Author: Music for Everyone

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#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.

#MfEMonday – Christmas is Coming!!!

2nd December 20193rd March 2021 Music for Everyone

Which composer do you most associate with Christmas? As one of the most celebrated composers of Christmas carols alive today, John Rutter’s carols have become as synonymous with Christmas as a mulled wine-stained jumper!…and for good reason, here are 5 festive facts about John Rutter’s Christmas music:

The popularity of John Rutter’s Christmas music lead him to be dubbed ‘The Composer Who Owns Christmas’ by the New York Times.
He composed his famous Shepherd’s Pipe Carol while still at school.
David Willcocks heard the carol when Rutter was a student at Cambridge and requested a copy of the manuscript. Before Rutter’s student days were up, the carol was published and recorded by EMI!
Willcocks went on to invite Rutter to join him as co-editor of the hugely influential Carols for Choirs anthologies that still largely determine what is sung at this time of year in churches worldwide.
100 Carols for Choirs is Oxford University Press’ most-hired music in the lead up to the festive period. In 2018, two of Rutter’s Carol’s and a two of his arrangements appeared in the OUP’s ten top-hired carols and Christmas pieces.

“Christmas is still very dear in my heart,” Rutter says. “It’s kind of the world as we all wish it could be, for just those precious few days each year. A time of stillness and yet of rejoicing. So Christmas will always be very special in my heart and it’s always been celebrated in music.”

Come and hear some of Rutter’s most popular carols performed at MfE’s Christmas is Coming concert at the Albert Hall on Sunday 15 December. The programme will also include performances of Christmas music by the Nottingham Community Voices, East of England Singers and the ‘Vocals!’ youth choirs. Tickets are available online here or by phoning the office on 0115 958 9312.

Saturday 7 December is going to be a busy day for MfE: our Community Voices will be ‘carolling’ in Market Square from 10.30am – 12 noon (all welcome!) while MfE’s youth wind and string ensembles will be performing their Christmas concert at Kingswood Methodist Church at 3.30pm, and the EOES will be performing a Festive Baroque Christmas concert at Beeston Parish Church at 7.30pm. Tickets for all concerts are available on our website or by phoning the office on 0115 9589312.
And for those of you who feel it is still too early to be thinking about Christmas, next year marks John Rutter’s 75^th birthday so we’ll be likely to hear a lot of his music throughout the year, perhaps even including this well-meant spoof!… https://www.classicfm.com/composers/rutter/choir-sings-john-i-cant-believe-its-not-rutter/

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

02/12/2019

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-domaindev-st_emea&hsimp=yhs-st_emea&hspart=domaindev&p=Kathy+Jensen%27s+signature+laugh+-+transcribed#id=1&vid=d57f58c9934776f6702dad22320dea9c&action=click

#MfEMonday – Laughter is the best medicine

25th November 20193rd March 2021 Music for Everyone

Have you noticed how many people are coughing and spluttering at the moment having succumbed to the dreaded winter lurgy? We at MfE think that laughter is the best medicine. Amongst other things, laughter can act as a natural pain killer, improve breathing, improve sleep and decrease stress. We want to keep you all fit and healthy for the coming season so we hope this video will make you giggle! The makers of this video thought it would be fun to see what a good laugh would look like transcribed as music, and the result is infectious:

And who can forget the iconic Laughing Policeman, written by……….? Charles JOLLY of course! We challenge you to listen to this and not smile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI1nPd7hezM

Things are getting busier in the MfE office at the moment! We’re looking ahead to our events in 2020, so if you haven’t signed up for Blow the Dust or the Nottingham Festival Chorus course (both in January) now’s the time! We are also keen to hear from young wind, brass and percussion players for the next Bandwise! which will take place in January as well – get signed up! https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/bandwise/

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

25/11/2019

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMonday – Fundraising and the Planets

18th November 20193rd March 2021 Music for Everyone

A big THANK YOU to the Nottingham Girls High School

Every now and then the pupils of the High School for Girls have a non uniform day to raise money for local good causes. Pip Flewitt, one of the leaders of our West Bridgford Open Voices project and ex head of 6th form at the school thought she would put a good word in for the Open Voices project and especially highlighting the need of the Ash Lea Special School. This school regularly sends a minibus of eager teenagers to our Tuesday meeting but find it hard to cover the transport costs. This morning we have just heard the good news that the High School for Girls has raised £300 to help us subsidise those costs. Thank you to all those ‘non-uniformed’ girls and to Pip for putting a good word in for Open Voices.

EOES have the final word!

Yesterday afternoon the Nottingham Philharmonic Orchestra gave a wonderful performance of Holst’s Planets. Those of you familiar with the work will know that the final movement, Neptune, requires an offstage ladies choir – enter the sopranos and altos of EOES to provide 3 mins of atmospheric, ethereal singing which is meant to fade into the distance! Situated out of sight in the stairwell of the Albert Hall, the choir, on cue, started singing the extremely challenging choral score and the fade was achieved by gradually walking down the stairs into the foyer whilst still singing. The effect – magical!

And finally…
Just under a hundred young string players had a great time at our Stringwise course and concert last weekend! Amongst the rehearsals, the younger ones also enjoyed some clapping games while the older ones had a great workshop on Bhangra music with Ann-Marie Shaw.

More pictures coming soon!

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

18/11/2019

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/latest/music-for-remembrance-day/

#MfEMonday – Lest We Forget

11th November 20193rd March 2021 Music for Everyone

In this week’s MfE Monday we take a moment to pause and reflect on the sacrifices made by brave servicemen and women.

Classic FM has produced a list of reflective pieces to mark Remembrance Day: from the mournful cry of the solo bugle in The Last Post, to Butterworth’s bucolic The Banks of Green Willow. Sadly Butterworth died just two years after composing The Banks of Green Willow during the Battle of the Somme, at the age of just 31. Other notable musicians who served in the First World War include Butterworth’s close friend Ralph Vaughan-Williams who upon the outbreak of war abandoned all composition for the duration of the conflict and enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps. Vaughan Williams generally dislike musical associations being made with his works, but his Pastoral Symphony and Dona Nobis Pacem are usually regarded as his musical responses to the war.

Maurice Ravel, who didn’t weigh enough to serve in the French Military, found a way around regulations by joining the medical unit. After the war, he wrote Le Tombeau de Couperin, in which each movement is dedicated to a friend who died in the war. In 1929, another World War 1 veteran and talented pianist, Paul Wittengenstein, who lost his right arm in the war, commissioned Ravel to write his Piano Concert for the Left Hand.

Things are getting rather Christmassy in the office at the moment – we are busy putting together music packs for the Christmas Vocals course which will be going out this week! If you know a primary school aged young singer who’s ready for Christmas, why not encourage them to sign up? There’s still time! https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/vocals-christmas-is-coming/

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

11/11/2019

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMonday – Fireworks!

4th November 20193rd March 2021 Music for Everyone

With Bonfire Night just hours away, we’d like to take you back to the year 1749 and the first performance of Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks which was a disaster and success at the same time. The excitement built up so much that around 12,000 people flocked to the performance in Green Park, causing a traffic jam that closed London Bridge for several hours! It also (predictably for this country) rained for the outdoor performance so most of the fireworks refused to light and the few that did caused the staging to catch fire! However, not put off by this, Handel went on to re-score it for a later indoor performance, incorporating strings (the King had insisted it only be for percussion, brass and wind originally) and to this day, remains one of his most famous works. Have a listen

If fireworks and bonfires aren’t your thing, why not stay inside and have your own Guy Fawkes celebration by listening to six of the best pieces of music based around fireworks: http://www.classical-music.com/article/six-best-pieces-music-firework-night

If you would prefer a calmer night in, Classic FM are providing an evening of music from 7pm designed to keep pets (and their humans) relaxed from the scary fireworks #petsounds.

Speaking of unforgettable music, the Nottingham Philharmonic Orchestra (featuring the EOES ladies), will be performing The Planets by Holst in their next concert, complete with visual displays from the University of Nottingham School of Physics & Astronomy. This is not to be missed on Sunday 17 November at 3pm in the Albert Hall. Tickets are available online (trch.co.uk) and accompanied children under 16 can come for free!

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMonday – Benefits of Music

28th October 20193rd March 2021 Music for Everyone

During this half term when all of our regular rehearsing groups are taking a well-earned rest, here in the MFE office we’ve been thinking about some of the reasons people participate in music-making. And some of the less well-known benefits.

Studies show that listening to and participating in music has an effect on overall well-being, help regulate emotions, and create happiness and relaxation in everyday life.

