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

The summer term is almost upon us!

For adult singers & players: all Daytime Voices, including Lunchtime Voices, Sunday Afternoon Flutes and Big Band and Daytime Orchestras start back from next Monday 22nd April. For further detail on specific groups and how to sign up in advance visit our website here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/whats-on/adult-music/ or you can pay at the first rehearsal for the term.

For youth players: the Nottingham Youth Band, for grade 2 – 4, have an open rehearsal for new players on Thursday 25th April, 5.30pm – 7pm at Beeston Methodist Church. If you know a young musician who might like to try a group, encourage them to come along for free on the 25th to try it out.

Other youth groups start back from Sunday 12th May.

 

A date for your diary… Sunday 9th June is MfE’s Family Festival Day – a musical extravaganza for everyone! There are workshops (advance sign up essential) in world drumming and intergenerational singing, open sessions with Open Voices and the Lullaby Bank, plus music in the garden and cake, punch and games stalls. Bring everyone down to Middle Street Resource Centre in Beeston from 1pm to join in the musical fun: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/family-festival/


 

A quick Monday Musing today… quite literally! Did you know the current official world record for the fastest performance of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee is 46.19 seconds? It’s over before you know it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naiDpqGFgV8#:~:text=Official%20World%20Record%20Flight%20Of%20The%20Bumblebee%2046.19%20seconds%20%2D%20YouTube

The Flight of the Bumblebee can be played on pretty much any instrument, but we’re most impressed with the multi-tasking involved in playing it on the organ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHZvMAJUN5g&t=1s


 

 


 

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE

15/04/2024

admin@music-for-everyone.org

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10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

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It’s concert week for the MfE youth groups! The Strictly Strings, East Midlands Youth String Orchestra, Nottingham and East Midlands Youth Bands have been working hard over the Autumn term towards their New Year concert at Kingswood Methodist Church, Wollaton on Sunday 22 January, 3.30pm. Tickets are available in advance and on the door: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/new-year-concert/

The next MfE concert will be the Nottingham Festival Chorus performing Vaughan Williams ‘Toward the Unknown Region’ and featuring soloist Richard Cox on piano on Saturday 4 February at the Albert Hall, Nottingham. Definitely not to be missed! Book tickets and select your seats here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/nfc-concert/

The Lullaby Banks (in partnership with Inspire Music Hub) are back this term and looking forward to welcoming new mums and babies. If you, or someone you know, has a little one aged 0 – 9 months, the sessions are completely free and take place in Beeston and West Bridgford libraries. Booking is essential to guarantee a place as space is limited. https://www.inspireculture.org.uk/whats-on/the-lullaby-bank/


The two most popular New Year’s resolutions in the UK are to exercise more and improve fitness or improve their diet with more healthy eating.

Although we’re already halfway through January (who knows how long these resolutions last!) here’s a twist on a January diet for you… a musical diet especially for the first month of the year. Take 5 – 10 minutes each day to be an ‘active listener’ and enjoy this specially crafted playlist by The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jan/01/feed-your-soul-the-31-day-classical-music-diet-for-january-fiona-maddocks


  • Quick joke: Why couldn’t the string quartet find their composer?
    Answer: He was Haydn…

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE.

16/01/2023

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

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

Congratulations to both Daytime Orchestras (Loughborough and Nottingham) for their fantastic end of term performances last week. Josh is incredibly proud of you all and looking forward to attacking the new repertoire in the summer term. New players are always welcome, especially in the string and brass sections!!  If you know of anyone who might be interested please let them know. For more details visit: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/whats-on/adult-music/daytime-orchestra/ or email josh@music-for-everyone.org

The Lullaby Bank has also had another successful term. Working in partnership with Inspire, Rachel Parkes has been leading the sessions for babies aged 0-9 months and their parents in West Bridgford and Beeston libraries. The groups offer the chance to sing and listen to melodies from around the world and provide a calm space for parents to bond with their babies. More details about the groups can be found via this link: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/health-well-being/the-lullaby-bank/

 


Musicians worldwide have been joining forces to show their solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

Violinists from around the world have joined together to perform the Ukrainian folk song “Verbovaya Doschechka”.  Illia Bondarenko a violinist in Kyiv filmed himself playing in a basement shelter along with nine other young violinists sheltering in Ukraine. They were accompanied in harmony by 94 violinists from 29 countries. He had to film in between the explosions because he could not hear himself play.  https://youtu.be/mQSIeD-x6dQ

The sheet music is available to download here for anyone on any instrument who wishes to create their own recording to raise support for those affected by the crisis.

In Nottingham last weekend members of the Nottingham Philharmonic Orchestra and friends joined together to play at the Brian Clough statue just off the Market Square. They performed the Ukrainian National Anthem and You Will Never Walk Alone to raise money for Ukrainian refugees.


 

  • If you’re in need of a soothing lullaby here is a jazzy take on the classic Brahms Lullaby by legendary pianist Dave Brubeck recorded as a gift to his grandchildren: https://youtu.be/fzLDcX-lG98

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

04/04/2022

admin@music-for-everyone.org

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

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

Good News! We have decided to go ahead with the Festival Chorus singing course and concert – Choral and Opera Classics.

It will now take place over just one day, Saturday February 5th at the Albert Hall in Nottingham.  The programme will include extracts from Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Fauré’s Requiem and Haydn’s Creation. Full details can be found on our website and we still have places available. If you would like to come along and have a good sing of this super music then please visit: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/nfc-course-weekend/ or telephone 0115 9589312 for more information.


At MfE, we have developed a special partnership with the brain injury charity ‘Headway’. As part of our warm-ups at Headway (and often in our weekly community singing groups), we work hard to bring the two sides of our brains together by performing well-known ‘Brain Gym’ exercises. Singing stimulates multiple areas of the brain at the same time. This may enable people with an impairment in one part of the brain to communicate using other areas of their brain. Singing can also prolong the sounds in each word, which may make it easier to pronounce them.

If you want to sharpen up your focus and oxygenate your blood; singing, breathing and brain gym are great ways to do this. Have a go at some of the 15 exercises featured here, and see if they improve your day!! https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/simple-brain-gym-exercises-and-its-benefits/

PS. We also know that if you play a musical instrument or enjoy reading or listening to music, then you are stimulating that same part of your brain, so you don’t have to be a singer to enjoy this!

PPS. Thanks to those of you who have emailed in to enquire about volunteering within our singing sessions, Rachel will be in touch shortly as she was unwell last week.


  • Classic FM have launched a new series for their 30th year anniversary called Inner Harmony, focussing on well-being and the power of classical music – hosted by Dr Alex George, the UK Youth Mental Health Ambassador. Take a listen on Sundays from 9pm!

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

17/01/2022

admin@music-for-everyone.org

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

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

MfE are thrilled to be working in partnership with Inspire Nottinghamshire Music Hub on a new project as we expand the Health & Well-being programmes. (Click to find out more about other projects!)

The Lullaby Bank is for babies aged 0 – 9 months with an emphasis on post-natal well-being and bonding for mothers. There are currently 2 sessions running each week at Beeston Library (Tues am) and West Bridgford Library (Thurs am), singing lullabies from around the world. It is free to attend, but booking is essential as places are limited. The 10-week course will be running after Christmas too – booking will be open soon – if you know a mum with a new baby, invite them along! https://www.music-for-everyone.org/health-well-being/the-lullaby-bank/

Also, ONLINE BOOKING IS NOW OPEN for the adult singing and playing courses in January 2022!

Blow the Dust – 8th January, orchestral workshop day for adult instrumentalists. Find out more and book online here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/blow-the-dust-off-your-instrument-3/

Nottingham Festival Chorus: Opera course weekend and concert – 29th/30th Jan & 5th Feb, conducted by Angela Kay and featuring soloists Ellie Martin and Rachel Parkes: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/nfc-course-weekend/


With October being Black History Month, we take a look at one of the leading composers around the turn of the twentieth century – Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.

His best known work, a trilogy of cantatas known as The Song of Hiawatha, is based on poems of the same name by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, which relate to the adventures of a Native American hero called Hiawatha and his love Minnehaha. Coleridge-Taylor made the connection between Native Americans and African Americans by modelling the main theme of the Hiawatha Overture on the spiritual song ‘Nobody knows the Trouble I’ve seen’ – see if you can hear it here: https://youtu.be/pkqaSqwHlsw

His legacy would be The Song of Hiawatha as one of the most performed choral works until the 2nd World War – rivalled only by Handel’s Messiah and Mendelssohn’s Elijah.

Following his sudden death in 1912, a memorial concert was held for Coleridge-Taylor with proceeds going to his young family. After it was discovered just how little he had profited from the success of his works, many were appalled and the outrage led to the establishment of the Performing Rights Society.


  • Here’s a great half term activity you can try – make your own paper flute! All you need is a piece of card/paper, tape, scissors and a ruler. We made one in the office and can confirm it works! Let us know how you get on. Click this link and follow the instructions! How to make a paper flute
    Here’s our MfE paper flute, for inspiration!

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

25/10/2021

admin@music-for-everyone.org

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

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