In case anybody hasn't been following the Play it Again series on the BBC, the Beeb is organising a programme of concerts around the country for amateur musicians of all ages to play in. They're aimed particularly at beginners and re-starters, although other levels are welcome to apply.

This is the link


I've registered to play at the concert in Leeds Town Hall on June 15th but I haven't had it confirmed yet. Has anyone else registered for Leeds?

thanks for this, although all the ones I can attend in the south east are now 'fully booked'

That's brilliant, Skylark You are so brave. I would be petrified.

No I'm not brave at all, really! But it's such a fantastic opportunity, it seems a shame not to make the most of it And there'll be loads of people there, safety in numbers an' all that Lots of people on the "Play it again" thread have registered, I just think it will be great fun

I can't play in one of the ones in Birmingham - big band / voices. Plus the links don't work.

I found it difficult to choose which category to put myself into as far as level goes.

Level wise, there is a list of definitions when you sign up:


Instrumentalists

Basic: I haven't been playing for long, I'm not confident with sight-reading

Intermediate: I'm fairly confident but don't play regularly. I can sight-read a little

Advanced: I'm a proficient player, I play regularly and am happy sight-reading

Singers

Basic: I enjoy singing but have little experience

Intermediate: I enjoy singing and have some experience

Advanced: I'm a confident singer, and I sing in public or in a group regularly


I was going to put Intermediate, but having seen these lists I put advanced with a rough guide of my level (I put grade 6 + I think)

Still haven't heard back though.....

Thanks for the tip, Skylark! I've just sent in my form for the afternoon of 15th in Leeds, with evening as 2nd choice. I'm rubbish at viola thus far, but as you can go as a complete beginner, I don't feel too bad! Will let you know if I get in. Which event are you at, eve or afti?



PS, I learnt a lot from watching their little videos too!

I put intermediate though I'm not bothered about the sight reading.
I think for clarinet my playing and sight reading are not on the same level.

I've put it down the other way - 1st choice evening, 2nd choice afternoon.


I fit into bits of all these categories In the end, I put down Basic.

I still haven't heard back about Saturday.......

I've applied for the Leeds event too (also 1st choice evening, 2nd choice afternoon). Good to know at least one other viola player has registered! I haven't heard anything back yet though...

There's absolutley nothing south of London Not really for me, but I think it's a bit off.

If you look at the spread of events on the map, they are lots of places that don't have one especially close by. The South East and the South West have Newport, Swansea, Watford (4 events!), Cambridge, London (x3!), and Birmingham is reachable from large parts of the South. How about those in the North East? Neither Leeds nor Glasgow is exactly close to, say, Durham or Newcastle... Hampshire is not exactly terribly badly served...

Which level do I put myself down as? I've been playing for 18 months and I play a lot, doing grade 4 pieces at the moment, sight reading ok as long as there is not much position work (a bit of fourth is managable) but never ever played in front of anyone other than family and teacher. Should I be basic? Would intermediate be too much of a struggle? I don't think the groups are easy to work out so please advise!

Have you applied to go to Newport Sarah? I had my confirmation quite a few days ago, also for Newport. I'm going in the morning. You'll need to take the confirmation email with you as proof that you've been accepted.

I am such an idiot! I went and registered for the Leeds event and:
we're on holiday that week!
So, not only can I not take my theory exam that Saturday, but I also can't go to the Beeb event. I'm really quite cheesed off that we picked that week to go away as there's something I really wanna do the Saturday eve before as well!
AAAAARRRRRGHHHH!!!

Yup...

If you haven't heard by tomorrow morning I should send them an email and ask. The address they give is playitagain@bbc.co.uk. Also try your Spam folder, I've recently discovered that some emails I'm expecting go in there.

Thanks for putting up this link, skylark. How exciting! I've registered interest for Cambridge, with Birmingham as second choice.

I have looked in my spam folders... I'll check again later. Thanks for the email for asking them!

The girls are registered for Salford, has anyone else heard back yet? we've not heard a squeek!

Has anyone else applied for Salford?

Thanks for putting in the link Skylark - I have registered for the afternoon session in Leeds but have not heard back from them yet. Looking forward to it!

I have but they don't seem to be making replies a priority.

yippeee I got a confirmation for Newport afternoon session
any luck Sarah - mine came in proper email today

Hope mine will arrive soon....

Hope you're going to the morning session- it'd be nice to meet someone from the forums.

Afternoon - sorry - I'm getting a lift over with HazelKay. (my email came, by the way!)

How much time is there between the two sessions?

About an hour and a half I think - I haven't checked this.

We'll be getting there about two - (I hope! bar getting lost - at which I would get grade 8 with distinction ). I don't know the leisure centre but perhaps we could meet after your session and before ours if that is feasible.

I want to go in Leeds. Now there's just parents to deal with...

Hazel - have PMd Sarah with my mobile number - I'll be hanging around for a short while afterwards to get myself something to eat so hope I'll get to meet you.

Hope we'll be able to catch you!

I'm feeling quite excited now. Have no idea what to expect, though!

Have just printed off my confirmation email and a multimap so I can find my way there. I put myself down as a singer, and put that I was "confident". Now I'm having a panic that they'll ask me to sing on my own. I put myself as a singer so I could sing with the BBC singers so I'm hoping it's all choral stuff and no singing on your own.

I put myself down as an advanced flautist. I was feeling confident that day........

I put down intermediate for clarinet as I felt I was a bit more than beginner according to their list but advanced for the sight reading part of the statements.

How did it go?

I really enjoyed it - it was fun ! I don't know how representative of the other events mine was but after an intro they split the groups into those who'd brought an instrument, those who were doing percussion and singers and each group went off for about an hour to learn their bit. I did singing and we learned one piece(composed specially for the event) that we'd do on our own, and a bit that we sang with everybody else. We all came together at the end and put it all together in a sort of ad hoc concert. If I'd been expecting it to be a serious rehearsal and concert I'd have been disappointed, but it was all so friendly and informal and suitable for everyone - there were some Grade 1 children playing in the orchestra alongside the BBC Welsh orchestra and lots of enthusiastic percussion players bashing away, and in my group there were people who'd never sung before, but they all managed. I'll go to another one if I'm able to.

I love this sort of event - it's sounds really great and a fantastic opportunity! I haven't heard anything back from the Beeb yet though

I didn't hear back till less than a week prior to the event.

I'm too shattered to go into detail right now except that it was a really fun afternoon

I'm going hopefully Leeds June 15th Evening - afternoon 2nd choice.
You know, I thought the Beeb were organised but no reply...

They do seem to do it rather last minute

Have fun...

I've received an email today saying that my application has been received and that they will let me know if I have been successful 2 to 3 weeks before the event (it's taken them 3 weeks to do this). Has anyone else had one of these?

They don't seem too well sorted with the notifications do they?
Sometimes people like more rather than less notice of things and I imagine that this late notification may mean that people will have made other plans by the time they get the acceptance email.

I did the event at Watford yesterday. Music by Bernstein, Westside Story bit improvised for members of the public. It was really, really, really great. I would say that absolute beginners would be a bit lost though. Fantastic director, Tim Steiner. I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon, might go and listen to the BBC Concert Orchestra again if I can get there. Anyone else done one of these events and enjoyed it?

I'm so envious...! I applied weeks ago to play at the Leeds event on 15 June but I haven't heard anything back yet. I've read somewhere that they only contact you a week beforehand so I'm trying to remain optimistic.... Glad you enjoyed yours

Am doing the Belfast event next Sunday 3rd June. The kids & my husband are "singers". Rather confusingly I received 2 separate acceptance emails - 1 saying I was taking my flute, & the other saying I was an audience member. I did phone to try & find out why I was down for 2 different things but didn't really get a convincing answer - was just told to turn up & "it would probably be OK"?

Hi mikeyc, if you look back through the posts you'll see that sarah-flute, HazelKay and I did the one in Newport. I did the very first one - Tim Steiner directed it. I really enjoyed it.

I'm so upset
My parents have decided they're going out to dinner that evening with some friends, so we can't go anymore. I don't know anyone else who's going so I can't go as I don't have a 'chaperone'-person. *sniff, sniff*
I was really looking forward to it. I suppose I shouldn't moan too much though as I'm going to see the Kaiser Chiefs the next evening...but still...