Hi guys,

I'm aiming this at mostly people in orthern Ireland as the festival is going thee next, but anyone can respond to this!

I have just done an NSBA wind festival in Bury St Edmunds (suffolk) and I have to say that it was absoluteyl amazing! If any of you get the chance to take part in one, I would highly recomend it. I have learnt so much in just the one day.

So if you get a chance to do one of their festivals (as I said the next one is in Northern Ireland) I would seriously recomend going

I think I did something similar in April, I think it was just called National wind festival for youth, but it's probably a long the same lines! It was great!
I'd quite like to do it or soemthing like it again, but I don't live in Ireland
What did you do on yours?? We (a few of my friends form school) and about a million other people from all over the north west of England/south west scotland went to a local school, rehearsed five or six pieces all day, and then performed in the cathedral. Absolutely amazing! But we got told off by some scottish guy for dancing
Really sore mouth by the end of it, 10 hours playing! Like eating razor blades!!
So what did you do?!!

Our band did something similar, but for the National Concert Band Festival, it wasn't like a workshop, it was a competition

[QUOTE] I think I did something similar in April, I think it was just called National wind festival for youth, but it's probably a long the same lines! It was great!
I'd quite like to do it or soemthing like it again, but I don't live in Ireland dry.gif
What did you do on yours?? We (a few of my friends form school) and about a million other people from all over the north west of England/south west scotland went to a local school, rehearsed five or six pieces all day, and then performed in the cathedral. Absolutely amazing!

It was basicaly the same for us. We had a really great conductor and it was amazing to play in Bury St Edmunds cathedral after we had rehearsed in a local school. I have never had so much fun!

purple dolphin - I was at the festival in bury, suffolk, what were you playing? Did you enjoy it. I thought it was great.

I was playing 2nd clarinet. And yourself?

It was great. Colin Touchin was such a brill conductor! So do you live in suffolk then?

I was playing third clarinet. Good day wasn't it!
I live in Bury, suffolk. Where are you?

You aren't Jonathan by any chance are you?

*starts singing "It's a small world afterall!*

It's remarkably scary how it is a small world!

yeah - I'm jonathan!
How did you know. Who's your teacher?

I'm Lizzie. We met just before we started. You sat next to me for a bit and then you had to move further back. Gosh it's a small world!

My teacher is Sue Simington. Who's yours?

WOW! amazing! I remember you said you prefered lizzie, not elizabeth!
How hard was 2nd clarinet?

WOW! I nearly died playing 2nd clarinet, especially that dragon piece! That Chinese flute was amazing. Shame PMs aren't working at the moment. It's only when we don't have them that You wish that you do!

I read somewhere else that you used to play bass clarinet. I really want to start. How should I go about it?

I assume that you have County Music Service lessons? If you do and if you go to a County run band then your teacher may give you one to use there. That's how I got into it. I used to play it up at North Suffolk Youth Concert Band.

COOL!

Did you get many bass clarinet parts? how much did you play normal soprano. Any more info?

Never played soprano up in Lowestoft after I got my bass. That kinda put me off playing it because the parts were boring. In concert bands there are loads of bass parts, but in orchestras there aren't unless it's a modern piece.

When you say the parts for bass are boring, waht do you mean? I'm going to go to West Suffolk wind band in Sept, and want to play bass there - what so you think. Is it hard to play both? How hard is bass compared to sop?

One more ? CAn you polish the silver 'bits' on basses, and how much does a normal service for one cost?

Dunno how much a service costs because I never had to get one, or pay for it. Yes you can polish it but only using a lint free cloth specially developed for instruments. The parts are never exciting with fast bits or anything, and you always play the backing. Bass is about the same as soprano. Easy to play both, just don't play both in the same concert because you'll be running around like a headless chicked swapping instruments over.


P.S Note to vegies and vegans: Sorry bout the headless chicken bit, but it's such a good figure of speech.

how did you go about borrowing the bass from the county? did you have to pay?

No. County loans are free, but they will only give one to you if you are going to use it at either your school or at a County run club like wind band.

Do I just ask the taecher if there is one available, and if there is, I could borrow it, but have to play it in a County activity. Is that right?????

I think so yeah. Everything has to go passed Stuart Green though. If he doesn't think you will ahve enough use then he won't authorise it.

Who's Stuart Green? What does he do? How did you go about it? Did you ask about a bass, or were you given it?

My teacher brought the idea up with me in my clarinet lesson a while ago. It was her idea because she wanted me to be moved up into Wind Band from the orchestra I was in. Stuart Green is the Senior Woodwind tutor. I know him quite well but he can be a bit strange with what he allows. I think I had an advantage in getting a bass because A) my teacher is deputy senior woodwind tutor for County and Stuart Green directs the Wind Band I go to.

I asked Sue Taylor ( senior music tutor of Suffolk), about it, & she says when I'm grade 5, i should get into a county band (????), and they may issue me one then. I may see if I can buy a student model???

??

Could you hire one from a music shop for the time being?

If there is demand, you can get into a county band at grade 3. I got into North Suffolk Wind Band when I was grade 3. At about grade 5 you can apply for a place in County Wind Band. I'm gonna apply in September.

So, Sue Taylor still around then? She was the examiner for my Grade 2 county violin exam, 9 years ago.

anyone who knows - what is county band. does it just mean the 'whatever' suffolk wind band (i'm joining the west suffolk one in sept), or is it the one you are auditioning for in sept (how good do you have to be? is it popular? any other info?)

Yes - sue taylor is still around. Shes nearly grey, and really focuses on posture - her & a tuba player I know have rows all the time - it sreally funny to watch!
Any other comments - fun stuff? Uberzoldat - where did you live - what scholl did you go to - do you still go to school!

Left school 4 years ago. I live in east suffolk, near norwich. Sue Taylor is rather scary sometimes if I remember correctly. I heard a rumour that Stuart Green can practically play anything you give to him, is that right?

ask purple dolphin- i dont know about Mr. green - what does he play?
yeah - i agree about mes. taylor!

Stuart plays anything and can figure out what's wrong with a clari without even looking at it, he can just hear it. But because he knows the fingerings so well he picks up on every detail with your fingering if you play 1st clari like I do. And I'm "meant to be setting an example as principle clari".

County Band is the whole county. But when I say A county band I mean things like the Nrth, South, East, West ones. I'm auditioning for Suffolk County Wind Band but I am already in North Suffolk Youth Concert Band. Who's your teacher? I know most of them by now...

I'm taught by Suzzane Dexter-Mills. How do you know most teachers - do you know her?

I don't know her but I know most of the County Music teachers because my clarinet teacher trains them and so they often come into my lessons. Is she a county teacher or a private one?

Do you happen to know a Mr Willoughby?

suzanne dexter-mills is a county teacher. She used to be head of woodwind, but then just became a teacher. What year are u in lizzie?

QUOTE (uberzoldat @ May 7 2005, 08:47 PM)

Do you happen to know a Mr Willoughby?

I see him every week! He comes up to Lowestoft for NSYCB, but he helps with the youth orchestra. I really annoyed him one time because he was helping the intermediate orchestra when I was there and he about to let us miss our bus home so I told him where to shove his baton and we all just left! My teacher, who usually conducted was in fits of laughter! He got sacked from my last school. If PMs were working I'd tell you privately why but as they aren't, you'll just have to not know!

I'm in year 9, just done my SATs. And yourself?

I'm in yr 8 - moving up to County Upper next year. Do you know the clarinet teacher, Mr. Hewett?
How were sats?

No. Don't know him. What does he teach?

SATs were OK, thanks.

purple dolphin- have you heard of a bass clarinettist called Sarah Watts?

QUOTE (purple dolphin @ May 8 2005, 09:51 AM)

QUOTE (uberzoldat @ May 7 2005, 08:47 PM) Do you happen to know a Mr Willoughby? I see him every week! He comes up to Lowestoft for NSYCB, but he helps with the youth orchestra. I really annoyed him one time because he was helping the intermediate orchestra when I was there and he about to let us miss our bus home so I told him where to shove his baton and we all just left! My teacher, who usually conducted was in fits of laughter! He got sacked from my last school. If PMs were working I'd tell you privately why but as they aren't, you'll just have to not know!

Yeah, you tell him!!
He's the reason I stopped playing violin. He could really get quite nasty sometimes if you hadn't practised, and it seemed like he has a short temper. I lacked the motivation as there was little or no positive encouragement. The teacher I had had previously always encouraged us and I felt like I progressed with her. Hope he's not on the forums.

He's the reason two girls I know stopped playing the violin, and that's why he got sacked. You might from there be able to work it out.