Class - 24th November

We had another 'whistle stop tour' through our pieces for next week's concert at our class last night. In addition to working on our large ensemble pieces...which I filmed and will be adding to our YouTube channel as soon as I find the time...we managed to get through most of the small group items too.

Here's what we played:

• 'Caprice for Clarinets' by Clare Grundman - Helen, Theresa & Dermot
• 'Subjects Obey Army Farm' by Donaldson & Kahn (Arr. H. Brammer) - Heather, Emily, Kath, Polly, Diana & Imogen
• Woodwind Trio by M. Hedien - Penny, Judy & Mike
• 'Serenade for Seven' (with 6 players this week) by Ronald Hanmer - Penny, Judy, Annabel, Theresa, Dermot & Mike
• 'Chants sans paroles' by Tchaikovsky (Arr. Sobrielo) - George, Margaret & Angela
• Trio in D minor by Boismortier - Emily, Diana & Kath
• Quartet in D minor 'Tafelmusik' by Telemann - George, Imogen, Heather, Margaret & Joan
• Something by Handel that I didn't catch the name of... - Annabel, Polly & Angela

Class - 17th November

With only two classes left before our end of term concert, we were busy, busy, busy last night! We whizzed through our large ensemble pieces...which were all sounding much better now we're not so top heavy...and through two rotations of small group items too!

Here's what we played:

• 'Caprice for Clarinets' by Clare Grundman - Helen, Theresa & Anya
• 'Subjects Obey Army Farm' by Donaldson & Kahn (Arr. H. Brammer) - Heather, Emily, Kath, Polly, Diana & Imogen
• Woodwind Trio by M. Hedien - Penny, Judy & Mike
• Trio Sonata in G Minor by Boismortier - Annabel, Polly, Imogen, Margaret, Angela & Joan (though not all at the same time!)
• 'Serenade for Seven' (with 6 players this week) by Ronald Hanmer - Penny, Judy, Annabel, Theresa, Anya & Mike
• 'Fantasy' by Faure (Arr. L. Moyse) - Heather, Helen & Angela
• Trio in D minor by Boismortier - Emily, Diana & Kath

Class - 3rd November

We were still missing a few players this week...it's amazing how everything sounds so different with just a few missing parts...and it left some people feeling rather exposed! We spent quite a bit of time on our large ensemble pieces this evening, because we're not going to be able to do those next week as we'll be split over two locations next time...that should be fun!

Small group items:

• 'Caprice for Clarinets' by Clare Grundman - Helen, Theresa, Dermot & Anya
• 'Subjects Obey Army Farm' by Donaldson & Kahn (Arr. H. Brammer) - Heather, Emily, Kath, Diana & Imogen
• Quintet in D Minor by Keller - George, Judy, Penny, Annabel & Joan

Class - 20th October

We were rather depleted at the class last night...so, it was back to foot stamping out front to help keep time! We muddled though...a bit bare in places, but it was interesting to be able to hear parts not normally exposed! We had been deserted by all of our pianists...but, Anya bravely volunteered to play the piano part in one of the small group items...so it all worked out ok in the end.

Small group items:

• Sonata in E Flat Major by Scarlatti (Arr. Sobrielo) - George, Penny, Judy, Annabel & Margaret
• 'Subjects Obey Army Farm' * by Donaldson & Kahn (Arr. H. Brammer) - Heather, Emily, Kath, Dermot, Theresa, Diana & Anya

* Not the real title...the true identity of this piece will remain a secret until our concert on December 1st.

It's half-term for us next week, so our next class will be on November 3rd.

Class & AGM - 13th October

We had our AGM at last night's class...so no small group work. Instead, we spent extra time on our large ensemble pieces...inclucding the final addition to our pieces for our end of term concert...'Walking in the Air' (from 'The Snowman' by Howard Blake)...which on first playing seemed harder than you'd think! Thankfully it did improve on the second and third playings! Everything else is beginning to come together too...even the tricky bits in the movements from the 'Christmas Oratorio'...although some of the echoes in the 'Aria' are proving elusive!

We whizzed through the AGM...all the committee members remain in their posts...and are joined by Penny...who was lured in by the promise of good coffee & delicious cakes at the committee meetings!

Class - 6th October

There was more new music at last night's class...'The Dance of the Snowmen' from 'The Snowman' by Howard Blake...which made for interesting sight-reading at speed! We had mixed results with our other large ensemble items...which we're blaming on our absent friends!

Small group items:

• 'Divertissement in Bb Major' by Haydn (Arr. Sobrielo) - Emily, Annabel, Imogen, Penny, Polly & Joan
• 'Slavonic Dance No. 10' by Dvorak (Arr. Terry Kenny) - Kath, Diana, Theresa, Dermot & Mike
• 'Fantasy' by Faure (Arr. L. Moyse) - Heather, Helen & Angela