancing on Saturday? Who knows!

Simply Romantic – Rachmaninov or Rachmaninoff?

25th September 20152nd December 2015 Music for Everyone

Sergey or Sergei? Rachmaninov or Rachmaninoff? The information suggests his family, part of the Russian pre-revolution bourgeoise, spelled their surname the first way originally but changed it on leaving Russia for the West in 1917. Having lost everything in the revolution, Sergei, his wife and children, travelled to Sweden by open sled. He took with him just a few notebooks containing sketches of his compositions. Though born in Russia in 1873, he died in Beverley Hills in 1943 having become an American citizen only a few weeks earlier. Thankfully he had travelled to Europe and the States to perform and conduct whilst still living in Russia, so he found a welcome (and the gift of a Steinway grand piano) awaiting him abroad.

Rachmaninoff was a highly talented pianist and composer. His hands were so large he could play, with one hand, chords that spanned 12 white piano keys.

We believe the following story is true, and as it’s a good one, we’ll share it:

At a concert in New York, Rachmaninoff was accompanying the violinist Fritz Kreisler. During the performance Kreisler lost his place in the music, sidled over to Rachmaninoff and said, ‘Where are we?’ Rachmaninoff replied, ‘I don’t know where you are, but I’m in Carnigie Hall.’

The photo, from AP Photo, shows him playing for his granddaughter, Sophie, in 1927.

Rachmaninoff’s dates make him a late Romantic; his music remained rooted in the Russia of his early life. Ave Maria, which we’ll be looking at during Simply Romantic, comes from his Vespers (All-night Vigil), composed during the turmoils of 1915. The title Ave Maria suggests we’ll be singing it in Latin rather than the original Russian, but you never know what Angela and Alex have in store for us…! Have a listen to both versions. What do you think about the different marriages of language and music? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment box below. First Russian:

Now Latin:

(Watch out for the choirboy singing while holding a bunch of flowers !?!)

Simply Romantic – the music

25th September 20152nd December 2015 Music for Everyone

What shall we be singing during the Simply Romantic workshop? (Saturday 3rd October)

Well, a variety of pieces including Dvořák’s Kyrie from his Mass in D major, Rachmaninoff’s Ave Maria, Tchaikovsky’s Legend, Mendelssohn’s Grant us thy Peace and opera choruses, including extracts from Borodin’s Prince Igor.

Antonín Leopold Dvořák

Born September 8, 1841, in Nelahozeves, Bohemia
Died May 1, 1804, in Prague

Although Dvořák learnt to play the piano and violin (later viola) at an early age, the organ became his main instrument of study. As he built his career in music, he played his various instruments in restaurants and churches, at balls, for theatres, the opera and concerts – everything from folk music to classical. By the late 1870s he was earning enough from prizes and commissions to devote more time to composition than to playing and teaching.

YouTube is a great source of performances, some with video, some without. Some good, some not so good. They can be useful when learning a piece or just to sing along with for the fun of it. First up, Dvořák’s Kyrie.

Simply Romantic – Saturday 3rd October

23rd September 20152nd December 2015 Music for Everyone

The first adult workshop event is Simply Romantic on Saturday 3rd October at the Bluecoat Academy, Aspley Lane, Nottingham. It’s a day of singing just for the joy of it, no concert. We’ll be writing a few blog posts before then to introduce you to the rich variety of pieces Angela and Alex will be exploring with the singers during the workshop.

Now we hope this doesn’t come as a disappointment, but when we say Romantic music we don’t mean we’ll be singing love songs all day, rather music by composers from the Romantic era of Western classical music. This pretty much encompassed the 19th century and gave rise to music full of emotion and passion, often rich in melody. (We like a good tune.) Old forms were discarded or modified and new ones created. More percussion instruments were added to orchestras, rhythms and variation in time signatures became more adventurous, as did changes of key and harmonies.

So who are the famous composers of the Romantic era? Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Mendelssohn, Dvorak, Berlioz, Chopin, Schumann, Bruckner, Lizst, Borodin and Wagner to name but a few.

Click here to book for the Simply Romantic workshop. While you’re on the site, take a look at all the music making opportunities for 2105/16. There are new groups for adult instrumentalists, and plenty going on for music makers of all ages.

The Grand Finale!

20th August 20152nd December 2015 Music for Everyone

Imagine a very large rectangular hall, high-ceilinged. The orchestra filling a third of the space, the choir in four rows along a wall running the length of the hall, and an eager audience of about a hundred.

First Robin Reece-Crawford introduces the evening and comperes the concert with information about the composers and the musicians.

Every configuration of instrumentalists and singers from the Summer School perform several pieces with great enthusiasm. The atmosphere is fantastic. As I’m tucked away in a far corner, which is fine – love those tymps! – I’d handed my camera to Charlotte Pullen, daughter of one of the violinists. See what happens when you sit in the front row! During the concert she takes some wonderful photos to give us a collection of happy memories. Well done, Charlotte, and thanks.

There is music from Byrd to the Beatles, Pergolesi to Gershwin, Vivaldi to Rutter. In addition to the groups, tutor Owen Cox plays as he conducts Winter from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, and tutor Gill Henshaw, accompanied by the orchestra, plays a movement of Weber’s Clarinet concerto. Stunning.

The choir sings in different configurations under the ‘baton’ of three conductors. (Not that we’ve have seen a baton all week, have they gone out of fashion?) Here is the lower voices’ moment of glory, with Mike enthusing them from the front.

The concert comes to an end with a rousing performance of Johann Strauss’s Radetzky March, and choir and audience clap along. Beat that for enthusiasm, Vienna Philharmonic!

And then our three amazing days of music making, learning new pieces and techniques, listening to first class music, being lead by dynamic conductors who worked so hard and brought out the best in us for the short time of the School, is over. Not forgetting the concerts and masterclasses. We trip off into the night with tired bodies but light hearts, new friendships made, challenges risen to, fine music and much laughter.

More photos to follow – it might take a few days!

Here’s hoping there will be another Summer School – this one was aided greatly by the generosity of the University of Nottingham (my alma mater), who provided the space and facilities. Thanks too for the Summer School go to the Assistant Artistic Director of MfE, Alex Patterson P1110368 (I think this was his baby, if you see what I mean), Artistic Director Angela Kay, Adult Programme Co-ordinator Robin Reece-Crawford, Anne, Su and Gemma from the office, tutors and conductors Owen Cox, Mike Gregory, Gill Henshaw, Jane McDouall, Isobel Bounford, accompanists Stefan Reid, Tim Uglow and Martyn Parkes, and other musicians who kindly gave of their time to fill in the gaps or to encourage parts and sections, and of course to all the delegates. (Apologies if I’ve missed anyone.)

Now you might be wondering what happened to Quote of the Day. Well, it was awarded to Angela Kay, we had a titter about it but it is unprintable, so come along to a Music for Everyone event and join in the music making and fun. Thanks for reading – around the world, we gather!

Helena

Repertoire Day Two: Carris Jones’s Concert and Masterclass

20th August 20152nd December 2015 Music for Everyone

The Summer School short concerts by visiting musicians, and the masterclasses each of them P1110261 gave, were a different experience for those of us who sing or play regularly with Music for Everyone. They enabled us not only to hear wonderful performances but to then learn how to improve our own technique and performance.

Carris, a mezzo-soprano, read history at Cambridge while also singing as a choral scholar with the excellent Trinity College choir. Afterwards she studied singing and performance at the Royal Academy. She performed Robert Schumann’s song-cycle Frauenliebe und Leben for us with great expression and to the delight of the audience. Timothy Uglow accompanied her with great sensitivity. Such a beautiful performance that emphasised again points made by many of the tutors – the importance of posture, facial expression and engaging the audience.

Four singers (apologies if I missed anyone, I slipped out to the strings for a time), bravely sang their solo pieces to the whole choir. Carris helped each of them points of difficulty in the music or their vocal technique, be that breath control, enunciation or performing rather than singing the notes. The difference Carris’s suggestions made could be heard as the delegates sang again some or all of their pieces. Inspirational, and a big bravo to them all!

Joan, Jeanne (whose hand Carris is holding to swing at the breathing points!), Catherine and Paul.

Helena

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