Concert - 27th March

We had a jam-packed programme at our Spring concert...there was a little bit of everything. Here's what we played:

Programme:

The Broken Consort - directed by Helen Brammer:

'Eyjafjallajökull' - Andrew Toovey

A world premiere performance of a new work commissioned by, and dedicated to, the performers of The Broken Consort

The Songbyrds – directed by Ben Cox:

'The Bare Necessities' (from Disney's 'The Jungle Book') - Terry Gilkyson

'Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go?' - Scottish trad., Anon.

'The Salley Gardens' - Trad. (Arr. Benjamin Britten)

'Danny Boy' - Trad. (Arr. Alan Simmons)

'Feelin' Groovy' - Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel

'Ave Maria' - Franz Schubert

'I Know Him So Well' (from the musical 'Chess') - Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus

'Thank You For The Music' – ABBA

The Broken Consort & The Songbyrds - directed by Ben Cox:

'Stabat mater dolorosa' from 'Stabat mater' – Pergolesi (Arr. H. Brammer)

'Largo & Allegro' from Sonata in G minor – J. Loeillet of London

George Goodall & Imogen Locke (Treble Recorders); and Joan Goodall (Harpsichord)

'Largo, ma non tanto' from Concerto in D minor – J. S. Bach (Arr. Jasmine Choi)

Heather Loebl & Helen Brammer Flutes; and Angela Ayton (Piano)

'Affettuoso & Allegro Vivace' from Concerto in A minor – Telemann

George Goodall, Imogen Locke, Maureen Snell (Treble Recorders); Penny Layland, Judy Skelton (Flutes); Annabel Crowe (Oboe); and Joan Goodall (Harpsichord)

'Che soave zeffiretto' & 'Voi che sapete' from 'The Marriage of Figaro' – Mozart (Arr. H. Brammer)

Heather Loebl (Flute; Theresa Hitching, Nicola Thompson (Clarinets); Mike Winterburn (Bassoon); Kath Russell, Rod Lackey, John Marshall (Violins); Polly Kaufmann (Viola); Diana Locke (Bass)

The Broken Consort:

'English Folk Song Suite' – Vaughan Williams (Arr. H. Brammer)

I – 'March: Seventeen Come Sunday'

II – 'Intermezzo: My Bonny Boy'

III – 'March: Folk Songs from Somerset'

The videos have all been uploaded to our YouTube Channel...although my camera switched itself off before the end of a couple of the pieces...not a indication on our performances - I promise!
Once again we enjoyed a lovely post-concert party hosted by Angela & Mike - thank you!

Concert - March 21st

Wow - what a fabulous evening we had! We had probably our largest audience to date to perform to...no doubt strengthened by the Songbyrds' supporters, but we weren't daunted, and everybody played their best. We thoroughly enjoyed performing with the Songbyrds...so I'm sure there'll be another collaboration in the future...we just need to think of some suitable pieces!

Here's what we played:

 

Programme

'Slavonic Dance No. 8' - Dvorak (Arr. H. Brammer)

The Broken Consort

'Cantique de Jean Racine' – Faure (Arr. H. Brammer)

The Broken Consort & The Songbyrds

Directed by Ben Cox

'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring' from Cantata No. 147 - J. S. Bach (Arr. H. Brammer)

Heather Loebl (Flute); Imogen Locke, Maureen Snell (Treble Recorders); Margaret Willson ('Cello); & Angela Ayton (Harpsichord)

'Promenade – Walking the Dog' – Gershwin (Arr. H. Brammer)

Heather Loebl, Alison Shaw (Flutes); Polly Kaufmann (Oboe); Helen Brammer, Theresa Hitching (Clarinets); & Mike Winterburn (Bassoon)

'Rondeau' from 'Abdelazer' – Purcell (Arr. H. Brammer)

Penny Layland, Judy Skelton (Flutes); Annabel Crowe (Oboe); Theresa Hitching, Anya Sitaram, Nicola Thompson (Clarinets); Kath Russell, John Marshall, Rod Lackey(Violins); Mike Winterburn (Bassoon); & Diana Locke (Double Bass)

'Sound of Silence' – Simon & Garfunkel
'Scarborough Fair' - Trad.
'El Condor Pasa' - Simon & Garfunkel
'Unexpressed' – John Bucchino

The Songbyrds

Directed by Ben Cox

'Affettuoso & Vivace' from Trio Sonata in F – Telemann

Imogen Locke (Treble Recorder); Penny Layland (Flute); Margaret Willson ('Cello); & Maureen Snell (Harpsichord)

'Andante & Rondo' – Doppler

Heather Loebl, Helen Brammer (Flutes); & Angela Ayton (Piano)

'The Ashokan Farewell' – Jay Ungar (Arr. H. Brammer)

The Broken Consort

'I Feel Pretty' from 'West Side Story' – Bernstein (Arr. H. Brammer)

The Broken Consort & The Songbyrds

Directed by Ben Cox

Of course there was an 'after party'...again hosted by Angela & Mike (thank you!) where much delicious food (and drink) was enjoyed! The concert was filmed...not by me this time...and the videos will be appearing on our YouTube channel at some point, so I'll let you know when they're there.

Class - 14th March

Ok, it was all systems go...it was our last chance to rehearse our concert pieces, and we had a deadline...the Songbyrds were arriving at 8.30pm...so we had to whizz through everything else before they arrived! Our joint pieces with the Songyrds sounded great - it was good to know that we hadn't forgotten all the things we talked about the last time!

Small group items:

• 'Rondeau' from 'Abdelazer' by Purcell (Arr. H. Brammer) - Penny, Judy, Theresa, Nicola, Mike, Kath, John & Rod 
• 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring' by Bach (Arr. H. Brammer) - Heather, Imogen, Maureen, Margaret & Angela
• 'Sentimental Journey' by Brown, Green & Homer & 'Music for the Royal Fireworks' by Handel (Arr. van der Goot) - Alison, Dermot, Polly & Helen
• 'Promenade - Walking the Dog' by Gershwin (Arr. H. Brammer) - Heather, Alison, Polly, Helen, Theresa & Mike
• Trio Sonata in F Major by Telemann - Penny, Imogen, Margaret & Maureen
• 'Music for the Royal Fireworks' by Handel & 'Fiddler on the Roof by Harnick & Bock (Arr. van der Goot) - Annabel, Dermot, Nicola, Kath, John, Rod, Diana & Angela

Class - 28th February

Our first joint rehearsal with the Songbyrds was a huge success - the two joint pieces ('Cantique de Jean Racine' & 'I feel pretty') sounded great together! Having a conductor was a new experience for some members of the Broken Consort...and we're all really looking forward to our next joint rehearsal when hopefully everyone will be there. We still found some time to whizz through our other large ensemble pieces, and even managed to get some of the other concert pieces rehearsed too!

Small group items:

• 'Promenade - Walking the Dog' by Gershwin (Arr. H. Brammer) - Heather, Alison, Polly, Helen, Theresa & Mike
• Trio Sonata in F by Telemann - George, Penny, Margaret & Imogen
• 'Music for the Royal Fireworks' by Handel & 'Carnival of the Animals' by Saint-Saens (Arr. J van der Goot) - Maureen, Kath, John, Rod, Joan & Angela