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.

That's wonderful, Katemorrisviolin, and that is exactly what I think. Ensembles are an amazing experience, and for me, the bigger the better!!

Just enjoy it.....

What a lovely, happy post! EVery musician who is feeling a little jaded and wondering if it is all worth while should read this every morning to set them up for a successful day.

Thank you for sharing, and long may you enjoy playing.

I remember that feeling well, I was 13 and heard my school's concert band play. I knew I had to join. I still like ensemble playing better than solo playing but as a pianist there's less opportunity for that. Accompanying is still fun though

I love making music with others. Just a shame I don't get to do it much

Sounds great fun, and worth all the hours of practising. Now print out your post at the top of this thread with your feelings in bold big text and stick it somewhere prominant where you practise. Every time the going gets tough read how excited playing made you feel - it may inspire you through the boring bits.

Your experience sounds absolutely amazing. Long may it continue

It is really is fabulous. I can still remember the thrill of playing in regional orchestras when I was a cellist (too many years ago!) and the music we played then still sends a shiver down my spine when I listen to professional recordings 30+ years later.

I've not done any ensemble playing for years - I'd love to be part of it again but there's nothing suitable in my area. Perhaps I ought to start my own!

I hope you do!

I am sorely tempted. I'd probably have to start playing cello again though... hmm... not a bad thought, and one which I'd love to do, given an extra couple of hours free a day! <Wanders off to browse cello buying websites>

But you were so good about setting up your own flute choir at university. If there's nothing already happening, I'm sure there must be other people in your area who would like to join something musical. Could you use the local paper to gauge interest, or ask your teacher whether he has other adult pupils who might like to form a flute choir? It seems a pity that you're not playing in an ensemble at the moment.

Unfortunately, I didn't set it up; I just ran it for 2 years. I have already tried to get people to form a little ensemble, but might try again. I am playing in a couple of things, but would dearly love to play in a decent orchestra again (little chance of that happening, though).

it's great you've had such a fantastic experience. I remember my first session with WR training band, I hardly played a note either, then the second and subsequent weeks just got better and better. Still get that shiver down the spine when hearing certain pieces.

Lovely to hear about your experience Kate. Fantastic that you've found some people to play with.

I completely agree, it is amazing playing in ensembles - small and large. I've had both extremes recently as I had an evening of playing trio sonatas with some friends from orchestra, and last night I played with an orchestra of nearly 100 plus choir which I am still feeling pretty excited about!

I am also hatching a plot with one of the Horn players from orchestra to put together a wind quintet.

What a lovely post - you must be on

As you may be aware I've returned to the cello after nearly 35 years away. I've joined a community orchestra which aims to give everyone a go, no limit on numbers or instruments. I turned up for first rehearsal in late November, very nervous (I was not an advanced player at school and I'd not done any grades).

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. The benefit of singing for nearly 20 years is that my timing is reasonable so that was one problems avoided! I was surprised at being able to fit in - with some judicious busking in the trickier passages. It's definitely a challenge, but a lot of fun and i've already performed in a concert.

Yesterday included the third and fourth movements of Beethoven 5 - eek that was a bit of a shock - I don't think I've ever visited the A an octave up the A string before!

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. Keep at it, and I hope you enjoy it this much for many, many years.

Let's not get carried away now.

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.

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.

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.

Well, there is no arguing with that!! Playing AND chocolate is the best of all worlds.

We always have chocolate (or chocolate cake, or chocolate and cake) at saxophone quartet rehearsals

I hope you eat the cake after playing, otherwise you are blowing bits of cake down the instrument!

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!

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

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.

Oh yes practice first, tea and cake after

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!

One can play, eat cake (or donuts ), 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!

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....

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 "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

No need to apologise - great story and an inspiration to any that it's never too late.

Hello louloubelle, how I envy you and all your groups you do! Enjoy them all! Your post was lovely to read. I too accept I shall never be in a performing orchestra, but we don't have to be to enjoy music and have a great time with other players. I can't wait for thursday when I shall be scraping and sawing my way through something far too difficult for me and having alot of fun doing it with other players who are too concerned about their own mistakes to worry about mine. But there are frequent moments when it does sound beautiful too.