I recieved confirmaiton e-mail last night.
So already exciting a lot!

They said - bring Instrument (!), music stand and pencil.
Yes, we always can share the stand if we play same part.

See you on Saturday, everyone. I will be there around 09:50 accoding to train time.

- they don't have music stands at the London venue (don't think this is an issue at the Manchester venue), so do bring a stand! The pencil you will find useful if last year is anything to go by!



My train arrives at Charing Cross at 09:06, and I'll catch a bus from there to the venue, so I suspect I'll arrive before you. See you there, oboe d'amore!

Okay, thanks. I'll see how flute goes, but may sneak across to share with you at some point!

No problem. They have plenty of spare chairs

Any more for after event food and drink? Would like to book tomorrow morning. I have pcf +1, Deborah and oboe d'amore on my list, but will overbook for anyone who wants to tack on our restaurant party later on...

Have booked Cafe Rouge in James Street for 5:30pm on Saturday, for 10 (the maximum the online booking service will allow). If you want to join us, feel free!

Excellent. Thank you very much.
I think people from FB are also coming...
I have to rememebr to move all stuff (include oboe!), swab, pencil etc to double bag tonight, after rehearsal.
wow, now more exciting now!
Hope my sight reading will be ok - I am not super goog.. hope no many many key signature!

After all your hard work, Barry, I'm going to have to duck out of jollies as I need to be on the 17.53 train out of Victoria afterwards

Yep : if there's anyone else you know who's coming, they're most welcome to join us for dinner afterwards oboe d'amore.



Aw - at least there'll be a good long lunch break to chat in

we go outside to eat for lunch?

Looking forward to Saturday.

I got a good boost last night as I could actually sight read our new orchestra music with only a few missed bars - which is a big improvement for me!

I've got a house warming party in the evening on Saturday, so unfortunatly can't stay for drinks.

In response for Oboe d'Amore - for lunch last year some people went outside, some people ate in the cafe bit in the hall but that was quite crowded and some had a packed lunch - it's all down to your preference. (I'll be taking a packed lunch as I have food allergies and it's just easier that way)

I spent part of last years lunch break trying ou mouthpieces and there are a few 'shops' to look at - wood wind & reed, Vandoren and I think its a CD stall too.

I think I'm more excited about tomorrow than Musical Maniac is! Not sure about getting up at 6am though... I'm hoping you're all going to sound as good as you did last year, and that I'm going to enjoy a superb day long concert as I sit and read/write letters up in the gallery.

In order to benefit from cheap tickets for the train we booked up, long ago, to return home on a 6 o'clock train. So, I look forward to saying hello to everyone, but our evening meal will probably be from Paddington Station M&S.. Sorry we can't join you.

I'm afraid I'm also on the same 6pm train as Halka, so can't make dinner.

Sorry you can't make dinner Appassionata/Halka/smd...

I think I've met all the forumites going to the London event at least once, so hopefully I'll be able to do some introductions! See you there, and don't forget a stand and pencil!

Back home after a great, if not tiring day. It was lovely to see so many forum members too. I was also pleased that I managed to sightread the flute parts (although I did quickly swap my first flute parts with a second flute pad )

Many thanks also to Halka for the lift from the station

Looked like you were doing well, Appassionata

A thoroughly enjoyable day. As Appassionata has mentioned, it was great to see so many forumites, and I'm very much looking forward to the Manchester event now!

Don't mention it!

I'm feeling completely shattered and I wasn't even playing! As before, you all sounded great to me from my eyrie in the gallery.

I really really really must get down to some flute practice with a view to joining in next year (or the year after, or the year after that....)

That would be great Was good to see you and MM again yesterday!

Thoroughly enjoyed yesterday's bout of Extreme Sight Reading

Appassionata, you're not the only one to have swapped - I ended up swapping my 2nd pad for a 1st with another clarinettist who was only about Grade V. Only problem was that I ended up immediately in front of the Eb clarinets. I don't think there's been any permanent damage...

Can I get shows of availability/interest for a possible curry after the Manchester playday please?

Is there a decision on where we will be going?

hillyb has this in hand - she's going to make some recommendations

Yesterday, it was mentioned that the Manchester programme will have no duplicate pieces from the London programme, so there's no cheating by looking at the music beforehand...

Ok. I'll give her a ring in the week so I get chance to check out our travel options.

cool

That's a very good way of putting it! What a relief it was to end on the slow and stately Hassler piece.

Really enjoyed the day and relieved that I wasn't kicked out (not a Grade 5 player by a long chalk!).

Bought a Legere plastic reed while I was there and while I know they're not everyone's cup of tea, I'm very pleased with mine.

I'm up for curry/other dinner if you haven't counted me already

You sounded very good from where I was muffinmonster

(on muffinmonster's immediate left )

Glad you like your new plastic reed. I've never really got on with them, but when you were using it during the day, you sounded good. I think that was a good move on your part to get that reed



*counts BB2*

At one point i had the sopranino saxes behind me - wow!!!

A great day - and so good to meet other forumites - some for the first time

*Considers sitting some way from anyone who might be listening....*

Had a brilliant day yesterday and got home totally shattered!
Great to meet up with other forum members, some for the first time, which was good as always and next stop Tedington!

I cannot wait.

Regards, peter

I am really looking forward to the play day, but won't be abe to join you for dinner after - sorry. Maybe a quick drink before I need to get my train!! I'm looking forward to meeting a few forumites too.

No worries : there'll be plenty of time to socialise during the day flobiano. Looking forward to meeting you for the first time!

Hi all

It was really nice day - apart form my stack time in the train for 2 hours 22 minutes! (please see it if you are in FB!)

Looking forward to see you at Teddington.

I will be there and please count me in for curry/dinner after. (I will be travelling by train so near the station or not too late would be good for me.)
Looking forward to the day enormously.

*counts Clarimoo*

Just been talking to Hillyb who is going to make a booking for us.
She wants to do this tomorrow.
So far checking back there appear to be 4 of us, Me, barry-clari, babybird2 and clarimoo.
If I've missed you please reply on here.
From what hillyb tells me about the location it looks as though a taxi would be the best option (not far and served by buses but for a taxi full of people the taxi will be cheaper) unless someone is driving and can take us.
I'm checking on one or two more who may not be on the forum so much.
Hillyb will check this thread tomorrow around lunch time to see how many to book for.
Thanks to her for sharing her curry knowledge.

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Yes, many thanks hillyb!

I'll have a very quick look in tomorrow morning at this thread and a couple of others, otherwise this is my last proper visit to the forum 'til after the event... Looking forward to seeing all of you there, for those of you who haven't met me yet, my picture is in my profile.

See you Saturday!

Shea asked if I could play piccolo on Saturday.... I said no

We'll be arriving around 9.30 so will hang around to meet forum people before the start.

I'm planning to get there around about then too - trains permitting. (I've heard rumours of more snow for the weekend! eek)

Just had a quick look at the forecast : it looks like it'll be bitterly cold, but also bright and sunny.

See you there!

Do we know where we will be eating yet?

You have mail

Sorry I'm a bit late, but...

Have a fantastic day in Manchester, everyone.

If it's half as good as the London Playday last weekend, it'll be BRILLIANT.

I'm only sorry I cannot go.

Regards, Peter.

Overall a good day I think. Really nice to meet up with Barry, sbhoa, clarimoo, hillyb and a couple of other people who's forum identities I didn't quite work out.

The oboist I was sat with is taught by the same person as me - so was good to get to meet her and a couple of other people she'd come across the penines with. Our teacher has been saying for a few weeks that she is going to get us together to play some trios so was really good to finally meet her!!

I really, really enjoyed the morning - excellent music, loved the Paul Harris piece, the final morning piece was fast and quite difficult (grade 7/8 but went up to top G , even for grade 8 you only go up to F#!). But by the end of of that my lip was beginning to go. We then started the afternoon with 2 very fast pieces, the first had lots of fast staccato semi quavers, which at that point of the proceedings was too much for my embouchure to manage even though the notes themselves were ok. As a result of that the lady next to me chose to sit out the next piece, as she was just blowing raspberries down her reed. Rather than balancing with something a bit slower we then had a piece which was just as fast and had an excessively difficult post grade 8 standard oboe part. At this point it began to feel more like an endurance trial than fun...and I really didn't enjoy that session at all, I think I would have been better sitting it out.

Was a definite relief to get to the final piece which was much easier and gentler.

Was good fun overall though, really glad I went and would recommend it to people...though with a caveat for oboists regarding difficulty and stamina. It is adverstised for grade 5 and above....but the oboe parts were generally much too difficult for a grade 5 player to sight read , and for most pieces there was only 1 oboe part so no opportunity to swap. Maybe would have been better to advertise as 2 half days - with easier pieces in the morning, and the afternoon for more advanced.


I didn't go for the meal, so can't comment. I'm sure they will have had a good time though.

Babybird2 on 2nd flute, Carl on bass clari, rachi and tooty on the back row of the clarinets



Overall, the difficulty level of the pieces was higher in Manchester than in London. I sat on 1st clari for most of the day, and there were some really quite difficult pieces (the Harlequin dances were easily post grade 8 for the 1st clarinets - really fun piece though ). Perhaps, yes, one of those fast afternoon pieces should've been replaced by an easier number, though. Hope people appreciated me mouthing the number of bars rest



I'll email Shea and let him know all your thoughts flobiano.



We did. Curry Mile is great

Was good to meet you flobiano (you're a very good oboist ), and everyone else. I had a thoroughly good time, and the vibes I was getting is that this event will be reprised in Manchester this time next year, which is great

Hi all.

Had a great day - was challenged by some of the oboe parts!! But good fun all round. Nice to put some to some Forum members I hadn't met previously.

Glad the meal went ok.

hillyb

Sorry I didn't get to catch up with you all. We left before your do was over. Glad you all enjoyed it.