Phil Smith

Busy weekend for MfE, and a free concert!

Helena Durham

Travelling to Bluecoat Academy for rehearsals today are two groups of musicians who illustrate the breadth and diversity of Music for Everyone’s commitment to music-making for all.

DSC01669In one building, there will be an intensive workshop for advanced string players. During the day, under the baton of Richard Howarth, a distinguished violinist and conductor, the orchestra will focus on Tchaikovsky’s hauntingly beautiful Serenade for Strings and other pieces. They will give a FREE concert in St Peter’s Church Ruddington, 4pm tomorrow, Sunday 8 May. Last year’s concert was wonderful, so this one is not to be missed.
bluerktIn another building, nearly 100 primary school children will be blasting off into space themed songs. Their Reach for the Stars concert will be a week tomorrow, Sunday 15 May at 3.30pm in the Albert Hall, complete with the experimental antics of Mad Science! Will there be stinks and bangs and smoke and goodness knows what?!

The children have been learning their words and listening to the songs at home (just as our adult singers do) and will be rehearsing with Alison Bennett (Vocals! conductor), Ray McLeod (Youth Animateur and vocal coach) Phil Smith (MfE’s new Youth Programme Co-ordinator, conductor of Sherwood Daytime Voices), Jane McDouall (conductor of Girls Voice and West Bridgford Daytime Voices). Not forgetting, of course, MfE’s admin staff and all the wonderful volunteers who give of their time to look after the children and make the weekend and concert run smoothly. Here’s a HUGE MfE THANK YOU to the volunteers.

Glitz and the glamour, from the West End to Broadway

Helena Durham

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Think Broadway, think the West End, and come to a concert this Sunday, 3rd April, 3.30pm in Nottingham’s Albert Hall.

The afternoon will fizz with familiar songs and tunes from musicals and films. Your toes will be tapping to themes from James Bond and Murder on the Orient Express, songs from The King and I, Oklahoma, Carousel, a medley of Andrew Lloyd Webber numbers, and guest soloists, all accompanied by a Big Band Orchestra conducted by Angela Kay and Phil Smith.

The singers come from all over Nottinghamshire to form Music for Everyone’s Nottingham Community Choir. We would love to see you there. Click here to book your tickets for the best seats. Tickets will also be available on the door.

Imagine you are angels

Helena Durham

cropped-logo_darkblue_green-copy.jpgThis was Phil Smith’s suggestion to the East of England Singers (EOES) when singing Bruckner’s Sanctus from his Mass No 2 in E minor on Saturday. The acoustic of St John’s Church, Carrington, helped the choir to achieve a soaring sound. Thank you to Phil for rehearsing and guest conducting EOES for this concert, and welcome back to the tenor section from now on.

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Freed from conducting, Angela joined the altos, she also sang a duet in the Stravinsky with her soprano daughter, Sarah. The New Classical Wind Ensemble was in fine form, and the audience expressed much appreciation of the programme. It was great to see familiar and new faces, thank you for supporting us and we hope you enjoyed the concert as much as we did.

Our next concert date is Saturday 5th December, St Giles Church, West Bridgford. The programme will include Bach’s glorious Magnificat in D with the Christmas interpolations, Vaughan Williams’ very English Fantasia on Christmas Carols and Torelli’s Concerto in forma di pastorale, per il Santo Natale. What better way to bring brightness to December days? Warming mulled wine or juice and mince pies will be served during the interval. We look forward to seeing you there. Click here for tickets.

Here are eight of the Ensemble playing Mozart’s Serenade in C minor, K388, conducted by Phil Smith.

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