For example –

Favourite tunes keep you calm
Mood music makes you eat less
Inspiring instrumentals improve your mental focus
Good music soothes and relaxes your blood vessels
Group singing makes you happy
Playing an instrument protects brain sharpness in later life
Music classes make children more cooperative
A mellow playlist eases road rage
Your work will get done faster
Your stress levels will go down

In fact, the list of benefits goes on and on. So, we are all very fortunate to have music in our lives. All the more reason to spread the word about all the opportunities MFE offers for both participating in and listening to music. Why not put a post on Facebook or tweet all your contacts about why you enjoy music so much? You might be surprised by the positive responses you get!

Why not take a look at our new Friends and Patrons page on our website? https://www.music-for-everyone.org/friends-and-patrons/ It would be great if you would consider joining the growing number of Friends and Patrons. Every donation makes a real difference to the various activities we offer. We’d love to welcome you as new member.

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

28/10/2019

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMonday – OV on TV!

21st October 20193rd March 2021 Music for Everyone

Notts TV recently visited our fantastic Sherwood Open Voices group. Watch them in action practicing for their Christmas performance here.

We are enormously proud of the positive impact our Open Voices sessions are having on people’s lives, so we thought we would share some heart-warming quotes from our members to demonstrate just how much the sessions mean to them:

“I love being with Open Voices on a Friday morning, I really do. I have come on leaps and bounds. I used to be shy but I am not now. I really enjoy it.”

“I like the Open Voices, we are like a family. Everyone enjoys it. It is definitely the place to be every week.”

“This group has given my husband and myself great joy. My husband has severe dementia but comes to life when singing at the choirs.”

“Thank you for this amazing group. It has been a privilege to come along and enjoy this time with my mum. It’s such a joyful time. You are BRILLIANT!”

“Community at its best.”

Today is National Gin and Tonic Day – Cheers!

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

21/10/2019

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMonday – Space Adventure!

14th October 20193rd March 2021 Music for Everyone

Last week we showed you how versatile (and flexible) the piano could be by playing backwards, upside down, etc. This week, we bring you clarinets in space!

10 year old Elin designed an engineered clarinet to go into orbit through a competition called Life on Mars asking children to redesign something they ‘couldn’t live without’ should they ever move to another planet.

The clarinet was successfully launched to the edge of the atmosphere from Ashbourne in Derbyshire where it reached a dizzying height of 35 km and freezing temperatures before hurtling back to earth at over 150mph, landing safely by parachute in North Lincolnshire. Watch the launch here! What would you take to space that you couldn’t live without?

What a performance on Saturday! Our Nottingham Festival Chorus combined with the Dutch Project Choir, wonderfully directed by Martin van der Brugge, showed all their hard work from the last week of rehearsals to perform Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man. We were also delighted to be joined by fantastic soloist Emma Brown and Tahir Mahmood for the Call to Prayer. Click here to see the action shots!
Open Voices Sherwood are featuring on Notts TV tonight (Monday 14 October) between 5.30pm and 6.30pm. Tune in to see what they’ve been up to!

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

14/10/2019

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMonday – Dutch born and bred

7th October 20193rd March 2021 Music for Everyone

With our exciting collaboration with the Dutch Project Choir and their conductor Martin van der Brugge coming up this weekend to perform The Armed Man by Karl Jenkins, we thought we’d have a look at a particularly famous (you MIGHT have heard of him…) Dutch musician for this week’s MfEMonday.

André Rieu is a violinist and conductor best known for creating the waltz-playing Johann Strauss Orchestra. They have managed to turn classical and waltz music into a worldwide concert touring act, as successful as some of the biggest global pop and rockstars!

Created in 1987 with just 12 members, the orchestra has grown quickly now with between 50 and 60 musicians involved. The orchestra is particularly well know for performing with a certain frivolity and joking with the audience, here they are having a ‘Strauss party’!! P.S. see if you can spot the Trombone player balancing his instrument on his chin!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H81t8Z_GPQg

We all know how important good posture is when playing and singing, but sometimes, you just need to change your rhythm a little to get the creative juices flowing! Here are some piano players who did just that… by playing backwards, upside down and sideways! https://www.cmuse.org/piano-playing-upside-down/
P.S. tickets are still available for this weekend’s performance of the Armed Man with solos from MfE alumni Emma Brown!

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

07/10/2019

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF