Nottingham Chamber Singers

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMonday – 19th August 2024

19th August 202419th August 2024 Music for Everyone

Preparations are well underway for the new season at MfE! We’ve told you all about the upcoming courses and workshops for the Autumn term, here is a bit more information about the beginning of our concert series in October.

The NOTTINGHAM FESTIVAL CHORUS are performing an afternoon concert on Sunday 6^th October at St John’s Beeston Parish Church.

In the King’s Company features scrumptious choruses from Handel’s Acis and Galatea and Rameau’s Castor et Pollux. You’ll get a thorough dose of royal pomp and majesty with more music from Lully and Purcell, tickets are online now! https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/in-the-kings-company/

NOTTINGHAM CHAMBER SINGERS launch their 40^th anniversary season on Saturday 12^th October at St John’s Church, Carrington with a programme titled Come, Comfort of the World: Songs of Hope and Consolation.

A concert bringing the vitality and expressive detailing of a chamber choir performance to the presentation of works of hope and consolation, with Bach’s intimate Komm, Jesu, Komm and Reger’s beautiful motet The Hermit and Brahms’ well-loved Requiem, an evening not to be missed! Tickets online here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/ncs-concert/

NCS have an exciting programme of events planned for this coming season to celebrate their 40^th anniversary, see brochure for full details.

ATTENTION HISTORY BUFFS!!!

We’re pleased to attach details of a research project event at Worksop Priory later this month, entitled ‘Medieval Worship and the Cult of St Cuthbert at Worksop: A Discovery Day and Night Liturgy’.

Highlights include:

An early morning, candlelit Matins service for St Cuthbert, as it might have been known at Worksop some 700 years ago
A rare performance of what is arguably the oldest surviving English music: a set of chants in honour of St Cuthbert, composed around 930 AD for King Athelstan
Family activities inspired by the local illuminated manuscript treasure, the Tickhill Psalter, once used in connection with Worksop’s daily offices and now held in New York
History talks on medieval Office liturgy, the cult of St Cuthbert, and the historical value of attempting an enactment of this sort

Events run over the weekend of 31 August and 1 September 2024. All are most welcome to attend at any point. We are particularly keen to encourage participation in Sunday’s dawn liturgy and its rehearsal, which is open to all, regardless of experience.

The full schedule is as follows:

Saturday 31 August

10am Tea and Coffee (Church)

10.30am– Family activities (Church)

11am History talks (Gatehouse*) *no step-free access

The Office in Medieval Parish Churches – Paul Barnwell (University of Oxford)
Cuthbert, Durham, Worksop – Charlie Rozier (University of East Anglia)

12.30pm Lunch (Church)

1.30pm Introduction to act of worship (Church)

Cuthbert and the Night: Bringing a Forgotten History to Life – Henry Parkes (University of Nottingham)

2pm–5pm Open rehearsal of night liturgy (Church)

Sunday 1 September

5am Night Liturgy for the Translation of St Cuthbert

followed by a parish breakfast

A limited amount of free parking is available in front of the church, and there is public car park very close by on Priorswell Road.

Send your questions to worksop.discovery.day@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing you there!

American musician Clejan shares his string-based adventures as The Trap Violinist on social media. During a recent performance by the side of a lake, he was met with a new, unexpected audience: an octet of music-loving turtles. See the video here: Violinist summons turtles from water with his virtuosic playing – Classic FM

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE

19/08/2024

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMonday – 3rd June 2024

3rd June 2024 Music for Everyone

We’re treating you to not one, but TWO MfE events this weekend!

Saturday 8^th June, 7.30pm at St Mary the Virgin Church, Bunny – Nottingham Chamber Singers ‘A Choral Garland’ concert

Join the chamber choir for their next concert. The music is perfect for a summer evening, all flowers and birdsong! The programme ranges from colourful folk-song arrangements to lovely part songs by English composers including John Rutter, Sir Edward Elgar, Cecilia McDowall and Gustav Holst, plus foot-tapping ’standards’ such as Blue Skies and Let’s do It – a concert guaranteed to entertain and raise the spirits!

The historic church of St Mary the Virgin dates from the 14th century and can be found in the old part of the village of Bunny, on the right hand side of the A60 as you travel from Nottingham towards Loughborough. There is plenty of parking on surrounding streets or in the local primary school car park.

Complimentary ‘summery’ refreshments will be served to you by members of the choir during the interval.

Tickets (full £12, concession £11, child/student £5) can be purchased from the MfE office 0115 958 9312 or just reply to this email saying how many tickets you would like and they will be available for you to pick up and pay for on the door. Buy tickets in advance here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/ncs-june-concert/

Sunday 9^th June – Family Festival Day

Workshops, performances, cake, stalls and games – it’s all happening!

Join us at Middle Street Resource Centre in Beeston from 1pm – 5.30pm this coming Sunday for lots of musical activity, whether you’re joining a workshop (sign up here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/family-festival/) or would like to come and enjoy all the performances, we hope to see you there.

Blow the Dust alert! Places are filling up fast for the next course on Saturday 15^th June and we’re nearly at capacity, book your place now to avoid disappointment: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/blow-the-dust-off-your-instrument-jan/

FUN FACT for Blow the Dusters… Did you know the orchestra that recorded Elmer Bernstein’s rousing and Oscar-nominated score for the Magnificent Seven (which the wind band will be tackling with Josh on the 15^th) featured a young piano player who would later become a legendary soundtrack composer himself: John Williams!

The MfE Wordsearch! With 20 of our favourite words/phrases relating to MfE, see how fast you can find them all

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE

03/06/2024

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 – 18th March 2024

18th March 2024 Music for Everyone

Our talented youth instrumentalists put on an amazing performance in their concert yesterday. We were also delighted to be joined by the Round Hill School Orchestra who joined MfE’s two youth bands to perform ‘Shorewood Overture’ by Michael Sweeney – a piece especially designed for 3 groups of different ability levels which fits like a jigsaw puzzle when played together. All three groups have been rehearsing separately this term and only came together for the first time on the day, creating a mass band of 60 players! A huge well done to the Strictly Strings, East Midlands Youth String Orchestra, Nottingham and East Midlands Youth Bands for a wonderful concert of musical variety and talent!

Congratulations to Nottingham Chamber Singers for a gravity defying performance on Saturday night at St Mary’s Church, Clifton. The choir performed a beautiful programme of music old and new on the theme of Angels, dreams and flying machines, much of it unknown to many of the audience and before they started rehearsals this term, most of the choir!

Birds soared, angels danced and even the family of bats in the belfry at the church came out for the show! A gorgeous night for all.

Tickets are still available for our West End to Broadway concert this Saturday at Rushcliffe Spencer Academy. Tickets are only £8 and include a pre-concert drink. Come along and hear our wonderful massed choir along with the joyful sound of our Open Voices groups. Be entertained by the charismatic Simon Theobald and MfE’s wonderful Rachel Parkes as they perform highlights from some of the best-loved Broadway shows. Tickets are available here, on the door or by phoning the office on 0115 958 9312.

Just a reminder to MfE members that the Annual General Meeting of Music for Everyone will take place this Wednesday at 7.15pm at St Luke’s Church, West Bridgford, NG2 6GL. We need to know today if you are planning on attending so please RSVP to admin@music-for-everyone.org

I don’t know what Daytime Voices have been putting in their cakes this term (gold?!) but they have managed to raise an astounding total of £760.96 from their end-of-term bake sales. All of this money will go to support our Open Voices groups. Thank you Daytime Voices!

All this talk of cake has put us in a baking mood. Click here for some of the best pieces of music inspired by the art of baking!

Our Daytime Orchestras perform their end-of-term concerts this week: Daytime Orchestra Loughborough on Tuesday 19 March at All Saints Parish Church, Steeple Row, Loughborough LE11 1UX, and Daytime Orchestra Nottingham on Thursday 21 March at St Martins Church, Trevose Gardens, Sherwood NG5 3FU. Come along at 11:00am and have a cup of tea or coffee with the players before being treated to a varied programme of Beethoven, Bernstein, Mendelssohn, John Barry and more. Both concerts are free, so please do come along and support our wonderful adult instrumentalists.

