The joy of making music in ensemble, Surely there are few things more beautiful! Options

[viola-mad]

Kate, it's fantastic that you had such a brilliant time! And it must be very encouraging too, to realise how far you've come in a year. Ensemble playing is one of the best things in the whole world. I might even love it more than chocolate. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) Keep at it, and I hope you enjoy it this much for many, many years.

[katemorrisviolin]

Ensemble playing is one of the best things in the whole world. I might even love it more than chocolate.

Let's not get carried away now. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

We did actually have chocolate cake too after playing, I forgot to mention it, so maybe ensemble playing is better than chocolate. I think it was the perfect evening.

How nice to read everyone's kind replies and thoughts.

[kenm]

Benslow runs courses that get inexperienced players of string instruments into ensemble playing; e.g. "Elementary Strings", 1 - 3 February, "Group String Quartets with Brenda Stewart", 12 - 15 March.

Some of the music is arranged to be a bit easier (e.g. setting of Jupiter from the Planets) but other stuff (1st movement of Mozart 40) is the full thing.

That surprises me. The bass part of the Mozart is much more difficult than the Holst, if you take both at the right speeds, and I would have thought the same was true of the other string parts.

[viola-mad]

We did actually have chocolate cake too after playing, I forgot to mention it, so maybe ensemble playing is better than chocolate. I think it was the perfect evening.

Well, there is no arguing with that!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Playing AND chocolate is the best of all worlds.

[jazzycat]

We did actually have chocolate cake too after playing, I forgot to mention it, so maybe ensemble playing is better than chocolate. I think it was the perfect evening.

Well, there is no arguing with that!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Playing AND chocolate is the best of all worlds.

We always have chocolate (or chocolate cake, or chocolate and cake) at saxophone quartet rehearsals (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Barry Toner]

We did actually have chocolate cake too after playing, I forgot to mention it, so maybe ensemble playing is better than chocolate. I think it was the perfect evening.

Well, there is no arguing with that!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Playing AND chocolate is the best of all worlds.

We always have chocolate (or chocolate cake, or chocolate and cake) at saxophone quartet rehearsals (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I hope you eat the cake after playing, otherwise you are blowing bits of cake down the instrument! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/embarassed.gif)

[Tenor Viol]

Benslow runs courses that get inexperienced players of string instruments into ensemble playing; e.g. "Elementary Strings", 1 - 3 February, "Group String Quartets with Brenda Stewart", 12 - 15 March.

Some of the music is arranged to be a bit easier (e.g. setting of Jupiter from the Planets) but other stuff (1st movement of Mozart 40) is the full thing.

That surprises me. The bass part of the Mozart is much more difficult than the Holst, if you take both at the right speeds, and I would have thought the same was true of the other string parts.

As I said, I had to busk some of the trickier places in the Mozart - e.g. rapid Alberti bass passages and tricky arpeggiation. at least I was able to keep in time and put notes in the right places... mostly!

[janexxx]

I can so relate to this Kate.

Chamber music is what it's about for me, and I love best of all being 2nd violin (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

One of the best things I have experienced is when we have played a quartet that none of us knows, and as we explore the music you hear it for the first time. Full of surprises, so much that we stop and repeat a few bars that were particularly interesting - and of course we only each of us have our own part so although you can see what your instrument has coming up, you have no idea what the others have. I'm sure we make a complete hash of it really....

I do hope you can do this regularly, to be able to work together on a piece is great too.

[jazzycat]

I hope you eat the cake after playing, otherwise you are blowing bits of cake down the instrument! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/embarassed.gif)

Oh yes (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) practice first, tea and cake after (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[MarkS]

I'm so excited I wanted to share my experience. A year ago I went along to what I was told was an informal string group, playing just for fun and at an easy level. Well, I couldn't keep up, played about one note in ten and although everyone there was really lovely and encouraging, I didn't return. The music was at least intermediate I'd say, and everything played very fast for me.
Anyway I went again two weeks ago, to have another go, and managed to keep up with most of it! It was taxing on the brain but very exciting, having only ever played violin to myself or my teacher. Last week I went again, and attendance was poor, there was only myself, another violinist, a viola player and cellist. So I played in a string quartet for the first time! I was so happy I nearly cried. When we'd finish a piece on a lovely major chord, the whole room would vibrate with the beauty of the sound. The other players were all relaxed and chatty like this was a normal thing to be doing... while I was nearly falling off my chair with joy and excitement. They probably think I'm bonkers but I don't care.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

Thanks for posting that, inspiring stuff! I used to love being in the school band, and hopefully in a few years when I can get a sound out of the violin I can have a similar experience. To the practise room! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Arundodonuts]

I hope you eat the cake after playing, otherwise you are blowing bits of cake down the instrument! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/embarassed.gif)

Oh yes (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) practice first, tea and cake after (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

One can play, eat cake (or donuts (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) ), then drink tea or coffee and play some more.

[JamesK]

I hope you eat the cake after playing, otherwise you are blowing bits of cake down the instrument! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/embarassed.gif)

Oh yes (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) practice first, tea and cake after (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

One can play, eat cake (or donuts (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) ), then drink tea or coffee and play some more.

You must have cake after playing for a few hours, then cake afterwards! (And tea to wash it down)

Agreed with Kate. Ensemble playing is the one of the best things that has happened to me ever - in Primary School, then an 8 year gap, now again but not on a recorder. I also played my first ever symphony start to finish yesterday. I got the chills about 20 bars from the end till the end. Perhaps it was exhaustion, but it was the most wonderful feeling! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

[maria72]

I know how rewarding joining an ensemble can be Kate. I returned to playing the clarinet last September, after a 20+ year break. I started having weekly lessons with two other people at a local music centre. Then one week I asked my music teacher if I could sit in on the clarinet ensemble that she ran. There was seven members - but instead of letting me sit quietly at the back, she insisted I joined in. That was at the end of October - and I loved it so much I asked if she thought I had the ability to join properly. The answer was yes so I haven't missed a week since!!! I love it, even though it's challenging - and I'd forgot just how much fun it is playing in an ensemble again (used to play in the high school band when I was a teenager).

[katemorrisviolin]

I know how rewarding joining an ensemble can be Kate. I returned to playing the clarinet last September, after a 20+ year break. I started having weekly lessons with two other people at a local music centre. Then one week I asked my music teacher if I could sit in on the clarinet ensemble that she ran. There was seven members - but instead of letting me sit quietly at the back, she insisted I joined in. That was at the end of October - and I loved it so much I asked if she thought I had the ability to join properly. The answer was yes so I haven't missed a week since!!! I love it, even though it's challenging - and I'd forgot just how much fun it is playing in an ensemble again (used to play in the high school band when I was a teenager).

sounds wonderful Maria72. I missed my string group yesterday as I was tired after work and OH was feeling low and needed my company. The week before it was a bit of a mish mash, everyone playing difficult lines well but too fast and not staying together. They'd all finish at different times like it was a race! I have very good ensemble skills even though I'm not an advanced player, so would stop each time it unzipped as I'm always listening to the ensemble, not just ploughing through my part. I'm sure they now think I stop because I can't manage the line, but that's not necessarily the case. It seems to be different each week in terms of who turns up so I shall keep going. If my last one was the first I might have been a bit put off...but it's only supposed to be a bit of fun, they never perform and it's all there is for me on guernsey until I can get to grade 6 if I ever do! I have even considered folk fiddle as another way in to playing with others.... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/eek.gif)

[louloubelle]

Hello all
I have been lurking around this forum and Viva Strings for a few months, but have now plucked up the courage to add to this thread. It makes me appreciate how lucky we are here (Orkney) in the opportunities for group playing. I really enjoy my groups, but am very nervous playing alone, even in front of my violin teacher, who usually plays along with me, at my request!.
I am over 60, and decided to return to violin / fiddle last summer, having learned for 18 months in the sixthform, followed by a 23 year break, a couple of years playing Scottish trad pieces, but "straight" and mainly by myself, then another 20 year break.
Now-----really enjoying violin lesson, recently stared Grade 4 pieces, having spent a few months learning the pieces from 3 grade 3 syllabuses; one group violin class at about grade 3; 2 group fiddle/trad group classes, (one easy, one much harder); one Traditional Music Project class with a few other adults and lots of children; and the Strathspey and Reel Society. With these last two, working up towards public concerts, which I am hoping will help with my performance nerves in advance of (possibly) doing grade 4 exam in session C----other commitments preclude sooner, and I would like to be well prepared rather than under---the scales are causing me more problems than the pieces.
Rather to my surprise (and disappointment?) I am finding the intermediate trad group class the hardest---the notes are OK, but the extra techniques and bowings seem counter-intuitive when compared with what I am doing for "violin"-----I also have to remember that although my teacher is (IMG:style_emoticons/default/violin.gif) "young", she has been playing at a high standard for over 20 years !
Although I have ambitions to progress with violin, I may never (given my age etc) reach the standard required to play in the local orchestra, and certainly not in the Camerata, but am so lucky that I am not just standing at home playing to myself and the unappreciative cats all the time!

Sorry for the long post---will try to stick to the point in future
Louise