hi all....

For those who don't know who I am I am the conductor for the Full House Orchestra In Heanor, Nottingham/Derby.

This year we are loosing a lot of players to university and new jobs, etc. We are therefore in need of new performers.

We do a mixture of classical and modern music including, Vivaldi 4 seasons, Great Gates of Kiev, Handles Water Music and much more.

We Rehearse on a Wednesday evening from 7:15pm - 9pm at St Lawerance Church in Heanor which is split into 2.

- 7:15pm - 8pm String orchestra with conductor Robin Padgham and Wind Band with Me.
- 8:15pm - 9pm Full orchestra with both me and Robin conducting.

You are welcome to turn up for either both parts or just one.

Membership is just ?2 a week and thats all the money we ask of you!

The entry level for the orchestra is to anyone who has achieved grade 2+ on a instrument and open to all ages. Even though the entry level is low we buy and use music of around grade 3-7 with the odd full original orchestrations.

The instruments we are in-need of are as following:

orchestra
- All Brass instruments
- Bassoon
- Percussion
- Violins
- Violas
- Cellos

Windband
All wind instruments

If you would like to join us or come along to see what we are like then please let me know by PM or ringing me on 07907785562.
Or visit our website for more information - http://www.fullhouseorchestra.org.uk/index.htm



Tom

I wish there was this kind of vacancy here......

I'm sure there is something somewhere of similar

Every orchestra round here requires you to be grade 8, (I'm about grade 5)except the one I joined where although I am welcome to come I can't play most of the music because it's all well beyond grade 5 and at the moment feel totally useless. I reckon almost everyone else is grade 8 or beyond

I watch my daughter's Saturday morning music experences with great jealously - they have 3 orchestras from about grade 3 up with sectionals and everything

I wish there were more playing opportunities for adult learners - but they seem few and far between

Same here. There just doesn't seem to be the requirement for it. I wish I knew more adult learner musicians down here and I would quite happily arrange a get together.

I am just a tad to far away to sign up... But just wanted to congratulate you on this initiative. As 2childmum says there seem to be very few adult learner orchestra and band opportunities, except at a higher level, in many places. It's one of the things that makes me worry about possibly returning to the UK.

We are always looking for new repertoire over here (preferably not expensive - we're very under-resourced and a lot of young players are low-income) and the level you are playing at sounds very similar to our orchestra and band. If you have any good recommendations, Tom, we'd be very grateful.

This sounds like a brilliant opportunity for me to start a new project and set one up fora you. Unfortunately I don't have the funds unless you would be able to get funding from the London Performing Arts Center

That would be fabulous.....and while you're at it....please come down this way to set one up

In response to this I can only give you some advice. D have many music shops/business? if so go in and ask to put an advert in the window/notice board.

then ask them for the list of all the music teachers registered to them (you may have to get a few people to go in and have each asking for different section lists i.e. one person going in asking for brass teachers, another for strings and then another for percussion, etc. - this is because some music shops will not just give you their whole database!).

I would love to come and set something up and help get the ball rolling. unfortunately I do not have the money. Another thing you could do is go to your arts center and see about getting funding or help to set it up.

If you can get the audience (people wanting to join) then you have a fighting chance. A lot of art centers do ask for evidence that something is needed.

Good luck with it

I'm in your area, and I agree, 2childmum...

Wonder if there is a general call for such a thing in our patch? I can do a good impression of a musical windmill...

I played with a learner wind band in Bristol before moving to Worcestershire.
The band was also part of a group that included a high quality performing band and a jazz group.

They used libraries in the city where the council was supportive of music groups.

They had some good conductors and members of the top band often came to support us -
- and sometimes tried a new instrument and played with us as adult learners; it was a great time.

Perhaps now is the time to get more bands off the ground?

I am at Broadwas *, which has a very nice village hall, which could be available at a fair cost but the issue is finding a good conductor to take us forward, let alone finding keen players.

The conductor issue could start with asking my teacher and my music friend in the next village who also teaches in Malvern. Better would be a forum member locally would like to try this?

If there is anyone who would like to share to explore this please do contact me.

It could be a wind band or also to embrace other orchestral instruments. Of course, the major expense will probably be the scores which don't come cheap for a large group. Is there any scheme to help with this?

Chris

* Broadwas is just six miles west of Worcester on the A44.

Let the Petrucci/IMSLP website and libraries be your friends

The man always to rely upon for the solutions!!