ADULT MUSIC

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/byme-bandwise-2023/

#MfEMonday – 18th September 2023

18th September 2023 Music for Everyone

It’s going to be a busy week for MfE, with not one, not two, but EIGHT Daytime groups starting their new term. Plus there is the beautiful Chamber Singers concert to look forward to on Saturday evening at St Barnabas Cathedral, 8pm start – tickets on the door!

For more information see the attached flyer, or click here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/ncs-concert/

The youth groups, all Open Voices groups, Sunday Afternoon Big Band and Flute Choir and Nottingham Chamber Singers have all started their new seasons, with the World Drumming starting next week (26th Sept). See a full weekly schedule below.

To find out more about any of these groups and how to join, please contact the office.

The next BANDWISE & STRINGWISE workshop is open for young musicians to join! We’re so excited to see many young wind, brass, percussion and string players taking part this November. Over the last few years the combined concert has been a magnificent affair with more than 150 young players all coming together to share the music making.

Bandwise: 11 & 19 November, young wind, brass and percussion grade 2+

Stringwise: 12 & 19 November, young string players from beginners

We’ve been ‘musing’ on the fantastic music chosen for the NFC workshop day in October with Sam Evans. Interesting fact about the operetta by Franz Lehár The Merry Widow – did you know Lehár was not the first choice to compose the music? Richard Heuberger was asked first, but his draft was deemed ‘unsatisfactory’ and he left the project.

The Vilja Song is one of the most well-known pieces from the score, if you’re not familiar, take a listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4366WDO3jhU

Something a bit different… Pachelbel’s Canon performed by… TRAIN HORNS! This is both brilliant and hilarious and is a must-watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD3QlR98–A&t=158s

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE.

18/09/2023

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMonday – 11th September 2023

11th September 2023 Music for Everyone

Nottingham Festival Chorus

We are now taking bookings for our Festival Chorus day on Saturday 7^th October.

We are very lucky to be joined by the seasoned and acclaimed Chorus Master Sam Evans! Much in demand for workshops for singers of all kinds, Sam has run events for large choirs such as Highgate Choral Society, The London Chorus and Henley Choral Society. He has run numerous “Come and Sing” workshops, on repertoire ranging from opera choruses to pop music from movie soundtracks.

Get ready to sing a selection of well-loved choruses from Mendelssohn’s epic Oratorio Elijah, Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach’s sparkling Magnificat and the beautiful Vilja chorus from Lehár’s opera The Merry Widow.

Booking can be made online here: Music For Everyone (savoysystems.co.uk) or by calling the office.

Autumn Term Begins

It might not have felt like Autumn with all this glorious sunshine, but some of our groups started their Autumn term this weekend.

SAM Big Band and Flutes had a sweltering start to the term, with the Flute Choir even resorting to playing outside!

To check when your group is starting, and to sign-up for any of our Adult groups, click here

Bandwise and Stringwise

For any young musicians wanting to get involved in Music for Everyone, we have the exciting Bandwise and Stringwise coming up in November.

Bandwise:

Date

Venue

Who’s it for?

11 & 19 November 2023

Course venue – South Notts Academy, Radcliffe on Trent

Concert – Albert Hall, Nottingham

Young wind, brass and percussion players grade 2 – 8

Book online here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/byme-bandwise-2023/

Stringwise:

Date

Venue

Who’s it for?

12 & 19 November 2023

Course venue – South Notts Academy, Radcliffe on Trent

Concert – Albert Hall, Nottingham

Young violin, viola, cello and double bass players beginners – grade 8

Book online here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/byme-stringwise-2023/

Did you know Mendelssohn’s oratorio Elijah was given its premiere in Birmingham in 1846 to an ecstatic audience of 2,000 people. It had taken him some ten years to prepare, including penning most of the libretto himself. It was very much the ‘Messiah’ of its day: hugely popular, cementing Mendelssohn’s position as one of the greatest composers of sacred music.

It will be fantastic to work through this in our Nottingham Festival Chorus day with Sam Evans next month.

According to a new study 84% of the general population want to experience an orchestral concert. Read more here: https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/survey-research-royal-philharmonic-orchestra/

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE.

11/09/2023

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMonday – 14th August 2023

14th August 2023 Music for Everyone

MfE are hiring!

We are seeking an inspiring and charismatic conductor to lead our Daytime Orchestra programme on a freelance basis. The successful candidate will be an experienced symphony orchestra conductor, with a strong background as an adult educator, animateur and/or teacher.

Deadline for applications: 12 noon on 5^th September

Find out more and please do pass this information on to anyone you think might be interested here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/about-us/vacancies/

Recorder consort workshop day

Saturday 2^nd September, Belton House, Grantham

Taking place in the historical setting of Belton House, enjoy a day of recorder playing followed by informal performances to members of the public visiting the house. The workshop day will be led by Chris McDouall.

