Hello everyone

Following on from the previous Leeds thread....


The details and a link to the application form for the Leeds concert on 30 May 2009 are now available on THIS WEB PAGE


The closing deadline will be Saturday 25 April


If anyone hasn't yet got an accompanist, I'll ask the pianist who has the fewest accompanying slots if they'd like to take it on - there's normally not a problem so please don't anybody worry if you haven't yet got an accompanist.

If some people don't have as many playing opportunities as others, I'll either ask you if you want me to try and find a duet partner for you, or possibly double up on a part in an existing group if all parties are agreeable. So the sooner you can get your forms back to me, the better.

New and nervous performers are especially welcome - this is the fourth concert which I have organised in Leeds and the previous ones have been lovely days with very supportive fellow performers, and only friends and family as audience.

If anyone has any queries, feel free to contact me. Looking forward to meeting everyone!


skylark
Organiser of Players for Pleasure events - see web site for info and photographs of the two most recent events

Umm. I've been onto the site, but where is the application form? I can't see a link or anything.

It's right at the bottom of the page - the theory being that people read all the details and know what they're applying for before they fill the form in

Scroll down to "Suggested Items to Bring". The link to the application form is just underneath.

Form printed and filled in!

Right at the bottom

We can't be rejected can we? With there being an application!

Skylark - you do have me down for Clarinet ensemble, don't you?

I've found the link now (thank you everyone ), but I can't download the form It doesn't seem to like the version of Adobe Acrobat that I have.

Do you have an email version you can send me, Skylark?

Well it hasn't been known to date but I suppose there's always a first time

(only joking!!! )



Yes, I'll wait till I get the forms in, then see what level everyone is at and allocate the parts accordingly



I've emailed you Flossie, let me know if you still have a problem

Regarding timing of pieces - I don't know how long my piece will be, because it will depend on how fast I am able to play it in 6 weeks time...! I will cut out the first page if it is too long, but what should I put on the application form?

Put down 3-3.5 mins max


In view of the number of people attending and the number of slots asked for, can I emphasise the importance of putting down how long your piece is - if not, I'll have to assume that it's 3-3.5 mins, which would be a shame if it's only actually 1.5 mins because cumulatively that might mean that I can't find room for some of the duets, which wouldn't have been the case if I'd known some pieces were only around a minute... if you see what I mean


Incidentally, Shire Oak Road where the Yorkshire College is based is now on Google Streetview, as is Haleys Hotel and the college is directly opposite the hotel.

Don't know if you saw this on the other thread, but I'm not going to do a solo... I prefer doing duets

Only need to sort out what to do for those

They don't let you do those in an exam though


Seriously though, doing a solo is good experience if you're thinking of doing another exam. It's entirely up to you obviously but you'll be amongst friends if you want to try a solo for the experience. I'm going to do a piano solo

I just haven't got the time to choose something or learn something.... I will get around to it one day, but now is not the time

What about dusting off one of the pieces you did for your grade 4? I know they are way below the standard you're now playing at - but that doesn't matter because you'll still get the performance experience and won't need to do too much preparation.

I'm doing a grade 5 piece (either Faure Morceau de Concours Sarabande or Gaubert Madrigal) and I normally play grade 8-ish music (or attempt to play it might be more accurate!).

Because... one of the pieces will be performed in a duet version anyway, and to be honest I just don't want to do the others, really. I'm still a bit sick of them

Done it! Not sure about the timings but have done my best.
N

I know what you mean. I got really sick of my grade 7 pieces and I only really started working on them intensively about 3 weeks before the exam - there were several things on each list which I'd already learnt and then we decided with 3 weeks to go what I was going to play (which probably isn't to be recommended...).

What about doing a short viola piece?

It's an option... but it would be pre-grade 1, and I have my last lesson a few weeks before the concert

That would be okay.

If you start performing while you're still in the early stages of learning then you won't give yourself a chance to become afraid of performing. I wish I'd done this with the flute, because I have absolutely no performance experience and have built up a real paranoia of playing in front of other people (which probably hasn't been helped by past experiences of being bullied by other flute players as a teenager!).

That's why I'm playing a piano piece even though I'm pre-Grade 1. I take comfort from the fact that even if I completely mess it up, I'm only inflicting it on people for one minute (although it will probably feel a lot longer ) But there's just a chance that I might play it nicely and that the audience will enjoy it - hope so anyway

So...your answers will decide my decision for me. I am definitely doing a violin solo, and have decided I'm going to be brave and try the Bach (may I apologise in advance for inflicting this on all of you!). But...what should I do about cello? Flossie has ordered me to bring it, but the options are:-

1. Ignore Flossie and leave it at home;
2. Do as I'm told and
a) play in an as yet unspecified ensemble; or
b) do a very simple solo.

I'm not scared of performing, really. I just don't know if I have the motivation and time to practise

This is fate!!! I was looking earlier at the SheetMusicArchive web site and I saw a transcription of Pachelbel's Canon for String Quartet and I thought what a pity we don't have a cello Have a look at the music false_harmonic - it's available as a free download: http://www.sheetmusicarchive.net/single_li...composer_id=513 Or do you have anything else in mind? Anyway I'm sure we'd be able to rustle up two violinists and a violist!


Babybird - just come along and enjoy yourself, whatever you decide to do

I can have a look at my Handel flute sonatas and see if there's a short movement with an easy Basso Continuo part which would suit the cello? I used to play cello, so can recognise what is and isn't easy.

You could play cello in the strings ensemble - they would probably appreciate having a bass instrument (which I don't think they have yet )

I didn't order you to bring your cello. You asked if you should, so I said yes!

There might also be something in the baroque flute books, don't know if you have those, Flossie

No. The only baroque stuff I've got is the Handel sonatas, a Vivaldi piccolo sonata which has a piano accompaniment only, and a Bach partita which is for solo flute.

There isn't actually a cello part at the moment - but there could be one if there was a demand for it...

W

I was being melodramatic/attempting to be funny. Sadly I'm not very good at attempted humour...!

There's no need to look out Handel music - I have a few books of my teacher's at the moment and am sure I can find something in those, it was more a question of whether I should attempt something at all! But thank you very much for the offer! Suppose I can put my name down for the String Ensemble then, I'll have lots of fun playing the right notes but in all the wrong places.

Could you play violin and cello at the same time?

W

Perhaps if there were multiple movements, I could play them both in the same piece, but at the same time...? I think the neck of the cello would get in the way of the violin a bit. It would be a rather cool party trick though...

Would you prefer my violin or cello skills in the Ensemble Willobie?

Given a straight choice, I would prefer the violin but, if you want to do cello, that isn't a problem...

W

My form will be in the post tomorrow.

So will mine!

W

Do you have a really easy violin part?

How easy?

For a beginner...?

My form is in the post, Skylark ----- and there is a cheque inside.

Just printed it out Skylark, and will post tomorrow
We'd better get busy Gerald

We now have a cellist for the above String Quartet Can I ask for the violinists and violists to register an interest on their form and I'll offer the parts to whoever has got the fewest number of other slots, or if you've already sent your form off, send me an email instead (but not both please!)

Could be arranged if necessary...

W

Do you have a viola part for a beginner, willobie?

I had a look at the viola part in the string quartet above but it was a bit too high

There's certainly a viola part suitable for you!

W

Again easy viola part please

I'm doing a gd.1 viola piece for my solo

Suitable part awaits you...

W

Oh there's plenty of time, there's...........6 WEEKS to Leeds??

Exactly. The duet YOU have chosen, for me to play with you isn't exactly easy is it

My form will go in the post at lunchtime if this horrid mist clears, this evening else, as I don't fancy going out in it!

Willobie, will play violin in String Ensemble seeing as I now have another cello opportunity and think the cello part of Pachelbel's Canon should be within the bounds of even my meagre absolute beginner cello abilities!

Excellent!

W

Hmm, there are a couple of tricky bits in it, and I agree the ending will need some special practice of its own .

But you did sight read it very well when we tried it out before Anglesey, so I will be relying on you to carry it through OK .

After all, I am not as high a standard as you are...

What rot