Nottingham Strictly Strings

Catch the Stringwise Earlybird – today and tomorrow only

Helena Durham

DSC03287Stringwise bookings are flying in from people catching the earlybird price. This offer ends tomorrow, places will be £1.50 more from Thursday 5 October. Ann-Marie Shaw is Artistic Director of Stringwise, a playing experience for youngsters aged 7-18.  Whether you have only recently started playing the violin, viola, cello or double bass, or have been playing for years, there will be music you can play. You’ll practise in both a small group and DSC03198the big orchestra. All the music will be within your ability, whether you can play opens strings only or are up to Grade 6 (or more!) There will be plenty of people there to help you in every way. We’re sure you’ll have fun, and perhaps make new friends.

We send the music and a CD to you so you can look at your part and play along at home. There are then two days of rehearsals at Bluecoat Academy, Aspley, 4 & 5 November 2017. The following weekend you’ll have the amazing experience of performing in a concert at Nottingham’s Albert Hall, Sunday 12 November. All your family and friends can come to the concert, and no doubt give you a huge round of applause.

Click through for futher information and the booking button 

Did you know, Music for Everyone also has regular groups for young string players? There’s Strictly String for Grades 2-4 and the East Midlands Youth String Orchestra for players of Grade 5 and above. New members are always welcome.

 

Festival of Summer Music

Helena Durham

Rounding off the splendid 2017/18 MfE season was a Festival of Summer Music. Groups of all ages took part: Nottingham Youth Band, East Midlands Youth Windband, Girls Voices, Young Voices, Nottingham Youth Voices, Stictly Strings, East Midlands Youth String Orchestra, Adult Flute Choir and Swing Band.  (Apologies if I’ve missed anyone!) There was a relaxed atmosphere and the audience enjoyed stawberries and cream while the music played on. Spot the clothes pegs securing music to stands! It was a windy day, but the challenge of hanging on to the copies added to the fun.

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Thank you to everyone who made a donation during the season to enable MfE to set up new singing projects for people with learning difficulties. It was much appreciated. The 2017/18 focus will be The Year of Youth. We want to make it possible for as many youngsters as poosible to experience the joy and friendship that comes from making music together. More to follow.

The Music for Everyone Summer School begins at the University of Nottingham tomorrow and ends with a concert on Wednesday evening. We’ll be blogging about it each day. Also catch the news on our social media @mfenotts #mfesummerschool

Christmas is Coming!

Helena Durham

What has Music for Everyone been up to this December?

img_0385-1First there was carol singing in the Market Square on the morning of Saturday 3rd December, and later an East of England Singers and New Classical Brass concert of music for brass and voices. Then on Wednesday there were performances by the East Midlands Youth Windband and Nottingham Youth Voices at the Nottingham Maggie’s Centre Carol Concert – compered by John Hess, who sings tenor in the MfE Nottingham Festival Chorus. Yes, that is a cuddly toy one of the lads is holding in the photo – choir and band did their own version of the John Lewis ad, complete with ‘bouncing’ dogs! The contribution by the youngsters and John was hugely appreciated by Maggie’s. The East of England Singers concert audience also raised £200 for this wonderful charity that supports people affected by cancer, including families and friends.

And what’s still to come?

Coming up on Sunday is the Christmas is Coming concert by Vocals, Daytime Voices, East of England Singers and the orchestra. There are only three, yes three, tickets left at the time of writing!

On Friday 16th December the Girls Voices, Boys Voices and Nottingham Youth Windband perform at their We Wish You a Merry Christmas concert. And finally, on Sunday 18th December, the second and FREE taster sesssion of Strictly Strings, for young string players Grades 2-4 or 5 takes place at Bluecoat Academy from 2.00-5.00pm. Contact the office for details.

Phew! And then it really will be Christmas.

 

 

A Trio of String News – Stringwise, Sheku and Strictly Strings

Helena Durham

sw3This weekend the youngsters of Stringwise will be polishing up their pieces for a family and friends’ concert on Sunday. Hopefully these musicians will have been inspired by local teenager and former Stringwise play, Sheku Kanneh Mason, winner of this year’s BBC Young Musician of the Year. As well as being quite a week for MfE’s young string players, it’s been quite a week for Sheku. He signed a record deal with Decca on a Nottingham City Transport bus! As you do, when you’re on your way home from your local Nottingham school. Congratulations!

As though Stringwise and Sheku weren’t enough letter Ss, we came over all aliterative and added Strictly Strings. Now there might not be a glitter ball, and there definitely won’t be judges, but there will be lots of fun in making music. Nottingham Strictly Strings is a new and exciting Music for Everyone group for young string players grades 2 to 5. The plan is for this to become a group that meets regularly, just like the East Midlands Youth String Orchestra for grades 5 and above.  To get the group up and running, there are going to be some FREE Taster Sessions run by the talented and lovely Ann-Marie Shaw, MfE’s String animateur.

When? Sunday 20 November, Sunday 18 December 2.00pm-5.00pm, with a break.

Where? Bluecoat Academy, Aspley Lane.

How do I book a place? Phone the MfE office 0115 958 9312 or email admin@music-for-everyone.org

Or for more information email: annmarie@music-for-everyone.org

And if your responsible adult forgets to book, never mind, just come along on either or both dates with your violin, viola, cello or double bass. And your bow, of course. Did we need to say that? Probably not.