Forget bronze, silver and gold, today was all about the brass at day 2 of Summer School 2024!

As has become tradition, the choir started their day outside with Hilary for some warm ups ahead of another full day of singing, exploring their wide repertoire from Zadok the Priest to Ain’t no mountain high enough…

Meanwhile, the wind band and string orchestra were hard at work with Alex and Keiron, from Firebird to Paris Sketches.

Breaktimes were also an excellent time to catch up with fellow musicians, drink bottomless tea and coffee and browse the Bookwise stall of second-hand books and sheet music. We have also been joined on all 3 days by the MfE gift shop and Windblowers!

The guest artists for today were Heron Brass, a London-based quintet, treating us to another wonderful lunchtime recital in the Chapel before working with the brass players in a special workshop.

Which leads us to here, the end of Day 2 – ready to leap/climb/dive in to the 3rd and final day tomorrow…

Here’s our day 2 round-up, see if you can spot the special appearance by Alex and Rachel…

Fortunately for us, there was no rain and no upside down flag at the Opening Ceremony for MfE’s Olympic themed 2024 Summer School today. We have once again returned to the picturesque setting of Trent College in Long Eaton, beginning with the traditional tea, coffee and pastries with a welcome from Chair of Trustees John and Summer School coordinator Robin.

Then it was off to rehearsals, we’re delighted to welcome back Hilary Campbell to lead the choir and Keiron Anderson to direct the wind band and saxophone ensemble, with Artistic Director Alex Robinson taking the orchestra and strings.

The first guest artists of Summer School 2024 are folk-jazz fusion duo Katie Foster (violin) and Ben Sayah (guitar) who wowed us with their lunchtime recital, including improvisation, folk and bluegrass (with a bit of audience participation too of course!)

A workshop with Katie and Ben in the afternoon encouraged the string players to get creative with improvisation, amazing how inspired you can be looking at some dots and squiggles on a page!

Elsewhere the saxes have been working hard in their ensemble and in the wind band and the choir have been working in sectionals with Hilary and Rachel.

A wonderful first day all round which seemed to fly by, just remember, it’s a marathon, not the 100m hurdles…

Summer School: Excitement is building at MfE as we approach our Summer School beginning on 5th August with music loosely based around the Paris Olympics!

Light the torch in the symphony orchestra with extracts from Stravinsky’s Firebird, explore the city streets in Ellerby’s Paris sketches for wind band and discover Hymne au soleil by Lili Boulanger with the chamber choir. The strings will leap into the athletic world of Vivaldi’s Overture to L’Olimpiade and the saxophones will take on a ‘jazzy’ challenge.

Unfortunately, the brass group Quartet Menine have had to cancel. However, we are delighted to announce that the brass quintet ‘Heron Brass’ will be attending to give a recital and brass workshop. 

Formed while studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Heron Brass have gained recognition as recent finalists in the Philip Jones International Brass Ensemble competition. They enjoy exploring new or lesser-performed works for brass and choral arrangements, without forgetting some of the established classics of the repertoire.  We can’t wait to see them in action!

 

There are still places for brass, bassoon, viola, tenors and basses.  If you are interested in joining us, please click here.

Bring your friends along to the Showcase Concert for a musical treat on Wednesday 7th August at 5.20pm, Trent College, Long Eaton. Tickets are £5 and include drinks and nibbles! Available here.


 

Have you been watching the Olympics this weekend? The Opening Ceremony took place in Paris on Friday evening, showcasing a variety of music.

For all the information on music from the ceremony, click here.


 

  • Bookwise in Nottingham has been having quite a makeover recently with new shutters, easier ramp access and a paint refresh! We are just waiting for the new signage on the shop front to finish the look. Watch this space…

 

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE

29/07/2024

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Summer School 2024 – Calling trumpet and bassoon players! We still have a few places left for these instruments on this years Summer School, 5th – 7th August at Trent College, Long Eaton. Places for other instruments and singers are filling up fast, but do get in touch if you are interested to go on the waiting list in case of cancellations: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/summer-school-2024/

Events for our next season are open for booking! The next BANDWISE and STRINGWISE workshops are on 9th & 10th November, open to all young woodwind, brass, percussion and string players. The joint concert on 17th November takes place at Nottingham’s Albert Hall. Find out more via the links below.

Bandwise: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/byme-bandwise-nov24/

Stringwise: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/byme-stringwise-nov24/


On Friday our Open Voices Sherwood singers treated a packed St Martin’s to a semi-staged performance of Oliver!  With costumes, staging, drama and excellent singing, it was quite the spectacular.

Well done to Cliff, Vic, and all the volunteers, members and carers.


 

Did you catch the First Night of the Proms on Friday? You may have seen Director of BBC Symphony Chorus Neil Ferris take a bow as chorus master of the thrilling performance, including Handel’s Music for Royal Fireworks. If you missed it, you can catch up on all the proms through BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00216m5/bbc-proms-2024-first-night-of-the-proms

We are delighted to announce that Neil Ferris will be joining us for a choral workshop day at NTU Clifton on 28th June 2025, a date for your diary – not to be missed!


 

Nottingham Lunchtime Voices dates for the Autumn term have now been published on our website and booking is open if you would like to reserve your place for the coming term. Find all the info here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/whats-on/adult-music/workers-lunchtime-choir/


Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE

22/07/2024

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Our talented young musicians offered a splendid end to the season with their The Sound of Summer concert at the Grange Hall in Radcliffe.  Not only was the audience treated to top-notch musical entertainment, but there were outdoor activities for the children and refreshments for the audience.  A huge ‘thank you’ and ‘well done’ to all who took part – children, helpers and conductors!  We bid a fond farewell to Mike Shaw, conductor of Nottingham Strictly Strings, and wish him all the best for the future.

Booking for the Autumn Term for Daytime Voices, Daytime Orchestra, Sunday Afternoon Flutes and Big Band is now open. To book, please follow this link Music For Everyone (savoysystems.co.uk) We look forward to seeing you next term!


Well, what an exciting weekend of sport that was!  But what would sport be without music?  Imagine a football match without the anthems, chants and the occasional trumpet bursts of The Great Escape theme tune.

The first few notes alone of ‘Light and Tuneful’ the Wimbledon theme tune, is enough to put you in mind of strawberries and cream!  Music provides athletes with motivation and focus making it a powerful tool during training sessions and competitions. The beats and melodies can help regulate breathing and pace, contributing to better performance and endurance. In the arena, music unites spectators, creating an exhilarating atmosphere that amplifies the excitement of the event. From energizing pre-game anthems to celebratory victory songs, the fusion of music and sport demonstrates how sound can inspire physical prowess and create a sense of community and shared enthusiasm among athletes and fans alike.


  • And while we’re on the subject, who spotted Djokovic’s musical celebration? Apparently, it is for his six-year-old daughter, who is currently learning the violin. Perhaps she can help him work on his technique?!!


Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE

15/07/2024

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What an enjoyable weekend with the Nottingham Festival Chorus and a wonderful performance of Haydn’s Harmonie Mass!  Masterfully directed by Artistic Director, Alex Robinson and skilfully accompanied by organist Peter Siepmann.  Thanks also to our four amazing soloists as pictured.

Last week saw the end of term performances for our Daytime Orchestras in Loughborough and Nottingham. Some fabulous playing everyone, well done! Hope you enjoy a well-earned break and we look forward to welcoming you back in September.

Our Lunchtime Voices singers also gave a final performance in very blustery conditions outside Yarn this week. A special mention to Alex for keeping the accompaniments going despite his music flying away!

Upcoming performances:

Our Youth Bands and String Orchestras have their Sound of Summer performance on Sunday 14th July at 3.30pm at The Grange Hall in Radcliffe-on-Trent. Book your tickets here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/yth-concert/

Open Voices Sherwood are putting on a show of Oliver! Come and join them on Friday 19th July at 11am at St Martin’s Church, Sherwood. 


Following the election of our new Prime Minister Keir Starmer last week, did you know he had such a musical background?  Click the link below to hear him talking about the importance of music, playing flute, recorder, piano and violin and his love of Beethoven:


  • Song Community Festival taking part in Derby on Sunday 14th July: Are you a singing practitioner, facilitator, choir director or teacher, who runs community choirs, amateur choirs or singing groups for health conditions such as dementia? 

Or, do you want to learn more about singing and its benefits for health and well-being? Do you want to find out more about how to lead Mental Health Inclusive Group Singing? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the questions above, come to the Community Song Festival!   https://www.derby.ac.uk/events/latest-events/song-community-festival-/


Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE

08/07/2024

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

How is your obscure Haydn knowledge? Ahead of the next Nottingham Festival Chorus event focussed on Haydn’s Harmonie Mass, click here to see Alex quiz Rachel on some of the lesser-known facts about Haydn’s life. Let us know how you get on! 

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to hear this magnificent work performed by our wonderful choir and soloists at Beeston Parish Church on 06 July. Concert tickets are available here.

Our youth groups will be presenting a delightful summer concert at Grange Hall, Radcliffe on Trent on Sunday 14 July, 3.30pm. Tickets are available here or on the door. Come along to hear our wonderful young musicians in action!


Ahead of our trip to the Olympics at this year’s Summer School, here is three-time Olympic swimmer Elizabeth Beisel opening the final day of the US Olympic Swim trials with a performance on violin that blew the audience out of the water!

P.S. Summer School places are still available – no sporting prowess necessary!


  • One of our members has a bass recorder (Hornby Bass 900H) that they would like to give to a good home.  If anyone is interested, please contact the office.
  • If there are any young string players in your family looking for something to do over the Summer, the Charnwood Youth Strings Experience takes place from 19 – 23 August at Mountsorrel Memorial Centre.  See the attached flyer for more information.
  • Our Lunchtime Voices will be performing at Yarn, adjacent to the Royal Concert Hall, on Thursday 04 July at 1pm.  Join us for some lovely music and maybe a chilled glass of wine before you head off to the Polling Stations!

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE

01/07/2024

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10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

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

Summer has finally arrived, just as the end of term approaches!

This week, all the Daytime Voices choirs will host an informal performance to finish their summer term, with refreshments and cake sales. Concerts take place in the last hour of the usual rehearsal time, if you’d like to pop along to listen and have a cup of tea and piece of cake with Daytime Voices, see where the groups rehearse here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/whats-on/adult-music/daytime-voices/ Plus, all cake sale donations go towards supporting Open Voices!
Looking ahead, online booking for the Recorder Workshop Day is now open to kickstart the 2024/25 season!
On Saturday 14th September, join Chris McDouall for an informal day of recorder ensemble playing, with an optional advanced repertoire session in the afternoon for those that wish to. The workshop day, taking place at NTU Clifton, will finish with an informal performance to family and friends. Find out more and book online here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/recorder-workshop-day/

We were thrilled to read that John Rutter has received a knighthood in The King’s Birthday Honours List 2024, in recognition of a career that stretches back 60 years! Here are a couple of our favourite Sir John Rutter compositions MfE have performed recently.

Gloria: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaYkpoOC3S4 (NFC in February 2024)
The Sprig of Thyme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQe9tn_DyzU (NCS in June 2024)

Book donations wanted! Bookwise Nottingham (10 Goose Gate) are keen for donations of paperback fiction books. If you’re having a clear out, small donations (couple of bags worth max.) can be dropped off at the shop, Monday – Saturday, 11am – 4pm. Or if you have a larger donation, please contact first on info@bookwiseshops.co.uk to arrange drop off or collection.


Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE

24/07/2024

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Congratulations to all the adult instrumentalists who gathered at the Albert Hall on Saturday to ‘Blow the Dust Off’ their instruments. It was great to see so many new faces and we had wonderful day of music making together. The orchestra, wind band and string ensembles tackled some challenging music and gave a really enjoyable and polished performance that belied the fact that they had only met for the first time that morning!   

We can’t wait for the next Blow the Dust event and hope that you can join us again at the Albert Hall on Saturday 11th January.


 

For the Bridgerton fans among you, season 3 has been treating audiences to a host of classical delights from Mozart and Scarlatti to Beethoven’s ‘Appassionata’ Piano Sonata, alongside Kris Bowers’ score and those beloved string quartet pop music covers. One of these pop covers is Taylor Swift’s ‘You Belong with Me’, which MfE Administrator Laura had a great time singing along to when seeing Taylor Swift live in Liverpool on Friday night!

Click here for Classic fm’s deep dive into the music of Bridgerton!


 

You are cordially invited to the MfE Daytime Orchestras’ end-of-term concerts!!

The Loughborough Daytime Orchestra concert takes place on Tuesday 2nd July in their new home of Emmanuel Church (Forest Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3NW), and the Nottingham Daytime Orchestra concert takes place at St Martins Church (Trevose Gardens, NG5 3FU). 

Our adult instrumentalists have been working really hard, so please put these dates in your diary and come along to support them. Join us at 11am for a cuppa and a biscuit before the concert at approx. 11:20.

We hope to see you all there!


 

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE

17/06/2024

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What a fun-packed musical weekend!

On Saturday evening the Nottingham Chamber Singers and Angela Kay brought a floral bouquet of music to St Mary’s Church in Bunny with their entertaining programme of evocative part songs, colourful folk-songs and foot tapping swing numbers. Accompanied by the wonderful Angela Foan and joined by violinists Isobel Bounford, Sarah Trevers and flautist Dave Hatherly it was perfect for a sunny summer’s evening.

There was a great buzz in Beeston on Sunday at our first Family Festival. Lots of you got involved with so much going on including drumming workshops, lullaby bank, Open Voices and Family Sing sessions. The sun made an appearance and the beautiful garden at Middle Street Resource Centre was filled with a great variety of stalls and performances from folk bands to ‘a cappella’ group the Ooh La La’s. A special thanks to our Youth Bands, Daytime Voices and the many volunteers who made the day such a success. For those of you who missed it, here are a few photos to give you a flavour!


Following on from so much birdsong in the concert on Saturday and in the garden at our Family Festival yesterday it got us thinking about music inspired by our feathered friends.

We bet you can think of lots of suggestions but follow the link below if you’re stuck for ideas!

https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/classical-music-inspired-by-birdsong/


What is your favourite birdsong? Perhaps a blackbird, song thrush, nightingale even?! If you’re a fan of Springwatch you might have seen the presenters get very excited the moment a nightjar interrupted the live broadcast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0j0xyrj

Or maybe you prefer this lockdown version of blackbird from our very own Rachel Parkes: https://youtu.be/FQpcXqzic6I?si=ScDAPRwC-aU8j04Z


Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE

10/06/2024

admin@music-for-everyone.org

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF