Author: Music for Everyone

2016 MfE Summer School: Day 1, part 1

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Carris applauding Rachel's performance.

Carris applauding Rachel’s performance.

The second MfE Summer School got off to a glorious summery start at the Music Department of the University of Nottingham today.

There are 150 delegates at the School – the furthest travelled coming from the USA. Some delegates are singers, others instrumentalists. The players gathered first as a full orchestra, and then split into windband and string orchestra, the latter accompanying with the choir during the afternoon. In this the 400th year since his death, the repertoire for everyone has been chosen with Shakespeare in mind.

Carris Jones, mezzo-soprano, travelled up from London to give a masterclass followed by a recital.

Carris asking Richard to select an audience member to sing to.

“Choose someone out there to sing to.”

Two masterclass ‘victims’, Rachel Bacon and Richard Flewitt, both members of the East of England Singers, first sang through a song of their choice. Carris then helped them with technique, interpretation and performance – conveying the song, its story, emotion and meaning, to the audience. This was followed by a beautiful recital – the professionals inspiring the singers and players for the rest of the day.

In the early evening, drinks were enjoyed in the Pope Garden, followed by a delegates dinner before everyone headed home. (For more Olympics? Yes, a few tired folk had stayed up to watch Andy Murray’s golden triumph…!)

Rain for the band, sunshine for the strings?

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The Nottingham Youth Band of MfE were looking forward to entertaining the crowd last Saturday in Beeston. Sadly rain stopped play of any kind. Another time guys. Thanks for turning out on such a grey day.

emyso0716THIS weekend, however, there is hope of sunshine. Why not hop over to Sudbury Hall on Sunday and hear MfE’s wonderful East Midlands Youth String Orchestra, directed by Richard Howarth? They will be entertaining visitors to this National Trust property in 2 or 3 slots between 2.30pm and 5pm. Their programme includes works by Handel, Tchaikovsky, Ellerby, Vaughan Williams, Meyer and Biber. The last composer’s work, Battalia 9, brought great amusement and enjoyment to the audience at the Summer Celebration a couple of weeks ago. Never mind comb and paper, listen to cello and 80gsm A4 plain!

 

Shout out to youth string players – EMYSO is auditioning!

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EMYSO performing in Nottingham’s Albert Hall, 2016

Are you a string player, Yr 7 upwards, already have Associated Board Grade 5 or above? Would you like expert guidance in developing your ensemble and orchestral playing? Then come and audition for the East Midlands Youth String Orchestra and be part of this friendly and amazing group. Conducted by distinguished violinist and conductor, Richard Howarth, the orchestra performs a variety of music from the great string orchestra repertoire. Rehearsals are usually once a month on a Sunday afternoon.

Taking a bow after a great performance

Taking a bow after a great performance

EMYSO perform both in their own right and sometimes playing within one of Music for Everyone’s professional orchestral groups. This offers experience of a larger repertoire of both orchestral and accompanied choral works – a unique opportunity for young orchestral players.

Click here for details of the auditions on Saturday 16 July.

 

 

Summer Garland Concert, Sun 10 July, East of England Singers

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strawberries-and-cream-19What better way to pass a Sunday afternoon than by listening to music and eating strawberries?

Join the East of England Singers, conducted by Angela Kay, Artistic Director of Music for Everyone, for their end of season concert at the Djanolgy Recital Hall (opposite Lakeside, University of Nottingham), 3.30pm. There will be madrigals, folks songs, vocal and instrumental soloists.

Travel by tram, or park on the campus. Enjoy a walk before or afterwards.

Click here for tickets.

The East of England Singers is the auditioned chamber choir of Music for Everyone, its members are the tea and coffee makers extraordinaire of other MfE choral activities, conductors of several MfE groups, MfE admin staff, MfE Bookwise and shop ‘managers’ etc, etc. Here’s what the critics say of their singing:

“The work’s driving rhythms, catchy melodies and irresistible exuberance swept both audience and performers off their feet”
William Ruff – Nottingham Evening Post

“First-class choral singing, well balanced and with a depth of understanding which brought every line of the texts to life”
Grahame Whitehead – Nottingham Evening Post

Congratulations!

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Many congratulations to Margaret Frogson, awarded the MBE is the Queen’s Birthday Honours. The citation reads: For services to Community Music in East Midlands and is due to her work with Nottingham Symphonic Winds over the last 30 years.
As well as being the co-founder of NSW, Margaret is also the co-owner of Windblowers music shop. Windblowers is great supporter of MfE.
Thank you, Margaret, for all you do for the amazing musical life of Nottingham, and we hope you have a wonderful day at the Palace.

The dust was blown! The rain fell!

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ClarinetsWell that was quite a weekend! String, reed, brass and recorder players spent a fun Saturday learning and playing new pieces, which they later performed for family and friends. It was a great day for discovering more about playing in an ensemble, band or orchestra, and making music together. MfE’s Blow the Dust (off your instrument) day will be back early next year.

If you came along, or it sounds like something you would enjoy, the Music for Everyone Summer School might be just what you’re looking for. There is a singing option as well. After last year’s successful first School, we listened to participants’ feedback and have made some changes – longer breaks, opportunities to listen to other groups, and less repertoire so that it can be honed to a nuanced performance standard. The hour-long closing concert will showcase the best of the pieces worked on during the time together.

PatGarden2016The heavens opened on Sunday, but that didn’t deter a group from the East of England Singers from going along to sing in Pat Collings beautiful garden. Thank you, Pat, for all your hard work to put on the event and raise money for Music for Everyone. And thank you to everyone who came along, armed with brollies, to look and to listen.

This week(end) – a musical trio for everyone

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Firstly, the closing date for applications for the exciting post of a Principal Youth Music Animateur is this Friday, 10th June. Information here.

And secondly, Blow the Dust is back on Saturday. This is a day for adult instrumentalists to make music together. So whether you play the tuba, the viola or the recorder, etc, now’s your chance. Book here. We just ask that instrumentalists are Grade 2 and above, and recorder players can read music and play at a steady speed in an ensemble. There is an informal concert at 5pm, lasting about an hour. Albert Hall, Nottingham.

Gardens-Open-signFinally, an extremely pleasant fund raiser. All welcome. This weekend is the Beeston and Chilwell Open Garden Trail. The East of England Singers will be giving a jolly performance at 60 Park Rd, 2pm, Sunday 12 June. Money raised by the garden owner is generously being donated to Music for Everyone – refreshments available, and a beautiful garden to enjoy. Perhaps come on the tram, Chilwell Rd stop, and then a short walk.

We’re recruiting – Principal Youth Music Animateur

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Last weekend Music for Everyone celebrated two wonderful musical events.

DSC02171 copyThe first was over 100 Vocals! children singing their hearts out throughout their space themed concert in Nottingham’s Albert Hall, to the delight of the audience. The second, later in the day, was Sheku Kanneh-Mason winning BBC Young Musician of the Year, 2016. Sheku, aged about 6, along with other members of his family, played his cello in Music for Everyone’s Stringwise! Many congratulations, Sheku!

Music for Everyone wishes to recruit an energetic and enthusiastic Principal Youth Music Animateur. Details here. Although part-time, there is another part-time vacancy in the city’s music scene, and the two jobs could be combined.

Busy weekend for MfE, and a free concert!

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Travelling to Bluecoat Academy for rehearsals today are two groups of musicians who illustrate the breadth and diversity of Music for Everyone’s commitment to music-making for all.

DSC01669In one building, there will be an intensive workshop for advanced string players. During the day, under the baton of Richard Howarth, a distinguished violinist and conductor, the orchestra will focus on Tchaikovsky’s hauntingly beautiful Serenade for Strings and other pieces. They will give a FREE concert in St Peter’s Church Ruddington, 4pm tomorrow, Sunday 8 May. Last year’s concert was wonderful, so this one is not to be missed.
bluerktIn another building, nearly 100 primary school children will be blasting off into space themed songs. Their Reach for the Stars concert will be a week tomorrow, Sunday 15 May at 3.30pm in the Albert Hall, complete with the experimental antics of Mad Science! Will there be stinks and bangs and smoke and goodness knows what?!

The children have been learning their words and listening to the songs at home (just as our adult singers do) and will be rehearsing with Alison Bennett (Vocals! conductor), Ray McLeod (Youth Animateur and vocal coach) Phil Smith (MfE’s new Youth Programme Co-ordinator, conductor of Sherwood Daytime Voices), Jane McDouall (conductor of Girls Voice and West Bridgford Daytime Voices). Not forgetting, of course, MfE’s admin staff and all the wonderful volunteers who give of their time to look after the children and make the weekend and concert run smoothly. Here’s a HUGE MfE THANK YOU to the volunteers.