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE.

18/03/2024

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMonday – 11th March 2024

11th March 2024 Music for Everyone

WELL DONE to our VOCALS CHOIR for an amazing performance of songs from the Movies at the Albert Hall yesterday. 140 children worked incredibly hard in Saturday’s workshop ready for the concert to family and friends, we’ve had a great weekend with them all!

Don’t forget, the Nottingham Chamber Singers have their Angels, Dreams and Flying Machines concert this Saturday 16th March at St Mary’s Church in Clifton, last chance to book tickets in advance this week, we’ll have some on the door as well but best to reserve them now to avoid disappointment! Book here

It’s been a Movie-filled weekend with our Vocals event and the Oscars last night! (You might not know the results yet unless you were up at 1am to watch, so don’t read on if you’re not a fan of spoilers!)

The dark and tense score for Oppenheimer won Best Original Score by Ludwig Goransson. Using the violin as a starting point, Göransson and his wife Serena, a violinist, began experimenting with vibratos and microtonal glissandos, they aimed to convey the anxiety of Oppenheimer through the violin’s ability to instantly switch from a romantic and sentimental sound to something “neurotic” and “horrifying.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLUwsAbkmx0

By stark contrast, Best Original Song was won by Billie Eilish for her song What Was I Made for? From the Barbie movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW8VLC9nn ,a ballad that reflects on identity and belonging.

Blackwood Clarinets are excited to be organising their first Clarinet Play Day. This will be a full day event, on Sunday 14th July, including workshops and play sessions exploring music from the clarinet choir repertoire, along with a masterclass and optional improvisation session. The day will end with a short concert free for friends and family to attend. Please see attached flyer and for more information follow this link
An exciting upcoming concert by Melodic Fanfare, a Nottingham based brass ensemble. They will be holding their first live performance : A relaxing lunchtime debut concert featuring a variety of classical music. The concert will be held at University Hall, Nottingham on Friday 5^th April with all proceeds going to Mind. See attached flyer and book tickets here.

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE.

11/03/2024

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMonday – 4th March 2024

4th March 2024 Music for Everyone

We’re gearing up for an exciting and busy March, so much music making coming up!

The Nottingham Chamber Singers concert ‘Angels, Dreams and Flying Machines’ is on Saturday 16 March at St Mary’s Church, Clifton. Join us for an evening of flight, fantasy and winged creatures, featuring poetry and musical works by Whitacre, Panufnik, Mendelssohn and Vaughan-Williams. Tickets available online in advance now: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/ncs-concert/ or you can buy on the door.

On Sunday 17th March, we’ll be ‘Springing into Music’ with our youth groups spring concert at Chilwell School for an afternoon concert of varied repertoire by string orchestras and wind bands. Tickets available online in advance now: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/yth-concert/ or purchased on the door, subject to availability.

Places are still available for West End to Broadway on Saturday 23^rd March. Don’t miss out the opportunity to learn from the fantastic Simon Theobald. Click this link to hear from the man himself!: https://youtube.com/shorts/qCPwQ5jhyk4?feature=share

Call-out for volunteers! We are looking for some extra help at our friendly Open Voices group in Mansfield. They meet on Friday afternoons from 1.45-3.15pm at Portland College in the wonderful Newstart Theatre. If anyone is able to help our leader Cliff and join in the singing that would be great! Please email su@music-for-everyone.org

It’s not quite officially springtime just yet, but as we have now reached March (and, fingers crossed, some nicer, dryer weather!) it seems apt to welcome the beginning signs of spring with some seasonal music. The most obvious is of course, Spring from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, who was born on this day, 4 March 1678: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LiztfE1X7E

Another is Vaughan-Williams The Lark Ascending, originating from a poem by George Meredith about the song of a skylark. The poem inspired Vaughan Williams to write a musical work of the same name: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbFi85piaEg Vaughan Williams also features in the NCS concert on 16 March.

If you haven’t already seen on our website, we have now released the choir repertoire for Summer School 2024! We’re thrilled that Hilary Campbell will be with us again and exploring the following pieces:
- Lily Boulanger – Hymn au soleil
- James MacMillan – O Radiant Dawn
- Harold Arlen – Over the Rainbow
- Roger Emerson – Ain’t no Mountain High Enough
The choir will also be doing Handel’s rousing anthem Zadok the Priest with the orchestra and an arrangement of Abide with Me with the string ensemble: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/summer-school-2024/

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE.

04/03/2024

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

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

#MfEMonday – 18th December 2023

18th December 2023 Music for Everyone

Dear MfE friends, supporters, volunteers, singers, blowers, pluckers, bowers, arm-wavers, ivory-tinklers and bangers (that’s percussionists in case you were wondering)…

As it is our last MfE Mondays of 2023, it falls to me to thank each and every one of you for all of your contributions, both musical and otherwise, to all of Music for Everyone’s endeavours over the past year.

It has been a very busy and exciting 40th Anniversary year, with us saying welcome to new members, staff, our Artistic Director Alex Robinson, as well as wishing a fond farewell to some wonderful and hard-working members of the team, not least our fabulous founder, Angela Kay, for 40 years of enthusiasm, inspiration and frankly – REALLY HARD WORK!

We hope you have enjoyed all of our weekly groups, special events and concerts as much as we have. Each and every one of these ventures takes an enormous amount of work, and we wish to especially thank our office staff of Anne, Kirstie, Laura and Su, as well as all their team of volunteer-office supporters, for making these events run so smoothly. We hope they all enjoy a restful Christmas break.

Yesterday saw the Albert Hall full of singing, laughter and seasonal spirit for our annual Christmas is Coming celebration. A huge thank you and well-done to all of the participants, the Daytime Voices Choirs Nottingham Community Voices, Nottingham Chamber Singers, members of the Nottingham Concert Orchestra and of course our fabulous Vocals groups for putting on an amazing show. The roof was raised with everything from the rousing carol O Come all ye faithful, to a beautiful sign-language spectacle of White Christmas and a wild and joyous ride of Jingle Bells, along with our children performing a witty and impressive sung panto of Roald Dahl’s Jack and the Beanstalk. We hope you all left feeling suitably festive, I know I did, and our special visitor Father Christmas told me he was REALLY impressed with the beautiful singing!

Wishing you a peaceful and joyful Christmas and we look forward to seeing you all in the New Year!

Rachel

Vocal animateur and Assistant Artistic Director, MfE

No Christmas concert would be complete without the iconic whip crack in Sleigh Ride. Look what happens when you give percussionists free ‘rein’ (see what we did there?)

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NOoF0DR9ESA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCLavUoX7Sc&list=RDWCLavUoX7Sc&start_radio=1

Don’t forget we will be singing carols at the Test Match Pub in West Bridgford, this Thursday 21^st December 5.30-6.30pm for an informal sing in aid of open voices. Please meet us there for a 5.30pm – everyone is welcome.
The Office will be closed for a Christmas break from 1pm on Friday 22^ndDecember. We will be back open on Tuesday 2^nd January for an exciting new term!

Have a great week and a Merry Christmas!

Your friends at MfE.

18/12/2023

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMonday – 27th November 2023

27th November 2023 Music for Everyone

Last week, the Daytime Voices had their end of term concerts in Hucknall, Southwell, West Bridgford, Wollaton and Sherwood. Well done to all for a fantastic term and performance!

The end of term concerts for Southwell and Wollaton groups were the last with their conductor Angela Kay, who will be handing over the reins to a new conductor next February. Wollaton performed a special rendition of ‘Thank you for the Music’ as a surprise for Angela, see the video here: Wollaton DTV thank you to Angela.mp4

Just a reminder that this coming Saturday our chamber choir, the Nottingham Chamber Singers are giving a special Advent/Christmas concert entitled Sparkling Baroque – a programme packed full of seasonal goodies with complimentary festive refreshments during the interval. The church is easy to find, situated on the right hand side of the Mansfield Road heading out of Nottingham towards Sherwood. There is plenty of on-street parking close by and we have arranged that we have the use of the well lit car park, which is situated just past the church.

Conducted by Angela Kay with soloist Rachel Parkes – a concert full of musical sparkle!

Further details can be found on the attached flyer or from our website https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/ncs-sparkling-baroque-concert/

Who else is excited for the FINAL of the Great British Bake Off tomorrow night? To get in the mood, we’ve been listening to the original soundtrack of all the familiar tunes you hearing during the show, composed by Tom Howe. With unique names, from ‘Bakewell Counting’ (usually heard in the last-minute-dash to finish their bake!) to ‘Happy Pizza’ (the pizzicato motif that means something funny is about to happen…) these violin, cello and percussion compositions have become instantly recognisable and familiar to Bake Off fans.

Hear all the original tracks here and choose your favourite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lhcn3LaVFZM

Remember, if you’re shopping online for the festive season, use EasyFundraising and support MfE! It’s so easy to do and raises money for MfE without it costing you anything extra. Follow these simple steps here to sign up and visit your favourite websites through the link: https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/musicforeveryone Every time you buy, a donation is made to support Music for Everyone.

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE.

27/11/2023

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/reflective-classical-music-remembrance-day/

#MfEMonday – 13th November 2023

13th November 2023 Music for Everyone

Hello Everyone,

Bandwise and Stringwise were off to a great start this weekend, working on an exciting programme to perform in a Big Youth Experience Concert next weekend at the Albert Hall.

If you’re looking for an uplifting festive concert our chamber choir, the Nottingham Chamber Singers, are performing a joyful selection of Sparkling Baroque music on Saturday 2^nd December at St John’s Church, Carrington. Angela Kay is conducting the concert and here she is to tell you a bit more about it! https://youtu.be/AZo4466aMsQ

To book tickets call the office on 0115 958 9312 or follow this link: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/ncs-sparkling-baroque-booking/

Looking ahead to next year, places are booking up for our next Blow the Dust off your Instrument event (20^th Jan) and the ‘Gloria’ Singing Weekend and Concert (27th-28th Jan and 3rd Feb).

There’s time to book if you haven’t already!

Here are a selection of reflective classical works to mark this weekend’s Remembrance Day:

Did you know that 60 years after their first hit, The Beatles topped the singles chart this weekend, with all four Beatles featured on the song Now and Then. To find out more click here: The Beatles top singles chart 60 years after their first hit – BBC News

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE.

13/11/2023

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMonday – 23rd October 2023

23rd October 2023 Music for Everyone

Booking is now open for our next choral workshop and concert in Jan/Feb next year!

On 27 and 28 January, our new Artistic Director, Alex Robinson, will guide you through a glorious programme with a spellbinding few days diving into the music of Poulenc, Rutter and more with a professional symphony orchestra! These phenomenally exciting settings of the Gloria are sure to give you Goosebumps!

For more information see the attached flyer or click here to book your place.

We are offering a free taster session for our Youth Bands on Thursday 9th November.

Both groups rehearse at Beeston Methodist Church on Thursday evenings. Our Nottingham Youth Band (5:30 – 7pm) is for players of grade 2 – 5, while the East Midlands Youth Band (6:30 – 8pm) is for players of grade 5+.

For more information about the groups, click here.

Please do join us for the start of our Christmas concert rehearsals – and don’t forget to let your friends know about it!

The stormy weather this weekend has inspired us to put together a stormy play list for you. Enjoy!

Into the Storm by Robert W Smith https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrPDguuxw7o

The Storm from Four Sea Interludes by Benjamin Britten Britten – “Storm Interlude” from “Peter Grimes” (London Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Davis) – YouTube

Cloudburst by Eric Whitacre Cloudburst – Eric Whitacre – YouTube

Storm from The Sea, The Sea by Frank Bridge Frank Bridge, The Sea, The Sea: No. 4 Storm – YouTube

On Saturday 28 October, the Nottingham Chamber Orchestra will be performing a delightful selection of music from Mozart, Parry, Delibes and Saint-Seans at St Mary’s Church in Clifton Village.

Click here to find out what AI might make of Gustavo Dudamel conducting Beethoven 5.

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE.

23/10/2023

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF