This wil be 5th Leeds concert and if you haven't yet performed in front of others, do think about coming if you're within striking distance of Leeds - the audience is only fellow performers, friends and family, and it's a very friendly and informal day with lots of fun. It's always enjoyable to meet new members so even if you're a very new beginner, do come and have a go - we'll all support you and be willing you to do well. And if you'd like to play with somebody else but don't know anybody, let me know and I'll do my best to partner you with one or more other players.

All the information is on THIS WEB PAGE, and there's a link from there to the application form. The form will need to be sent back to me by Friday 20 November, and then over that weekend, I'll review the slots and accompanying situation and see if I can offer further slots. So please make sure I get your form by the 20th if you'd like the opportunity for an extra slot if possible.

If anyone has any queries, please email me if you have my email address, or otherwise PM me

Look forward to seeing everyone in January


Skylark
Organiser, Players for Pleasure

... and with many thanks for St George for being as wonderful as ever in doing the web page and application form

Done


(PS - have put myself down as an accompanist. Shhh. )

I have too.
N

Will be in the post tomorrow, after rehearsing with DawnF.

Many thanks all of you

Incidentally I'm going to the York recital on Saturday so anybody who is also going to that could give me their form then if they want, instead of posting it

Just to clarify a couple of points which someone has asked me about off-forum...

The form provides for 1 solo and 3 ensembles, but if anyone wants to make it two solos and two ensembles, that's fine - just amend the form accordingly.

The choir and finale are large ensembles which are open to everyone and are therefore not counted as part of the "four slots".

Incidentally if I get in all the forms by early next week from those people who have already said they're coming, I won't need to wait until after the closing date before working out whether there is space/time to allocate some more slots


I've also been asked about the length of slots so I'll explain my thinking on this for anyone who's interested...

The summer concerts at Leeds generally have a time limit of 3-3.5 mins so that more people and more slots can be accommodated, enabling a greater number of people to have several experiences at performing on a stage. The winter concerts are likely to have fewer people attending so I extend the time limit to 4 mins. However, it is only the more advanced players who are likely to want more than 4 minutes - most pieces for beginners and intermediate players are less than this, and many performers only choose pieces which last a couple of minutes. If I were to make the time limit 5 minutes, the concert may become more weighted towards advanced players at the expense of beginner/intermediate players, so by making the slots 3-4 minutes, it's a compromise between beginner pieces lasting a couple of minutes and advanced pieces lasting five minutes, and it suits the majority of those who come. However, I appreciate that advanced players would like to perform longer pieces, so for advanced players I organise recital-type events like those which took place at Dunster Castle and Dyrham Park, where players can perform for 20 minutes or more if they wish. If there is sufficient interest in the proposed event at Tamworth, that will also give advanced players the opportunity to perform longer pieces in a concert setting. Hope this clarifies why the slots are currently the length they are at the Leeds concerts



Edit: if anyone wants to combine two of their slots to make a longer solo, that's fine

Providing that Geddall is still up for it, I'll put myself down for a duet once I print the form off

My form went in the post this morning. No going back now .....

Incidentally, are there any more sax players out there who want to make up an ensemble (assuming they haven't already used up all their slots, that is )? So far there appears to be me, emsoboe and possibly Music Stand, but if anyone else wants to join in before we fix on some music that would be fine from my perspective (more players = less chance of my mistakes showing up! )

If one slot on one instrument (piano) was only to play a short 2 minute piece would I be able to be a few seconds over on my clarinet one?

Re- timed a piece this morning and make it 4 min 15s. Could edit the piano part to make it fit the 4 mins but personally like it better without the editing....

Sorry to be a pest asking If the answer's a no that's fine I might just use two of my slots in order to do it or will rethink. Thanks.

Anyone up for a duet/ensemble piece with me??? Or shall I leave it in Skylark's hands to pair me up??


Please bear with me as I ask questions as I've not done thiis before so unsure of the ettiquette....

Emsoboe normally pairs up with anyone who asks but this time it's a little difficult with the four slots rule.

Her friend plays Trombone and would happily team up with anyone who doesn't have a duet partner but appreciate it may not be easy to find suitable music.

I've a tenor sax that's not been out of it's box in a year and possibly have a free slot ... I'd be interested in joining in if the piece was not too hard or fast Used to play in a band but as not played it for an age I'd better be cautious about what I can do

I could do a clari - flute duet with you Dawn!

Cool Thanks for the offer. Do you have anything in mind? I've some flute/clarinet duets somewhere but not sure on their difficulty level.

So far I have lined up:
a clari/piano duet with Oldnotes (depending on choice may need to take two slots but would probably whittle down to just one rather than do this.)

A piano solo as a possibility (maybe a strong possibility....)

Possibility of sax group (see above posts)

Duet with you or larger ensemble piece if anyone else has suitable music or wanted to join us.

I can see where you're coming from, but if one person does that, then 20+ other people would have to be given the opportunity to do the same thing. "Trading off" one piece against another would become an organisational nightmare if a number of people wanted to do it, so I'm going to have to keep it simple I'm afraid and say no to "trading off". If it's any consolation, my piano piece will probably be less than a minute, but I still wouldn't play a clarinet piece which is any longer than the allotted time



I think I'm right in saying that some of the concerts organised by other forum members have a slot time of 5 minutes so maybe it would be possible to save it for one of those But for the reasons I've given in an earlier post, sorry but the slot time at Leeds for this concert is 4 minutes - this is already longer than the usual 3-3.5 minutes at Leeds concerts and I'm hoping most people won't even want to fill 4 mins, which will enable some more slots to be fitted in

OK Skylark. Fair enough. Points fully taken on board. I'll rethink my choices. Not sure if I'll make other forum concert events this year but there will be other opportunites to air this piece. See ya tomorrow.

Not really, but I have a book or two I think... but I've never played anything from either of them

I think mine are relatively easy - I'll try to bring along what I have tomorrow maybe you could do the same and we could see if there's anything we fancy????

I'll do that

Yes, BB, go for it! I haven't forgotten that it is my turn to choose a piece, but I have been a bit distracted recently with Jersey last weekend, my teacher's concert tonight (at which my most difficult Grade 6 piece gets an airing ) and the exam next week. I will try to sort a couple of pieces out for you to try out.

And Skylark, I will also try to get the form to you before the 20th as I will be coming.

Well my form's gone in now. No turning back ....

To confrim with those who have offered to pair/group up I've put down

Clari/piano duet
piano solo (I promise I'll try not to chicken out)
Clari/flute solo with babybid2
sax ensemble with saxophile etc

Sop in choir and clari in finale.

Someone has asked me if the concert is for adults only and no it isn't - please see the extract below from the web page. A daughter of one member here has been coming since she was about 12 or 13 and she's always fitted in really well.

Although the concert is primarily for adults, younger forum members or children of forum members will also be accommodated if possible.

Participants under the age of 18 will need to be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Please note that babies and young children will not be admitted to the College, either during the morning or to the concert.

If anyone has any queries on this front, do feel free to contact me

Babybird2 - trying to PM you re our duet but your box appears full.

Please let me know when there's space

We should also swap email addresses.

Just a reminder that the deadline for applications is this Saturday and over the weekend I'll work out if there is time/space to allocate any more slots, and I'll also have a better idea on the position re accompanying.

I've pmed you in a panic, Skyers - didn't know the application form was up, let alone that the deadline is tomorrow!!! I just need to contact my boss to make sure I can have the Saturday off, then put the forms in the post...

I've sent you a PM back

I put the forms in the post yesterday.

I've put the forms in the post too. Hope they arrive today.

I picked up some forms yesterday and I tried to ring the college mid-morning today to see if the post had been. It was on ansafone so I left a message saying I'd ring again later. When I rang later it was still on ansafone so I left another message saying I'd call in anyway, but when I got there, they'd all gone and I don't suppose they'd got my message saying I'd call in

Apart from the wasted journey, it means that I can't sort the slots and accompanying out over the weekend

Sorry guys, I did try...

The forms for Mrs G and me are in an envelope - with the cheque! - waiting to be posted first class tomorrow. I am really sorry for the delay, Skylark, but I had one or two personal things to attend to first as well as take my Grade 6 on Friday. I think they are quite simple though, and I have one spare slot out of my 4 still left if you would like to grab me for "Misty" .

What are the large ensembles at Leeds this time? I haven't seen mention of anything other than the folk group that Emsoboe and her friend haven't been invited to participate in.

Em is more than welcome in the folk group. Not sure what her friend plays, but if it's folk-y he's welcome too.

And there's the sax group.... but I was under the impression that emsoboe was involved in that already....

It don't think it's a case of people being 'invited' or 'not invited' to join, or at least it wasn't intended to be. The folk group is an idea which was brought up on the thread after the May event and when Skylark did the January thread last month I think she just did a summary of the people who'd already expressed an interest in it rather than a definitive list of who was or could be involved. If the group is getting too big then I'm happy for Emsoboe to take my flute place in it but does she have a spare slot left for doing this? It would count as one of her 4. I think there might also be a small fiddle group, but again this would count as one of Ems 4 slots. You'll have to clone Emsoboe so that she can have 8 slots between herself and her clone.

Now there's an offer I don't get every day



Ooops, didn't see that bit at first

I might play Misty at the informal gathering in December but I've decided to play something else in January (really serious risk of putting people to sleep otherwise )

Thank you for the offer, Gerald, but my piano teacher (PianoGuru) is going to come to this concert and he's already offered to accompany me. I'm sure your 4th slot won't go to waste though!



The Choir and the Finale are open to all-comers Depending on what singers there are, my music teacher (MusicGuru) might also put together a smaller choir for singers who have voice as one of their instruments.

I'm not expecting as many people at the January concert as at the summer concert, so the ensembles are smaller and just put together by whoever wants to put one together and sort the music out


I don't think I can get to the college tomorrow (Monday) but I'll try and get there on Tuesday and then sort out the slots and see if there is time/space to allocate any additional slots

No it won't because if you won't play Misty with me, I will use it as a piano solo and play it all by myself . I'll do my Errol Garner impression - that will certainly keep everyone awake .

I have just realised that I have said on my form that my flute piece will be Vivaldi Flute Concerto No 5 - it is of course only the first movement, Allegro ma non tanto, not the whole piece!

Any news on your piece that we are doing, Flossie?

Am planning to give you the final choice.

Do you have (or have access to) the piano parts for any of the following:
Joachim Anderson: Five songs without words for flute and piano
Lennox Berkley: Sonatina for Treble Recorder and Piano (I think it's op.13, but my copy says OFB 1040)
Claude Debussy: The little shephard (A major) and Pour invoquer Pan, dieu du Vent d'Ete (both in three Pieces for Flute and Piano, pub. Pan Educational Music)
C.W. Gluck: Concerto in G major for flute and orchestra (piano reduction)
William Mathias: Sonatina for flute and piano
Mozart: Concerto no 2 in D
John Rutter: Suite Antique

Edit: Also - Gaubert: Madrigal

If by John Rutter: Suite Antique you mean the Prelude, then I am learning that right now to play for Bev's daughter Kate in December. Lovely piece. So not only do I have it, but I will have had plenty of time to prepare it .

I am afraid I don't have any of the others, but am willing to have a go at anything not too fast, given that practice time will be a bit in short supply over the holiday period

I thought this was a smalll ensemble and counted it as one of her slots.






Thanks for your very kind offer. I wouldn't allow her to take someone elses place even if she wanted to.

One of her is enough she costs far too much on her own


I thought this was a larger ensemble and not counted as one of the slots.

I'm totally confused by it all.....

Ditto (violin)
N

It said on the application form what the large ensembles are

The following large ensembles are open to all levels and will be led by musicguru:
Choir, please state SATB
Finale, please state instrument and level

In case anyone is wondering what the difference is between a large and a small ensemble...

For a large ensemble, I undertake to find a director who will source a piece of music and ensure that there are parts to suit all levels. I may help to source the music, and in the case of an orchestral finale, if necessary I will buy a suitable set of parts/ensemble music. Otherwise, the director of a large ensemble undertakes to adapt or write parts if necessary. The director of a large ensemble typically conducts the ensemble rather than take part.

For a small ensemble, I don't necessarily get involved and leave it to the person who suggests the ensemble to source a piece of music and to put the ensemble together. Generally all members of the ensemble take part and no-one conducts.



As mentioned, I'll make a final visit to the college tomorrow to pick up the forms I couldn't collect on Saturday, and when I've sorted the slots out, I'll know whether I can allocate any further slots.

This is obviously more confusing for those who've taken part before than those who have not I thought it was all very straight forward.

You each get 4 stage appearances (slots) each not exceeding 4 mins AND you can also take part in the choir and finale.

Then if there's space for more Skylark will allocate extra slots.

Only if there's no audience and everyone in the group wears ear plugs




It's probably just me being dim. I've too much on at the moment with a new job and being dropped in it.

Who is Errol Garner??

I definitely have 2 spare slots which can be allocated elsewhere, if that helps! It's going to take as much nerve as I can muster to do the 2 I have put myself down for .

Fellow sax-ensemble players: slight hitch, in that the music I had ordered turns out to have been out of stock, but the e-music shop promises they can get it from the publishers fairly quickly. If it doesn't show up soon I'll try and get to my nearest bricks-and-mortar music emporium to get something else, since I'll almost certainly need time to practise, even if the rest of you won't However, I can't really focus on anything beyond my exam (on Saturday - yikes - ) at present....

Well he composed Misty, played with a distinctive off-beat jazz style, and at times could play rather loudly .

Hi everyone, sorry I have not been in touch - our family had to decide what everyone was doing for Christmas and New Year and that takes a while for us! Unfortunately, it looks like I'll be in Scotland for Hogmanay and not coming back until either the 2nd or 3rd. Hope you all have a wonderful time - I know I'll miss some real gems - and hopefully I will see you at the next one. xxx

Don't worry but as much time to look at it as possible would be good as it all gets a bit hectic nearer Christmas.

I have to dust off my tenor sax first!!! And maybe need to purchase a new reed or two...

Babybird 2 I'll try get on the scanner over the next couple of days with my choices of duet possibles. I look foward to receiveing what you have chosen. The more we have up our sleeve the better as if the first choice just doesn't go together on the day it'd be good to have a backup plan

If there is room for a piano slot for me, I will play the Siloti transcription of Bach's Prelude from the first Cello suite. Two and threequarter minutes.

I've decided (and so has my teacher) that I'll be good enough at Solfeggietto by C.P.E. Bach to play it at the concert - not sure how long it is, but it's only two pages and pretty fast!

Music Stand is still undecided about his solo - I'm trying to push him in case he needs an accompanist. I haven't put him down for two solos, but could he do two if he wants? - he hasn't filled up all his slots, and I certainly haven't filled up mine. I also have another piece I could do if I'm allowed...

I don't eny you trying to sort all this out Skylark