#MfEMondays

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.

#MfEMondays – 25th October 2021

25th October 2021 Music for Everyone

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 – 8^th 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 – 29^th/30^th Jan & 5^th 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 2^nd 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

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMondays – 18th October 2021

18th October 2021 Music for Everyone

Saturday saw 150 people gathering at Nottingham’s Albert Hall for our Autumn Singing Workshop and Concert. This was the first event for the Nottingham Festival Chorus since January 2020 which was originally planned to take place in June. However, despite the postponement, it was a fantastic occasion, the chorus in fine voice with rousing renditions of Vaughan William’s Let All the World in Every Corner Sing and Holst’s Psalm 148 accompanied by Henry Parkes on the organ along with the strings of the Nottingham Classical Players. Other music included three anthems by John Rutter and excerpts from Henry Purcell’s Ode to Queen Mary with Sarah Trevers, Rachel Parkes, Angela Kay and Greg Treloar singing the solo arias.

The concert programme also contained two organ solos, Elgar’s Chanson du Matin played by the strings and two items by the Nottingham Chamber Singers. All in all, a great day!

Here are some moments our photographer managed to capture.

As the daily temperatures begin to fall and the autumn colours appear on the trees, we thought you might like some music inspired by the change of season to listen to –

Autumn Music – Jennifer Higdon – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA8zWzGuDjg

Autumn (from Die Jahreszeiten) – Joseph Haydn – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHYBac1B6_g

Autumn (from The Seasons) – Aexander Glazunov – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg6dZScORQk

Autumn Leaves – Joseph Kosma – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9-6lnnUeT4

Performing music is often a very serious business but the duo of violinist Alexsey Igudesman and pianist Hyung-ki Joo prove that classical musicians often have a sense of humour too…..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKZITB_r8t0

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

18/10/2021

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMondays – 11th October 2021

11th October 202111th October 2021 Music for Everyone

Well, it’s officially Autumn, and alongside Strictly Come Dancing, the Great British Bake-Off has once again hit our screens. Naturally this has caused a frisson of cake-related banter in the MfE office, and last week, resulted in a ‘Bake-Off’ style challenge of our own…

‘Cake week’ saw some of the staff take on the musical theme of Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, and we can reveal that the results were varied and stunning, both visually and taste-wise. Our very own Paul Hollywood, (aka Chair of trustees, John Hess) took on the difficult task of judging the six entries, and crowned Kirstie Hind star-baker, with her entry encompassing not one, but all four of the seasons in a showstopping 3D masterpiece.

The staff went above and beyond to recreate the exciting and tense atmosphere of the Bake-off tent in our office, with bunting, a gingham tablecloth, and the cheery strains of the Bake-off theme-tune on endless repeat throughout.

Along the way on our baking journey we found out some interesting facts about Vivaldi. Did you know that he suffered from ‘strettezza di petto’ (tightness of the chest) or, as is more commonly known now, Asthma? Well, Robin’s ‘wintry lemon-drizzle’ cake was inspired by the immune boosting properties of fresh lemon juice, that Vivaldi may have been prescribed as a source of vitamin C and natural decongestant. It’s not known whether his condition was life-limiting, or if he used it as a ruse to get out of the celibate life of being a priest, (his excuse being that the incense was affecting his breathing and so a church was not the optimal place of work)! It is rumoured however, that he died of an internal infection, and some suspect it could have been an asthma attack. We won’t ever know for sure, but we do know that he died in poverty, with very little attention paid to his fine works until many centuries after they were written, even his now perennially celebrated Four Seasons.

This segues us nicely on to some work that Rachel (our assistant artistic director and head of health and wellbeing projects) is undertaking right now in ‘Singing for Lung Health’. Research shows that using breathing exercises and singing simple songs can drastically improve the lives and wellbeing of people who suffer with chronic lung conditions or disorders such as asthma, COPD and Cystic Fibrosis. We hope to bring more news of exciting projects in this field over the coming months, but rest assured, if you are singing with one of our daytime groups, or coming along to our singing workshops (such as this Saturday 16th at the Albert Hall), then it is already doing you the power of good…. but then you already knew that didn’t you?! We look forward to seeing many of you there.

Which reminds me – BOOKWISE will have a stall at next Saturday’s Singing Workshop at the Albert Hall of fiction, thrillers, CD’s, Song books, Piano Voice and Guitar and some Music Books. For those attending the course, they would be very happy to receive donations of any paperback fiction.

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

11/10/2021

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMondays – 4th October 2021

4th October 20214th October 2021 Music for Everyone

Coming soon, our Big Youth Music Experience! Saturday 6th November (Wind band workshop) Sunday 7th November (Strings workshop) with a joint concert on Sunday 14th November at the Albert Hall, Nottingham!

If you know any young instrumentalists who might enjoy playing in an ensemble there is still time to sign up, music packs are coming out this week! Follow the link for full details: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/big-youth-music-experience/

If, like us, you’ve been enjoying glitz and glam of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing, you may like to discover more about the fabulous musicians who bring the show to life.

Dave Arch and his orchestra are the musical backbone of Strictly Come Dancing, arranging and learning up to 14 songs a week for the celebrity dance show. Rarely seen on-screen, the 20-piece band have to master everything from orchestral suites to body-popping R&B! They only get together for a rehearsal on the Friday evening and then spend a very long day rehearsing with the dancers on the Saturday before the live show.

Follow this link to find out what goes on behind the scenes: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-20811167

So how much do you know about the dances on Strictly? Take our quiz to find out… https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/49604374

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

04/10/2021

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMondays – Paralympics closing ceremonies

13th September 2021 Music for Everyone

With the Paralympics coming to a close, this month we take a look back at music and musicians at the Paralympics.

Who remembers this performance by Paraorchestra at the closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympics?! Paraorchestra is the world’s only large-scale virtuoso ensemble of professional disabled and non-disabled musicians. Inspirational stuff!

Yesterday, the Swing Band and Flute Choir kicked off the return of our adult music groups – this week sees the return of the Daytime Voices – Southwell, West Bridgford, Wollaton and Sherwood and also our Daytime Orchestras, in Loughborough and Nottingham.

Next week, the OPEN VOICES will be meeting again after months of online rehearsals, looking forward to seeing everyone again!

Interesting violin fact! Did you know a single violin is made from over 70 individual pieces of wood. Most violins have a hollow wooden body, and are mostly glued together. To this day, instruments from the so-called Golden Age of violin making, especially those made by Stradivari are the most sought-after instruments by both collectors and performers. The most common types of wood to use are spruce, willow, maple, ebony and rosewood.

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

13/09/2021

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAhfnv-tlss

#MfEMondays

6th September 2021 Music for Everyone

With the Paralympics coming to a close, this month we have a look at music and musicians at the Paralympics.

Japanese violinist, Manami Ito, undoubtedly brought the 2020 motto ‘United by Emotion’ to life in her show-stealing performance at the opening ceremony in Tokyo, and this isn’t even her day job! After losing her right arm in motorbike accident at the age of 20, Manami went on to defy the odds by not only becoming the first amputee nurse in Japan and competing as a swimmer in the 2008 and 2012 Paralympics, but thirteen years after her accident, with a new lightweight prosthetic arm and a specially made prosthetic bow, returning to playing the violin!

Welcome to the new look MfEMondays! Every week, we will be sharing interesting finds and a quick MfE update with you – we hope you enjoy it!

Our regularly rehearsing youth groups meet again from this week! If you know of any young musicians who are looking for an opportunity to join a group, please tell them about our FREE Come & Try sessions which are happening next week, see the flyer for more details.

At Bookwise Nottingham, we have acquired from donations a lot of Sacred and Secular Sheet Music for various groups of singers from Unison to SSAATTBB Single Choir with some Double Choir pieces. We are unable to sell them in the shop due to lack of space to display them. Some individuals whom I have met at MfE courses have taken some in the past. However, due to lack of storage space in the shop to store the music, we would like to offer the music to any interested groups or individuals, free of charge, asking them to make a donation to Bookwise Nottingham in return.
This offer will be open to anyone interested, MfE members, friends or acquaintances, up to October 16th when it is planned that the remaining items will be brought along. After that time, the music will be recycled. MfE have had access to the music, but it is surplus to their requirements. If you would be interested in seeing a list of the music, please contact me: Jane McDermott, Voluntary Music Manager at Bookwise Nottingham, E mail: jachmcd@gmail.com.

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

06/09/2021

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

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#MfEMondays – Keeping in Touch

30th August 2021 Music for Everyone

KEEPING IN TOUCH

Hello everyone

There seems to be a bit of a nip in the air which means autumn is on its way and it also means Music for Everyone is resuming normal service!

As from September 1^st

the MfE office will be open 5 days a week (Monday to Friday – 10 Goose Gate, Hockley, Nottingham NG1 1FF tel 0115 958 9312)
our regularly rehearsing groups, both adult and youth, are recommencing
a programme of playing and singing workshops have been scheduled for the coming months
‘live’ concerts are back! Saturday 25^th September, 7.30pm at St John’s Church, Beeston – music inspired by Italy including a performance of Handel’s sparkling Dixit Dominus. Flyer attached – more information here https://www.music-for-everyone.org/news/tag/nottingham-chamber-singers

But we have not forgotten that the Covid virus is still about so please be assured that we will be following all government advice and sensible precautions will be taken at our event venues i.e. availability of hand sanitiser, plenty of ventilation and regular breaks for ‘fresh air’. If you wish to wear a mask for added protection whilst moving around then that’s fine.

Attached is a list of dates for the coming months. Please start filling up your diaries and also help ‘spread the word’ to your friends, families and work colleagues of all the musical goodies on offer! Further details can be found on our website https://www.music-for-everyone.org

And finally – as MfE is now back up and running and the staff are no longer furloughed, this will be the last MfEMondays that actually comes from me. I hope that during the last 18 months this e-news has helped you keep in touch with each other and with MfE and that you have enjoyed the many ‘on-line’ activities we have managed to devise – from our ‘challenges’ to our virtual Summer School, our Christmas concert to our on-line choir and orchestra rehearsals and performances.

Thank you for all your support, encouragement and appreciative comments and emails. It’s been a strange time for everyone, but MfE is still here and raring to go!

I very much look forward to seeing you at a Music for Everyone event very soon.

With all best wishes

Angela

Our Adult Singing Workshop (postponed from June) is now taking place on Saturday 16^th October. It is now possible to book for this workshop on line – just click here https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/autumn-singing-workshop-day/

If you have already carried over your enrolment to the October workshop from the postponed one in June then you need not enrol again – we will be in contact with you soon.

Details about our first youth instrumental event – The Big Youth Experience – can also be found on our website https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/big-youth-music-experience

You may remember a while back, we were contacted by someone who was looking to rehome a piano. We had quite a lot of interest in it and I’m pleased to tell you someone else is looking to rehome a piano! If you are interested, please reply to this email and we will put you in touch. The piano is free, but would need collecting and tuning.

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

30/08/2021

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMondays – Keeping in Touch

23rd August 2021 Music for Everyone

KEEPING IN TOUCH

Here we are, approaching the end of August, and after a very cloudy month so far it does look as though the weather is going to buck up – which is good for me as I am going away for a few days to the Cotswolds!

Nothing to report this week really – but, next week I’ll be telling you all about MfE next season!

Enjoy the remainder of the summer.

Angela

For a giggle, here is a hilarious rendition of The Typewriter with soloist Alfredo Anaya: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4nX0Xrn-wo

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

23/08/2021

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMondays – Keeping in Touch

16th August 2021 Music for Everyone

KEEPING IN TOUCH

Hello everyone

I hope you are all having a good summer and, if you are able to, enjoying ‘getting away from it all’. All of us who took part in the MfE Summer School last week thoroughly enjoyed doing just that – good music, good company, good weather – what more could you wish for?

Our excellent guest conductors, Hilary Campbell https://www.hilarycampbell.com and Robert Hodge https://www.robert-hodge.com also had a great time – here is a message from them.

Hilary – ‘How wonderful to make live music again! From (not really) Pergolesi to sea shanties to contemporary Slovenian choral works, it was a whirlwind few days, but I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know and working with you all, and witnessing the sound continue to develop and grow. I hope the ear worms are slowly receding, and fingers crossed for a more normal forthcoming musical season.’

Rob (on Twitter) – ‘What an absolute pleasure to spend a few days with the lovely musicians of Nottingham. MfE is a treasure of an organisation, and making real, actual music again was a joy!’

Our Summer School is always rounded off with a farewell concert and buffet.

Happy memories!

Angela

P.S. The provisional dates for Summer School 2022 are Monday 8th – Wed 10^th August, why not put them in your diary now.

Have you ever wondered how high you can hear? Most people (adults) can hear around 8,000Hz, but as we get older – the ability to hear the higher frequencies decreases. Here is a test to see what the highest frequency is you can hear (Not entirely accurate!) If you can hear over 17,000Hz you might be superhuman! https://bit.ly/3iKXJZ7

Have a good week!

Your friends at MfE.

16/08/2021

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF