Blow the Dust

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#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.

#MfEMonday – 19th June 2023

19th June 2023 Music for Everyone

What a lovely day of music making we had on Saturday at the June ‘Blow the Dust off your Instrument’ day! 120 players took cover from the heat in Nottingham’s Albert Hall for a fabulous day of Elgar, Leroy Anderson and Queen!

12 DAYS TO GO!

The countdown has begun to the big BIRTHDAY WEEKEND! We’re so excited to welcome so many singers and players (over 400 performers!) to the 2 days to help us celebrate.

As well as the 2 concerts (Spotlight on Youth on Saturday 1^st July and A Musical Celebration on Sunday 2^nd July) here is what else will be on offer…

Video messages from Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Brian Kay, John Rutter and more!
MfE’s new world drumming ensemble will be playing in the Osborne Suite before the concert on 1^st July and Sunday Afternoon Big Band and Flute Choir will be playing in the Osborne Suite before the concert on 2^nd July.
There will be an exhibition taking you back through the decades, including photos, letters and the famous MfE pencil!

We’d love to see as many as possible in the audience, so do encourage family and friends to come along to watch and support on both days, details below.

Saturday 1^st July, 3.30pm ‘Spotlight on Youth’

Ticket prices: £10 for adults, £5 for children/students

Link to book tickets: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/a-musical-celebration-spotlight-on-youth/

We are beyond excited to be welcoming one of Britain’s finest folk-fiddle players of the moment, and MfE youth alumnus Sam Sweeney to headline this concert.

Sam will be performing one of his own numbers from his recent album ‘Escape this’ as well as joining the combined strings and voices of MfE’s youth ensembles for a special arrangement and world premiere of a local Nottinghamshire folk-song about… watercress!!!

The event will also feature music from our talented bands, strings and singers and there will be something for everyone to inspire the next generation of Nottingham born and bred music-makers.

Sunday 2^nd July, 3.30pm ‘A Musical Celebration’

Ticket prices: £15 for adults, £7.50 for children/students, includes souvenir programme and birthday cake!

Link to book tickets: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/a-musical-celebration-concert/

Bringing together over 300 performers from Daytime Voices, Orchestras, the Nottingham Festival Chorus, Chamber Singers and Concert Orchestra and opening with a brand new fanfare commission by Libby Croad ‘Hail, Bright Cecilia!’ the concert also includes ‘O Fortuna’ from Orff’s Carmina Burana, ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ from Handel’s Messiah and more!

Other things that are turning 40 this year!

Microsoft Word (the very first version 1.0) was launched in 1983!
Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi was released
‘Red Red Wine’ by UB40: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXt56MB-3vc

The Sunday Afternoon Big Band, Flute Choir and members of the youth bands enjoyed a jazz workshop with celebrated jazz musician Tony Kofi yesterday – learning new techniques and getting to grips with improv! Well done all who took part!

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE.

19/06/2023

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMonday – 12th June 2023

12th June 2023 Music for Everyone

Yesterday, singers young and ‘less young’ gathered at The Grange, Radcliffe for our Family Sing day.

On a hot, sunny day, the singers were able to cool off with songs from Kool and the Gang (see what we did there?!) and dip their toes in the water with Under the Sea from the Little Mermaid.

They were transported to the Caribbean with a special performance from our new Steel Pan group supported by Music Leader Nicola Coker and her band Pure Steel, and were even able to have a go themselves!

It’s not too late to book for Blow the Dust this coming Sunday. We are particularly keen to hear from violas, bassoons and brass. Music can be emailed to you in advance, so don’t miss out on your opportunity to take part in this fun and relaxed playing day. To book, click here.

Here’s our latest brochure with details of everything happening from April – August. Click on the picture below to read through the brochure.

Please also share this link far and wide!

You know by now how much we love a playlist in the MfE office, so now that the Summer has finally arrived, here are 15 pieces of summery classical music to enjoy in the garden with a G&T.

Fun Fact: The oldest instrument is 50,000 years old. The earliest indications of humans wearing underwear date from 20,000 years ago. So, for approximately 40,000 we had music but no pants!

Read the full story here.

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE.

12/06/2023

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMonday – 5th June 2023

5th June 2023 Music for Everyone

We hope you have been enjoying the sunshine recently! It is a busy time for us all at MfE, as we gear up for an exciting summer of concerts, courses and workshops.

Don’t forget to book for the FAMILY SING, which is happening this Sunday 11 June from 2.00pm to 5.00pm at The Grange in Radcliffe on Trent. The whole family is invited to take part. It promises to be an uplifting experience, open to all keen singers aged 5+ (children must be accompanied by an adult). You will be singing favourites like ‘Celebration’ by Kool and the Gang and ‘Under the Sea’ from the Little Mermaid.

Special guests Pure Steel and our new Steel Pan ensemble will also be performing on the day. There will be an opportunity to ‘have a go’ at playing steel pan.

Full details and booking link here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/family-sing-workshop/

NEW PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR – We are pleased to announce the appointment of Minder Kaur Athwal as our new Project Co-ordinator, supporting the 40^th Anniversary season. Minder is helping the team to deliver the 1^st and 2^nd July celebration events, as well as collating the exhibition for the Albert Hall. We would like to thank Arts Council England for enabling this appointment and we welcome Minder on board.

BLOW THE DUST OFF YOUR INSTRUMENT is on Saturday 17 June – places are still available and we particularly welcome applications from bassoon, viola and brass players. Items include Edward Elgar’s rousing Imperial March Op.32 and Queen’s iconic rock anthem We are the Champions. Find out full details and book online here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/blow-the-dust-off-your-instrument-3/ or contact the office on 0115 9589312.

TONY KOFI will be leading a special workshop with the Sunday Afternoon Music group, for those who wish to attend. Tony is a jazz multi-instrumentalist born of Ghanaian parents, player of Alto, Baritone, Soprano, Tenor saxophones and flute. This closed workshop has been made possible through Arts Council England’s National Lottery Project Grants.

SUMMER SCHOOL – Monday 7^th to Wednesday 9^th August at Trent College, Long Eaton. Three days of shared music making with workshops for intermediate and advanced musicians aged 16+.

A MUSICAL CELEBRATION – 40^th Anniversary Weekend 1 – 2 July 2023. Come and be part of Music for Everyone’s 40^th birthday celebrations. Youth groups and invited alumni will perform on 1^st July at 3.30pm. The combined Daytime Voices, Daytime Orchestras, Festival Chorus and Concert Orchestra will perform on Sunday 2^nd July at 3.30pm at the Albert Hall

Book tickets for the concert now!

1^st July: Spotlight on Youth https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/a-musical-celebration-spotlight-on-youth/

2^nd July: Musical Celebration https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/a-musical-celebration-concert/

Have a go at this fun quiz! https://www.classicfm.com/lifestyle/quizzes/answer-only-music-notes/

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE.

05/06/2023

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

What are you waiting for?? Click here to book.

#MfEMonday – 22nd May 2023

22nd May 2023 Music for Everyone

Thanks to the Nottingham Chamber Singers for an exquisite concert on Saturday evening.

They were joined by strings from the Nottingham Classical Players in a programme of great contrast and beauty under the baton of Angela Kay. There were moments of great intensity, inventiveness, contemplation, and lyricism. Congratulations to all involved!

We are getting excited about the Family Sing afternoon on 11^th June (2-5pm) – a brilliant opportunity for families to enjoy making music together! Taking place at The Grange in Radcliffe-on-Trent this event is for children age 5+ with their mums, dads, grandparents, carers, aunts and uncles and friends too. No preparation is needed, just bring along your best singing voices!

Places are still available for all instruments on our Blow the Dust off you Instrument Day at the Albert Hall on 17 June. We particularly welcome applications from bassoon, brass and viola players.

For more information, click here.

To enrol for Blow the Dust, click here.

Do you know a young person looking for their own cornet?

We have a lovely instrument that has been donated and we would love to find a home for it.

Please get in touch if you can help.

Email: admin@music-for-everyone.org or call 0115 958 9312.

Djanogly Community Orchestra is looking for a trombone player to join them for their next concert on 15 July, ideally also available to attend rehearsals on Monday evenings. If you are interested, please contact: membership@djanoglycommunityorchestra.co.uk
Can you answer these GCSE Music questions?! Find out if you would pass first time…https://www.classicfm.com/lifestyle/quizzes/gcse-music-questions-pass-exam/

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE.

22/05/2023

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/a-musical-celebration/

#MfEMonday – 15th May 2023

15th May 2023 Music for Everyone

MfEMondays is back! From Coronations to Eurovision, we hope you have enjoyed the various festivities over the past couple of weekends – we’re looking forward to a busy time at MfE, starting this Saturday… see below.

Hail, Star of the Sea

This coming Saturday 20^th May (7.30pm start), the Nottingham Chamber Singers are performing at St John’s Church, Beeston.

It will be a wonderful programme of contrast and beauty for voices and strings including Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Whitacre’s Five Hebrew Love Songs. For any of you who came along to the AGM you might remember singing the Brahms and Mendelssohn which will also feature in the concert.

Click here for more details. Click here to book tickets – save money when you book in advance!

*Special 40^th update* More exciting events from MfE as we continue the 40^th celebrations!

The FAMILY SING is now open for booking, happening on Sunday 11 June, open to all keen singers aged 5+ (children must be accompanied by an adult). Singing favourites like ‘Celebration’ by Kool and the Gang and ‘Under the Sea’ from the Little Mermaid, our new Steel Pan ensemble will also be performing with the opportunity to ‘have a go’. Full details and booking link here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/family-sing-workshop/

BLOW THE DUST OFF YOUR INSTRUMENT is on Saturday 17 June – music packs will be going out to all players very soon; items include Edward Elgar’s rousing Imperial March Op.32 and Queen’s iconic rock anthem We are the Champions. Find out full details and book online here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/blow-the-dust-off-your-instrument-3/ or contact the office on 0115 9589312 to book your place over the phone.

A MUSICAL CELEBRATION – 40^th Anniversary Weekend 1 – 2 July 2023

There’s something for everyone at the big weekend!

Vocals – sign up to take part in the youth concert on 1^st July (just £5 per child)
Spotlight on Youth concert: 1^st July, ticket booking is now open.
Daytime Voices & Orchestras – join us on 2^nd July for a Musical Celebration, including speeches and birthday cake!

All details of how YOU can get involved can be found here:

Woodwind players required for a Bulwell based wind band. Anyone is welcome and no weekly subscriptions are required. If you are interested, please contact David on 01159179203 or 07847099245.

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE.

15/05/2023

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMonday – 9th January 2023

9th January 2023 Music for Everyone

Happy New Year from all of us at Music for Everyone. We hope you have had a good Christmas break.

New year, new term.

Our regular groups resume rehearsals next week with the exception of Nottingham Daytime Orchestra who start again on Thursday, and our Lunchtime Choir which also starts on Thursday. If you are not familiar with our Lunchtime Choir they meet every Thursday in the Level 4 Foyer of the Royal Concert Hall from 12:30 – 13:30. Lead by the Dynamic Duo of Rachel Parkes and Josh Goodman, the group provides a great opportunity for city workers to take a proper break during Thursday lunchtimes and enjoy singing a range of music from folk and pop to blues and classical, in preparation for an informal performance at the end of the term. A singing break has a host of fabulous benefits. It gives you confidence, builds teams, increases motivation and focus, develops creativity and even improves your posture and breathing. Above all, it’s a lot of fun! This friendly and relaxed group is open to everyone who loves to sing and you don’t need to be able to read music to take part.

Blow the Dust

It was fantastic to have so many people join us for Blow the Dust at the Albert Hall last Saturday. 170 musicians gathered to perform works for orchestra, wind band and string orchestra. The final strains of Nessum Dorma are probably still ringing through the Albert Hall now! Please click here to hear some (Dr) miraculous playing from the full orchestra!

News from the MfE office

As you may know, with the departure of Robin Reece-Crawford, Anne Jackson has taken on the role of Adult Music Programme Coordinator. We will also be advertising for a new-part time administrator to join the team in the next few months.

Welcome to a newly refreshed section of MfE Mondays: ‘Monday Musings’ where we bring you some interesting musical thoughts, articles, playlists and more!

In our 40^th Anniversary Season we will be highlighting the achievements of women in music. Research carried out by online classical music magazine Bachtrack, based on over 27,000 listings for performances that took place in 2022, found that almost half of the world’s contemporary composers in 2022 were women. Click here for the full article on ClassicFM.

To welcome the new year, our youth groups will be performing a celebratory varied and entertaining concert on Sunday 22 January at Kingswood Methodist Church. Tickets are available here.

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE.

09/01/2023

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#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 motivational moments for your Mondays! We are aiming to send out something new each week.

#MfEMonday – 21st November 2022

21st November 2022 Music for Everyone

Congratulations to all those Daytime Voices singers who took part in end of term performances last week. Not only did you raise the roof, but various cake sales also raised a very impressive £460 for their associated Open Voices groups! Click here to hear West Bridgford Daytime Voices absolutely rocking ‘Like an Eagle’. A special mention must also go to the newly formed Hucknall Daytime Voices group who were invited to perform at the Jon Godber Centre’s Christmas fair last Sunday – you were brilliant!

Coming up – Daytime Orchestra Loughborough will be performing at All Saints Church Loughborough on Tuesday 06 December at 11:30 as part of their Christmas Tree Festival. The concert is free and they will finish with a carol singalong! Please come along, it will be a wonderful way to kick off a month of festivities.

We are busy putting together the music and information packs for Blow the Dust and are particularly looking forward to hearing the orchestra perform the overture to Dr Miracle by Bizet. In typical operatic fashion, Dr Miracle is a bizarre story about how forbidden love is overcome with the use of a poisoned omelette! There is even an entire quartet dedicated to the serving of the omelette.

Don’t miss out on your opportunity to pay homage to the humble omelette – there are still places available on Blow the Dust, click here for more information and here to sign up. And don’t forget to tell your friends!

On Saturday 26 November, Bingham and District Choral Society will be joining forces with Mansfield Choral Society and the Nottingham Symphony Orchestra to celebrate their 50^th Jubilee with a Last Night of the Proms concert at Southwell Minster. Why not join them to celebrate this Golden Jubilee milestone? Full details attached or on their website here.

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

21/11/2022

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/blow-the-dust-off-your-instrument-3/

#MfEMonday – 24th October 2022

24th October 2022 Music for Everyone

November is just around the corner, that must mean that MfE Christmas and 2023 events are now open for booking!

Concerts

Nottingham Chamber Singers present A Mystical Christmas at 3.30pm on Sunday 4^th December at St Mary the Virgin Church in Bunny.

Christmas is Coming! On Sunday 11^th December, members of the MfE ‘singing family’ come together for MfE’s annual Christmas concert at the Albert Hall, Nottingham, featuring a special appearance from Father Christmas! Children tickets are just £5 each.

Further details and ticket booking link for concerts can be found here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/whats-on/concerts/

Workshops/Courses

Christmas Vocals – open to all primary aged singers, a singing afternoon on Saturday 10^th December, then join the Christmas is Coming concert to perform on Sunday 11^th December! https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/vocals-christmas-is-coming/

Nottingham Community Voices – Christmas. Members of Daytime Voices and Community Voices are invited to join Vocals on Sunday 11^th December at the Albert Hall, Nottingham for MfE’s annual Christmas concert. Optional rehearsals from 28^th November, https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/christmas-is-coming-daytime-voices/

Blow the Dust off your Instrument Saturday 7^th January 2023

Nottingham Festival Chorus workshop weekend and concert 28/29 January & 4 February 2023

https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/nfc-course-weekend/

The Nottingham Festival Chorus will be celebrating the 150^th anniversary of Ralph Vaughan Williams in their next event, a singing weekend course and concert in January/February 2023, performing the stunning work Toward the Unknown Region.

The anniversary itself is being commemorated and celebrated throughout 2022 (our celebration comes a little later than the actual anniversary!) with October being the anniversary of his birth.

A champion of music-making in the community, he was a central figure to British musical life. His work The Lark Ascending is regularly voted the UK’s favourite classical work, and he was well known for writing for most major forms of genre in music, including film and stage.

Have a listen to brighten a rainy Monday to The Lark Ascending: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR2JlDnT2l8

Bake Off fever has hit the office again, we’ve been enjoying some musical puns linked to baking – this one in particular made us giggle!

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

24/10/2022

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=9jqdVJI8zEG0hWyfYmdxp2Hs2Jep8tlBtMQZJDgdM15UQ0NIU083OEdWWkVIQURYT1ZHVTZNVlFPRS4u

#MfEMonday – 5th September 2022

5th September 2022 Music for Everyone

Last Saturday over 30 recorder players took part in a wonderful playing day at Wollaton Hall. The day culminated in an informal outdoor performance in the courtyard – a real treat for visitors and players alike.

We are really looking forward to seeing you all back at the regular rehearsing groups that start back again next week. We are particularly excited to welcome new singers to our first Hucknall Daytime Voices rehearsal on Monday 12 September at the John Godber Centre. All dates, venues, timings and fees can all be found on our website here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/whats-on/adult-music/

Many people associate the recorder with memories of playing London’s Burning in a primary school classroom, but there is so much more to the humble recorder than meets the eye:

We are all familiar with the standard soprano, descant, treble, tenor and bass recorders, but did you know that the recorder family is even bigger: ranging from the Garklein recorder at only 16 cm long, to the Subcontrabass recorder at around 3 meters! The largest fully functioning recorder ever made was as tall as a giraffe! At 16 feet (5 metres), it has holes about 3.3 inches (8.5 centimetres) wide and is so large that despite being fully functional, it would be almost impossible to play correctly!
A recorder orchestra is a sight to behold due to the number of instruments needed. If you were going to put together a strict recorder orchestra, you would need at least 60 individual musicians and each of them would have to carry and play at least 9 different recorders, all different sizes, interchangeably. That’s at least 540 individual instruments!
Soldiers in the RAF who were held prisoner by the Germans during WW2 were given recorders to play to ease their time in prisoner of war camps.
Recorders ‘rock’! Paul McCartney integrated the recorder’s sound into a few of his solo works, but more notably, into the Beatles’ “Fool On The Hill”. Besides that, the recorder also features in the music of David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, and Lou Reed. Though plenty of rock stars used the instrument, not all of them were proud of it. Allegedly, Jimi Hendrix was so embarrassed to have played a recorder on “If 6 Was 9” that he asked for it to be listed as a flute on the album credits!

Free to a good home!
– 1 sheet music cabinet, 5 drawers. 75cm high 47cm wide.
– 1 piano stool. Adjustable, black padded seat.

Contact Liz Price at liz@air-receivers.co.uk or phone 07970789677

The CBSO Youth Orchestra is reopening auditions for our 22-3 Season in order to recruit more violins, violas, cellos, basses, horns, bassoons, percussion/timpani, and piano/celeste players. Register your interest to apply here:

The course dates are below and further information about the Youth Orchestra can be found on our website https://cbso.co.uk/take-part/young-people/youth-orchestra

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

05/09/2022

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF