YOUTH MUSIC

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMonday – 15th July 2024

15th July 202415th July 2024 Music for Everyone

Our talented young musicians offered a splendid end to the season with their The Sound of Summer concert at the Grange Hall in Radcliffe. Not only was the audience treated to top-notch musical entertainment, but there were outdoor activities for the children and refreshments for the audience. A huge ‘thank you’ and ‘well done’ to all who took part – children, helpers and conductors! We bid a fond farewell to Mike Shaw, conductor of Nottingham Strictly Strings, and wish him all the best for the future.

Booking for the Autumn Term for Daytime Voices, Daytime Orchestra, Sunday Afternoon Flutes and Big Band is now open. To book, please follow this link Music For Everyone (savoysystems.co.uk) We look forward to seeing you next term!

Well, what an exciting weekend of sport that was! But what would sport be without music? Imagine a football match without the anthems, chants and the occasional trumpet bursts of The Great Escape theme tune.

The first few notes alone of ‘Light and Tuneful’ the Wimbledon theme tune, is enough to put you in mind of strawberries and cream! Music provides athletes with motivation and focus making it a powerful tool during training sessions and competitions. The beats and melodies can help regulate breathing and pace, contributing to better performance and endurance. In the arena, music unites spectators, creating an exhilarating atmosphere that amplifies the excitement of the event. From energizing pre-game anthems to celebratory victory songs, the fusion of music and sport demonstrates how sound can inspire physical prowess and create a sense of community and shared enthusiasm among athletes and fans alike.

And while we’re on the subject, who spotted Djokovic’s musical celebration? Apparently, it is for his six-year-old daughter, who is currently learning the violin. Perhaps she can help him work on his technique?!!

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE

15/07/2024

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMonday – 1st July 2024

1st July 2024 Music for Everyone

How is your obscure Haydn knowledge? Ahead of the next Nottingham Festival Chorus event focussed on Haydn’s Harmonie Mass, click here to see Alex quiz Rachel on some of the lesser-known facts about Haydn’s life. Let us know how you get on!

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to hear this magnificent work performed by our wonderful choir and soloists at Beeston Parish Church on 06 July. Concert tickets are available here.

Our youth groups will be presenting a delightful summer concert at Grange Hall, Radcliffe on Trent on Sunday 14 July, 3.30pm. Tickets are available here or on the door. Come along to hear our wonderful young musicians in action!

Ahead of our trip to the Olympics at this year’s Summer School, here is three-time Olympic swimmer Elizabeth Beisel opening the final day of the US Olympic Swim trials with a performance on violin that blew the audience out of the water!

P.S. Summer School places are still available – no sporting prowess necessary!

One of our members has a bass recorder (Hornby Bass 900H) that they would like to give to a good home. If anyone is interested, please contact the office.
If there are any young string players in your family looking for something to do over the Summer, the Charnwood Youth Strings Experience takes place from 19 – 23 August at Mountsorrel Memorial Centre. See the attached flyer for more information.
Our Lunchtime Voices will be performing at Yarn, adjacent to the Royal Concert Hall, on Thursday 04 July at 1pm. Join us for some lovely music and maybe a chilled glass of wine before you head off to the Polling Stations!

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE

01/07/2024

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/classical-music-inspired-by-birdsong/

#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 – 10th June 2024

10th June 202410th June 2024 Music for Everyone

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!

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

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

#MfEMonday – 20th May 2024

20th May 2024 Music for Everyone

Family Festival

MfE will be holding its first ever Family Festival on Sunday 9th June at Beeston Resource Centre.

From World Drumming workshops to singing sessions for the whole family, and music to enjoy in the garden, there is something for everyone. We’ll also have a cake stall, sweets, glitter tattoos and a whole host of games/activities in and around the venue.

Click here for more information.

Summer School – last chance to enrol!

There are limited places remaining on our 2024 Summer School. Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to enjoy high-quality music-making, and experience some exceptional performances from international soloists in the wonderful surroundings of Trent College. Book your place now to avoid disappointment!

We particularly welcome enrolments from bassoons, trumpets, saxophones, violas, tenors and basses. All other instruments and voice parts will be closed for enrolment after today.

You can enrol online here or by calling the office on 0115 958 9312.

Strictly Stings seeks new conductor

We are seeking an inspiring and charismatic musician to direct the Nottingham Strictly Strings, our string ensemble for young players of approximately grade 1 – 4 standard, most of whom are joining a group for the first time. If you know anyone who might be interested, please direct them to the advert on our website: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/about-us/vacancies/

Ever wondered what happens if a conductor has to cancel just hours before a performance? Well, if you’re James Lowe, the answer is ‘don’t cancel’!

When the conductor of the Spokane Symphony, Morihiko Nakahara, had a fall requiring hospital treatment 3 hours before the curtain went up on a live performance of the Empire Strikes Back, James Lowe bravely stepped in to help.

Conducting a full symphony through the score of a movie live is no mean feat. “Conducting a movie is an incredibly complicated thing, because obviously the movie doesn’t adjust,” Lowe said. “There’s no room for error at all.” Read the full account of this extraordinary performance here.

Do you know any young clarinet players?

Friend of MfE, Charlotte Reavley, has written a book of fun pieces for young clarinettists called ‘The Clariphant and the Kazoos’ featuring some very creative animals with musical names such as the Chinese Flutiflies and the Hippiano! More information is available from her website Home – Clariphant (theclariphant.co.uk)

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE

20/05/2024

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/apr/22/sir-andrew-davis-obituary#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20most%20beloved,Orchestra%20(1989%2D2000)

#MfEMonday – 22nd April 2024

29th April 2024 Music for Everyone

What an outstanding performance at the Big Youth Music Experience yesterday! Over 150 young musicians came together following their rehearsals last weekend and performed for their friends and family at Nottingham’s Albert Hall. The grand finale raised the roof with ‘This is Me’ from the Greatest Showman. Well done to all those who took part!

Another fabulous performance took place last Monday night following a project with Inspire schools from the Spencer Academy Trust with a choir of 255 pupils singing their socks off under the brilliant direction of Sophie Pascall.

It won’t be long until it’s time for us to Blow the Dust off our Instruments!

Music for Everyone invites you to a friendly, relaxed playing day at Nottingham’s Albert Hall on Saturday 15^th June.

With some fantastic pieces lined up including Copland’s Hoedown for the Orchestra, Bernstein’s Magnificent 7 for the Band and String Quartet in G minor by Florence Price for the Strings. It’s not one to be missed.

To sign-up, click here.

Tributes have been pouring in this week following the loss of one of Britain’s greatest conductors Sir Andrew Davis.

Well-known for his kind nature and the ever-present twinkle in his eye, Davis will be widely remembered as the supreme master of ceremonies at the Last Night of the Proms. Throughout his long career Davis held many roles, including for more than a decade those of chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBCSO) and musical director of Glyndebourne Festival Opera. In fact he conducted over 130 Prom concerts between 1968 and 2022 (click here to see the full list!)

Follow the link below to read the full obituary:

Have you heard the exciting news that Nottingham is going to be host to it’s first ever Prom concert this September?

https://trch.co.uk/whats-on/bbc-proms-nottingham/

On Monday 6 May (bank holiday), Nottingham Concert Band will be playing two 45 minute sets between 1:00 and 3:30 pm as part of the Ruddington Merry Monday celebration on The Green. We will relocate to St Peter’s Church if the weather is bad. Ruddington Community Choir and Mortimers Morris dancers will also be making appearances through the afternoon. So bring your picnic and enjoy some free entertainment!

Saturday 16 May gives you two choices for wind band concerts!

Nottingham Concert Band is at St Swithun’s Church, Woodborough to present a concert called “Here Comes Our Band!”. Tickets are £12.50 (£5.00 for under-18s), to include interval refreshments of wine or fruit juice, and can be obtained from Jean Bush (0115 9652195) or Terry Robinson (0115 9652396). Doors open at 7:00 pm, concert starts at 7:30 pm.
Nottingham Symphonic Wind Orchestra will be at St. Martin’s Church in Sherwood, to enjoy the great outdoors and nature at its best through music. Tickets are priced at £5, £10 or £15. Pay what you wish. Follow the link to purchase your tickets: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/nottingham-symphonic-winds/the-great-outdoors/2024-05-18/19:30/t-krlmxrl.Tickets will also be available through the church. Doors open at 7:00 pm, concert starts at 7:30 pm.

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE

29/04/2024

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#MfEMonday – 15th April 2024

8th April 202415th April 2024 Music for Everyone

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 22^nd 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 25^th 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 25^th to try it out.

Other youth groups start back from Sunday 12^th May.

A date for your diary… Sunday 9^th 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

GOOD LUCK to all our young musicians approaching exam season, to get you in the revision mood, here’s a list of ‘scientifically proven’ (Disclaimer: not sure how scientific it actually is) pieces to help by Classic FM: https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/classical-studying-music-for-brain-power/ and remember that a rehearsal break in revision is very good for you!

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE

15/04/2024

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

https://www.classicfm.com/lifestyle/quizzes/answer-only-music-notes/

#MfEMonday – 25th March 2024

25th March 2024 Music for Everyone

Well March has been a musical marathon at MfE, but PHEW, we made it!!!

West Bridgford felt more like the West End on Saturday after a wonderful day of singing at our musicals workshop. Rachel Parkes put the Nottingham Community Voices through their paces and we welcomed Open Voices who stole the show with a wonderful selection of their favourite hits. We were delighted to welcome Simon Theobald as soloist and compere for the event. Thanks to everyone who came along!

Enrolments have now hit 100 for the Big Youth Music Experience coming up in April! We still have spaces left for all string, woodwind and especially BRASS instruments so please encourage any young musicians to join in.

Bandwise – April 20th & 28th. Sign-Up Here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/byme-bandwise-apr24/

Stringwise – April 21st & 28th. Sign- Up Here: https://www.music-for-everyone.org/event/byme-stringwise-apr24/

Thank you to those members who attended our AGM last Wednesday, it was lovely to see you there. We said a fond farewell to a couple of long-standing trustees, Angela Smallwood and Matt Lax – they are not disappearing completely and we will still see them around at events! We are delighted to welcome three new trustees on to the board: Gary Ackrill, Catherine Hocking and Josie Tanvir.

A presentation was made to Andrew James (ex-chairman of MfE) for the enormous contribution he has made to supporting Music for Everyone through the setting up and running of the Bookwise shops. We are extremely grateful for everything you have done Andrew!

I’m sure many of you will be looking forward to the giving and receiving of Easter eggs next weekend! But have you heard of “Easter eggs” in music?

For centuries composers have weaved secret messages or cryptograms into their works, from J.S. Bach to Shostakovich and this idea is still used today by songwriters such as Taylor Swift!

Find out more in this fun video: https://youtu.be/1GuJ-mFNauo?si=Tmg_mLDyhNUC06fN

Or why not test your ability to recognise words in musical notation?! Try this quiz:

Can you answer these quiz questions using just music notes?

You can read music, but can you READ music…?

www.classicfm.com

Can you spare a minute to nominate us for the chance to win £1000?! Click on the banner below.

Nominate now! – Movement for Good awards

We could receive £1,000 in the Movement for Good draw.

movementforgood.com

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. Book tickets here.

Have a great week!

Your friends at MfE

25/03/2024

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

10 Goose Gate | Hockley | NG1 1FF

#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