This has been mentioned a bit in the oboe thread but thought it could do with its own!

Is anyone else planning to go to this?

I sent an email to reserve a ticket a couple of weeks ago, but haven't heard anything back - has anyone else? I may ring them on Monday.

Has anyone been before? What are the masterclasses/ workshops like? Is it worth taking my instrument with me if I am not going with a windband? It isn't clear from the descriptions how participatory it is and whether things like the mass windband are for everyone, or just for the official windbands that are attending.

Any experience of previous years?

Also - does anyone fancy a forum meet up, or would you rather remain annonymous?

I'm going with Emsoboe, this will be our fourth time at the event. I have to say the event is evolving year on year so previous experiences are only a guideline.

I know there is the wind band and some sort of scratch orchestra and Jazz workshop with a Jazz flautist. the standard for the masterclasses is supposed ot be Grade 7 but in previous years not all participants have been that standard. Last year there were two sets of Masterclasses each run by different people. the Oboe one seems to have Melinda Maxwell again. I would have liked it to be Jonathan Small as he's very patient and offers good advice.

We applied for a ticket a similar length of time ago and haven't heard anything either. Last year Emsoboe found out on the day she was participating in two masterclasses having been told it was unlikly.

I would recommend taking your instrument as there are trade stalls and you may want to try reeds or something. There are opportunities to participate including the massed wind orchestra on both days and a sratch Wind Band on the sunday. We got a sheet that asked us to tick what we wanted to participate in and I seem to remember performance workshops too.

I'm going along with another Forumite, we'll be happy to meet for a coffee or something. We already know some of the other Forum members who are going.

I've yet to find out what I'm doing that weekend, but I would love to go if I'm free! I live a five-minute walk from the RNCM so it would be pretty easy to get to if I'm in Manchester that weekend. A forum meet-up would be a good idea, I think! Is it too late to get tickets, do you know?

I wouldn't think so! We booked quite late last year.

Great! I'll find out as soon as possible what I'm doing that weekend.

From my previous experience you don't necessarily get any information after registration. Just turn up and collect your badge. I'm sure thay will take bookings right up to the last minute, none of the sessions are ever full. I think you might even be OK just to stroll in on the day.

I have taken my instrument before but not played in any workshops, etc. As far as I can gather, the massed windband and scratch band are for all attendees who are interested.

This year I'm down to attend
Conducting Workshop
Double Reed Workshop
Oboe Masterclass
Bassoon Masterclass
and of course all the excellent concerts.

I'm always happy to meet up. There are some of us on the forums who know each other and the bar is good

By the way. Does anyone else think it was odd to move this out of Viva Woodwinds? Its not a Forum event and now I dare say some people who may have been interested won't see it?

Sounds like there will be a few of us!

I'm hoping to get the train so will be able to partake in the bar.....

Steph, the website says you need to register by the 22/10/10 so you have a week or so yet. Last year I did just turn up on the day to look at the trade stands (which had mainly packed up by the time I could get there) but my understanding was you had to register in advance to attend any of the concerts/ masterclasses etc.

Pushpull - is there a list available of the workshops/ masterclasses that will be running? And do I need to decide in advance which ones I am going to ?- I have just asked for a "weekend ticket" and assumed I could just go to whatever takes my fancy on the day. I will definitely be going to the oboe masterclass though!

Nonmusimum - did Emsoboe enjoy her masterclasses last year? Which ones did she do? Is she going to apply for one this year as well?

I'm off work on Monday so I think I may just give them a ring...will let you know what they say.

Yes i initailly thought it was odd that it was moved....but a lot of other similar events (RNCM sax day, Greenwich Early music event) are also in the forum events section too so I suppose it does fit better here. We'll just have to direct people in this direction.

I don't think the forum events area is the correct place for this thread personally. It's not a Forum event but one organised by RNCM. I wonder why it was moved....

Emsoboe did both the Flute and the Oboe Masterclasses last year. There were two sections roughly below grade 7 and grade 8 and above. lower grades in the morning and higher in the afternoon. They were both interesting.

The best masterclass she has ever done was on Flute with Peter Lloyd. The guy is a legend and an amazing teacher - that was two years ago. I suppose it depends what you want to get out of them.

There is a list of events to be chosen from, ours came in the post with the publicity brochure. Emsoboe has applied to do either the Flute or Oboe masterclass but we haven't heard anything yet.

Thanks for the info! On a bit of a side-note, I was about to call you Flobi

As notmusimum says, they send out a list of events so you can tell them which you intend to go to. It's not rigid though, just to give them an idea of numbers.

Aahh.....I haven't been sent that - probably because I didn't register last year so didn't get any publicity through the post. This is the kind of stuff I was expecting to receive once I'd sent my email - but I haven't had anything yet. Will ring on Monday and see if they can put it in the post for me. Thanks for your help and look forward to seeing some of you there.

Has anyone applied for the masterclass at this event we've heard nothing after sending postal application.

Guess it will be one more thing on my to do list to chase it up

Not had anything from them at all so couldn't have applied for masterclass even if I wanted to....so probably good thing that I didn't.

I've tried to ring a couple of times but got no answer, left an answerphone message asking if they could send me some stuff...and then emailed them as per website too and not heard anything either.

I'm half expecting to get there to find my name isn't on the list and I won't be able to go to anything.

I have never ever ever had a reply to any email I've sent to the RNCM. I wouldn't get unduly worried, I should think your name will be there. Have fun : will be thinking of you all while I'm at the CASS event in Twickenham!

Thank you, I'm looking forward to it. Hope you have fun too!

You obviously don't email the right people Barry:P

flobiano last year daughter found out the day before she was involved in two masterclasses. I would rather that didn't happen again as being half term this week she can work on the pieces if she has a slot.

I heard a whisper that some of the admin staff had actually gone abroard but don't know in what connection.

The Masterclasses haven't been sorted out yet as the closing date was Friday. Letters will go out later this week.

Are the Forum participants meeting up before the event starts? I realise that we haven't all met but if we attempt to grab a table in a specific place then we can all gather.

I can recommend the second from top on the right hand side (unless it's taken over by sheet music).

Do what we did at last year's East London Clari Choir playday at the RNCM : make a nice big sign

Where? In the student bar area?

I've changed my profile pic to something more relevant to the occassion. Though I don't have a clock tatooed on the side of my head - I don't know what caused that effect.

That sounds good to me!

I'm unable to go to the RNCM wind weekend unfortunately I hope you guys all have fun! And I might see some of you at the Playday in January anyway.

In the big seating area where the bar is not the Brodskey (or whatever it's called). The table I'm suggesting is on the right near the concert hall. There is normally a stand beside it for trays If the sheet music is there or the Army any of those tables on the right would do.

It's tomorrow folks.

I hope you don't go in January expecting a playday! It's February 5th



Have fun : look forward to reading the reports.

This event was much better today than last year. Lets hope tomorrow is as good

Nice to meet flobiano and to see pushpull and Mrs P again

Nice to meet you too!

Sorry didn't get to meet you today Pushpull...ended up going home after lunch as had a pounding headache. Really disappointed to miss the double reed clinic but really wasn't feeling very well at all.

Hope it was good though, any tips?

I went to the Woodwind performance clinic in the morning which was quite interesting - basically an question/ answer session with one of the clarinet tutors (also an ABRSM examiner).

I think the key thing that I took away was when he was talking about how important it was to make your performance come to life, which he demonstrated by changing articulations/ dynamics etc. But what made it memorable for me was this quote:

" in general, a couple of wrong notes are not a problem....but if those wrong notes are the most interesting about your performance, then that IS a problem".

Anyway. Hopefully I will make it to the masterclasses tomorrow - looking forward to something more oboe specific.

(oh and they didn't have me on the list as being registered....despite the 2 emails and the answerphone message that I left, oh well at least I still got in.)

Yes. Do try and keep up.

In the workshop Emsoboe and I got separated - must have been talking in class, so there went my support. First piece went OK but in the Telemann which followed I just couldn't cope. Aagh.

Still at least Melinda Maxwell came and played my part with me which was nice. Or rather she played it and I looked on admiringly.

I did enjoy it though. Just got in from the evening concert. Andy Scott's "Dark Rain" is absolutely stunning. Well for single reeds.

Looking forward to tomorrow.

The double reed "clinic" was really entertaining even for me as an audience member. I thought Melinda did really well given the spread of ability.

Looks like Emsoboe made a couple of new friends too

Didn't stay for the concert this time though I'm sure we would have enjoyed it.

Looking forward to the Masterclass now tomorrow




I saw you sneeking on to the same part in the first piece

Another couple of splendid masterclasses yesterday. Melinda Maxwell, oboe and Stefano Canuti, bassoon. Stefano is a great bloke and doesn't mince his words or hold back his opinions.

He also admitted to still feeling nervous himself when he performs and reckons the only way to compensate is through practice.

That's what I meant

Glad everybody seemed to have a good time!

It was nice to meet up with old friends from the forum, and also to meet Flobiano for the first time. We may be going to the Play Day in February, and possibly to the sax day on 14th November.

Enjoyed my day there, very much

I enjoyed the Sunday very much too! Was good to meet a few more forumites - Pushpull and Chris - and meet up again with some I've met before!

I enjoyed the oboe masterclass too - some interesting points to think about.

In the afternoon I joined in the scratch windband which was good fun! Nice to have the opportunity to play!

I was very restrained in the trade stalls....but my Christmas wish list is slightly longer than it was a week ago.

Does anyone know whether the woodwind weekend will be happening this year? I would have thought there would be something on the RNCM website by now as the "what's on" in Autumn is beginning to look rather full.

I usually get a booklet through the post but haven't had one yet. I'll let you know if or when I do

The Autumn brochure is now on the RNCM website (link still says Summer but it opens the new one). There is no mention of the woodwind weekend so I'm guessing it isn't happening this year.

I am quite disappointed.

i've noticed that they are not very good at forward planning so it could well appear at a later date. For me it's always been too late and with too little information for me to bother.

I*'ll contact one of the organisers, on Monday, and see if it is actually happening this year.