Find out more and book here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/recorder-consort-day/

August is turning a bit cold for our liking so here’s a summer holiday playlist to transport you to sunny beaches and proper summer weather: https://www.classical-music.com/features/articles/best-classical-music-summer/

As it is nearing results time for many A Level and GCSE students – Good Luck to all MfE youth members waiting for results! – do you think you could pass GCSE music? Take a quiz here to find out: https://www.classicfm.com/lifestyle/quizzes/gcse-music-questions-pass-exam/

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE.

14/08/2023

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

Muppet Songs: Gonzo – Eine Kleine Nachtmusik – YouTube

#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 School Day 3: From RELAXED to RE-ENERGISED (and everything in between)

10th August 202310th August 2023 Music for Everyone

The final day arrives, the sun is shining and everyone is raring to go one more time! The Obolensky has transformed overnight in to our concert set up and it’s time to polish up the corners of the music ready for the Showcase Concert.

To help RELAX after the final rehearsals and before the performance, participants were invited to eat their lunch in the chapel and enjoy some special mood lighting and relaxing piano music, played by Summer School accompanist Richard Cox.

A contrast in the afternoon with Katie from Beat Goes On designed to RE-ENERGISE with a body percussion stomp-style session with creating our own rhythms (yes, bottom-patting and much laughter was involved!). A final top and tail rehearsal then it’s SHOWCASE time!

The concert started with Katie getting everyone involved, audience as well, in body percussion to make a rain storm effect (we avoided the real rain thankfully!) The concert programme this year was chosen around the Summer School theme ‘New Horizons’, celebrating women in music in this 40th year of Music for Everyone. The first piece of music was a piece commissioned especially for the 40th anniversary by Nottingham born composer Libby Croad – Hail! Bright Cecilia then each group showcased talent and hard work from the 3 days, with pieces including Hymn by Harding from the saxophones, Gallimaufry by Guy Wolfenden by the wind band, Fantasia on Welsh Nursery Tunes by Grace Williams by the orchestra, Libby Croad’s Suite for Strings, Big Yellow Taxi (Gilpin) and Flower Duet (Delibes) by the choir and the big finale Finlandia by Sibelius performed by all 180+ participants!

Drinks, nibbles and a chance to sit and chat one last time after concert and that’s a wrap! as they say.

THANK YOUS
A huge thanks to our wonderful conductors, Keiron Anderson, Hilary Campbell and Rob Hodge for the incredible work they have done with singers and players. To our guest artists Naomi Sullivan and Papagena for unforgettable recitals and workshops. The tutors, Isobel, Sarah, Jonathan, Jenny, Tim, Rachel, Josh, Gill, Gordon, Dave, David and accompanist, Richard Cox for all their support and sectional rehearsals. The ‘behind the scenes’ staff and volunteers for copious tea/coffee making (we lost count this year!). Of course, a huge thanks goes to Trent College for hosting and being so helpful and also to Bookwise and Turner Violins for attending. We did notice one person didn’t get a mention in the concert… because he was doing the mentioning! Thank you to Robin! for his compering and everything else he did. Finally, to the participants – thank you for supporting MfE – what a 3 days!

Right, we’re off for a little lie down then start planning for next year – see you there?

#SummerSchool2023

Summer School Day 2: A Capella is the game, Papagena is the name

8th August 2023 Music for Everyone

An incredible second day of Summer School on a (mostly) sunny Tuesday at Trent College.

Rehearsals for choir, orchestra, sax ensemble, string orchestra and wind band (busy, busy!) continued throughout the morning (fuelled by regular top ups of tea, coffee and biscuits of course!).

Today’s guests, all-female a capella quintet Papagena blew the roof off the chapel and received a standing ovation at the end of their lunchtime recital for Summer School participants. Their programme, aptly named ‘Nuns and Roses’ featured hauntingly beautiful melodies of traditional Ukrainian lullabies and Georgian hymns all the way through to ‘hard rock’ Guns ‘n’ Roses Sweet Child o’ mine and finishing with The woman’s ‘If’ – a work commissioned for Papagena and based on Caitlin Moran’s female perspective to Rudyard Kipling’s If. Many of the pieces in the programme were also arranged by members of the group. Simply amazing.

Papagena then led the choir in a workshop, teaching them one of the pieces from their recital and working on some of the repertoire chosen by Hilary for this year’s course.

Further rehearsals in the afternoon led to Tuesday’s ‘sharing concert’ – where the singers perform the players and the players perform to the singers. A short session to share items that won’t feature in the final Showcase Concert – from the choir with Hilary (with Richard’s debut performance on the drums…), the sax ensemble with Keiron, the string orchestra with Rob and the wind band, again with Keiron performing A Single Step of his own composition.

That wraps up another busy Summer School day, bring on the finale!

#SummerSchool2023

Summer School Day 2 in under 20 seconds!

Summer School Day 1: The many (many) sounds of the saxophone

7th August 2023 Music for Everyone

Welcome to Summer School 2023! Taking place once again in the picturesque setting of Trent College in Long Eaton, we are delighted to be back with new and returning faces (participants and staff!).

We kicked off with pastries and a welcome from Robin then it’s straight down to the musical good stuff… Rehearsals! The choir head off the the Chapel with Hilary, orchestra are in the May Hall with Rob and brand new for this year, the saxophone ensemble get started with Keiron in the Rep!

This year, the focus for day 1 is the glorious saxophone, with amazing guest artist Naomi Sullivan treating us to a stunning recital with a varied programme featuring George Gershwin and Jules Demersseman.

The saxophone players then took part in a workshop with Naomi, creating unique effects and developing techniques beyond mere notes – at one point, impersonating a rain storm! (Check out the video clip in the round-up below – that’s the saxophones, not the weather!)

More rehearsals, sectionals and the traditional tea, coffee and biscuits rounded off a great first day – crossing our fingers the sun continues to shine and we’re looking forward to day 2!

#SummerSchool2023

SS23 Day 1!

#MfEMonday – 31st July 2023

31st July 2023 Music for Everyone

Nottingham Chamber Singers will be kicking off our 2023/24 concert season in style with an enchanting concert at St Barnabas Cathedral on Saturday 23rd September. Joined by Mezzo Soprano, Emily Hodkinson and Organist, Peter Siepmann, the Nottingham Chamber Singers will present a flavour of the styles and sensibilities of some of the greatest romantic composers of the 19^th and 20^th Centuries including Franck, Boulanger, Elgar and Faure, finishing with Duruflè’s profoundly moving and deeply consoling Requiem.

Click here for more information about the concert, or here to book tickets.

Please be aware that the MfE Office will be closed next week while we decamp to Trent College for our annual Summer School. Nottingham Bookwise will remain open as normal. If you would like to experience a flavour of what the Summer School is all about, why not come along to our Showcase Concert on Wednesday 09 August at 6:00pm? Tickets are only £5 and include drinks and nibbles! Click here to book.

Did anyone catch MfE friend and alumnus, Sam Sweeney, on radio 4 this week?

Click here to listen and find out how Bach’s Toccata and Fugue and Ski Sunday are connected!

We’re looking forward to hearing the Summer School strings playing the Romance from Eine Kleine Nachtmusic. Let’s hope it’s more successful than this death-defying acrobatic version!

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE.

31/07/2023

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

See: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/nottinghamshire-lincolnshire/belton-house

#MfEMonday – 10th July 2023

10th July 202310th July 2023 Music for Everyone

You might have thought the 40th celebration weekend ended the season, but no! The next MfE event is this coming Sunday, 16 July 2023, in the stunningly beautiful setting of Belton House, just north of Grantham, with two performances by the Nottingham Chamber Singers: 1.30pm and 3.00pm.

Each 45 minute programme will be light and varied – from madrigals to the Beatles! The location of the two performances is weather dependant, but both indoor and outdoor options have been arranged.

So why not have a day out and enjoy Belton’s wonderful and extensive gardens and grounds? Take a picnic or buy lunch there, have a go in the adventure playground (a favourite with children), spot the location of various scenes from the BBC’s adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and enjoy the music!

Fine weather locations:

1.30pm in the Courtyard where you’ll find shops and the Stables Cafe – grab lunch, a drink or an ice cream and enjoy the singing.

3.00pm on the REAR steps of the house itself, overlooking the beautiful garden. You’ll find a few deckchairs there and grass to sit on, or you might even get lucky and claim one of the hidden benches – look in the low hedging!

Wet weather locations: at either 1.30pm and or 3.00pm

The Saloon – a grand room on the ground floor of the house. Enter via the front door. While we hope it will be a sunny day, it would be quite something for choir and audience to gather in the room where music has been performed since 1688!

Belton belongs to the National Trust. Parking and entry is free to members showing their cards. Otherwise, tickets can be bought in advance or in the entry kiosk.

Belton House | Lincolnshire

National Trust’s Belton House, Lincolnshire, is a country estate with formal Italian and Dutch gardens, and historic deer park.

www.nationaltrust.org.uk

See you there!

There are still places left on our Summer School this August (7th – 9th at Trent College) and we also have a special saxophone ensemble workshop on Monday 7th August with Naomi Sullivan for any sax players who would like to take part.

Please follow the link for more details and booking info: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/saxophone-ensemble-workshop/

Saxophone Ensemble Workshop

With Naomi Sullivan

www.music-for-everyone.org

Come along and support the Daytime Orchestras in their free concerts this week!
- Loughborough: Tuesday 11^th July – 11.30am
- All Saints Church, Steeple Row, Loughborough LE11 1UX

- Nottingham: Thursday 13th July – 11.30am
- St Martin’s Church, Trevose Gardens, Sherwood NG5 3FU

If you’ve been getting into Wimbledon fever, check out these 10 links between tennis and classical music!

https://www.classical-music.com/features/articles/tennis-and-classical-music/

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE.

10/07/2023

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF