News Updates
Ah November is here!! The start of the season for cold weather, mulled wine and mince pies as a prelude to the Christmas season!
And we have been very busy at the Bromley Guitar Society. (Three meetings in ONE Month!!)
Some Reports therefore are in order…
Beckenham Festival
The BGS ensemble strutted their stuff at the Beckenham Music Festival with a great performance of Grieg’s Holberg Suite (Sarabande and Gavotte), following a hasty, cramped rehearsal among coats, chairs, ancient sandwiches and other detritus that one expects to find in a primary school classroom.
Special thanks to those members who participated in a great performance along with those who came along to watch our performance.
A vote of thanks is also extended to John Mann for steering us safely through the fjords and trolls to achieve a creditable 86 points for the ensemble performance.
A message from the Organisers…
“Dear Denis and Shirley
Please would you pass on my thanks once again to the Bromley Guitar Society Guitar Ensemble for their performance and support of the Beckenham Festival.
With Paul Brown and yourselves, the adult ensemble classes have become a high spot of the festival and a great way to finish the weekend.
Hope to see you again next year
Roger Davies”
November Meeting
(Your correspondent was one of those souls who missed the last meeting due to a family event. However he is grateful for the Chairman who faithfully recorded the event).
Despite apologies for absence from four of our members, there was a good attendance of seventeen at the November BGS meeting, including a surprise (and very welcome) visit by two of our former members, Carol Whinnom and Cornelius Bruinsma.
We also welcomed Jim Parbury, who was sufficiently impressed by his first visit to become a member.
The new meeting format appears to be working very well and we had a fruitful and enjoyable evening, finishing quite late at around a quarter to ten.
John Mann kindly provided two interesting ensemble pieces for us to work on for the first hour or so. He chose “Souterlied” by Jacobus Clemens non Papa and John’s own arrangement of Bach’s “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring”. John also took us through our Grieg pieces for the Maidstone Festival.
Following the coffee break, we had a large number of very well-played pieces, including debut performances from Lesley Starey and our new member Jim Parbury. During the Minore section of the Carulli duet, Carol demonstrated her skills as a chanteuse by singing a couple of tricky bars which her fingers refused to accommodate. Bream and Williams, please note!! (I’ll have to try that!! Editor)
The following contributions were made by our members:-
Steve Pearson Fortune My Foe Dowland
Trevor Pike Georgia On My Mind Hoagy Carmichael
John Mann Fandanguillo Turina
Vince Chittenden Amanda – Gavotte Alberto Obregon
Lesley Starey Meditace Milan Tesar
Carol Whinnom ;
Cornelius Bruinsma Rondo in G Carulli
Alex Green Mazurka Choros Villa Lobos
Tessa Protheroe Pavane Capriccio Albeniz
Jim Parbury Choro da Saudade Barrios
Thanks, as always, to Larisa and Trevor for providing our refreshments.
Reigate and Red Hill Music Festival
John Mann has asked us to remind you all about the Reigate and Redhill Music Festival which will be held on May 15th 2014
http://www.reigate-redhillmusicfest.org.uk/
Keep a note in your diaries and watch this space for more information.
Maidstone Festival
By the time this newsletter reaches you, the Maidstone Festival will have come and gone! However look out for a report on the Blog site and the next December Newsletter!
Next BGS Meeting
Saturday December the 14th!
See you there!!
Andrew Ferrier
Hon Secretary
,
Guitar Events November
From Sunday 10th November 2013 at 10:30am
Hertfordshire
To be advised on Website.
By donation
A unique collection of playable instruments which on special occasions is open for the guitar enthusiast. Find out all about the guitar museum, see who has attended past open days and check out the latest recordings from Granary-Guitars.
Web site - www.granary-guitars.com/about.htm
Guitar Masterclass
From Monday 25th November 2013 at 6:00 pm
Royal Academy of Music, Marylebone Road, London NW1 5HT
Free
Fabio Zanon,
Visiting professor of Guitar and leading international soloist. David Josefowiz Recital Hall
Classical Guitar Weekend
From Friday 7th February 2014 at 6:00pm
To Sunday 9th February 2014 at 2:00pm
Great Missenden Buckinghamshire
Great Missenden Abbey, Swallow Street, Great Missenden SL0 0HS
The course will concentrate on several forms of ensemble playing: guitar orchestra, quartets, trios and duos. Some solos can be coached if required. The music for the large group will be sent out to students prior to the start of the course. There will be a public concert on Saturday evening and a student concert at the end of the course.
October Meeting 2013
Meanwhile back to the business in hand!
A great turn out for the night- at least twenty members plus a new member
Our new look Ensemble Aerobics commenced with a bang and a boom (or a pluck and a strum) thanks to the outstanding efforts of Dave Hampton who furnished a range of popular ensemble pieces for the group. It was a great way to get the fingers warmed up and provided some amusement, (actually a great deal of amusement) as we worked our way through a range of the popular light classics. Thanks again Dave for getting the aerobics pluckathon off to a great start..
If other members have a set of ensemble pieces they would like to use for the next meeting please bring them along!
After a break we were entertained to some excellent solos including
• Trevor Pike Moon River (Henry Mancini)
• Freddy Carvalho La Chanson D’Orphee (Luiz Bonfa)
• Tom Rimmer Mrs White’s Choice ( Dowland)
• Vince Chittenden A Casinha Pequenina (Jose Barrense Dias) Choros (Jane Domingos Semenzato)
• Dave Hampton Allemande (Partita 2) (J S Bach)
• John Mann Fandanguillo (Turina)
• Miles Roberts Across The Plain (G Ryan)
However we couldn’t complete the evening without another final rehearsal of that old Norwegian Herring Mr Grieg and his Holberg Suite. We think we are now ready to face the Beckenham and Maidstone festivals!!
A special thanks to Den for chairing the meeting, to Dave and John for leading the ensembles and to Larisa and Trevor for the sterling work in providing us all with much needed refreshments- All that plucking gives you a thirst!!
Welcome Kate
A special welcome to our newest member, Kate Hughes, who joined after attending for the first time on Saturday.
Great to have you on board Kate!!
Diary Events
Beckenham Festival 10th November at 4pm
Venue Marian Vian School Shirley Crescent, Elmers End, Beckenham BR3 4AZ
It is suggested we meet at the school at 3pm and find a room to practice in.
Maidstone festival 24th November
Venue : Invicta Grammar School
Huntsman Lane Maidstone Kent ME14 5DS
9 - 11.15 am classes (Bromley ensemble should be 11ish),
11.15 - 11.30 coffee break,
11.30 am - 1pm Masterclass overflow session,
1 - 2 pm lunch break,
2 - 3.30 pm workshop,
3.30 - 3.45 pm tea break,
3.45 - 5.30 pm masterclass session.
Tessa thinks it will be 5.45-6 pm ish at her place in Maidstone for party and food (ie after the workshop). Partners, friends etc welcome to come along too.
Gary Ryan Workshop (Maidstone 24th November))
The workshop will cover
Tuning
Tone production
Performance nerves
How to practise!
Harmonics, percussive effects and weird stuff
Attendance for the Workshop is £5.00
Please email Shirley (bgstickets@gmail.com ) for further details
11th International Guitar Festival 2013 (Singapore) & 6th International Guitar Competition
On behalf of Tomas Music Consultants Pte Ltd, I am pleased to announce the coming - 11th International Guitar Festival 2013 (Singapore) ; 6th International Guitar Competition. The week-long programme will be held from 9-15 December 2013 at Cairnhill Community Club & RELC International Hotel, Singapore.
The 11th International Guitar Festival 2013 (Singapore) invites renowned artistes and music lovers worldwide together to share their love for music. Seminars, masterclasses and individual lesson/s are also available, conducted， by artistes and guest speakers. Topics covered range from musical sensitivity, guitar education to finger-style techniques and more.
Artistes for this year includes:
1. John Mills (United Kingdom)
2. Pavel Steidl (Czech Republic)
3. Eric Franceries (France)
4. Berta Rojas (Paraguay)
5. Franco Morone (Italy)
Guest Speakers for this year includes:
1. Amalia Ramírez (Spain)
2. José Enrique Ramírez (Spain)
3. Bernard Maillot (France)
4. Robert Liew (Singapore)
In line with the festival, the 6th International Guitar Competition will bringing budding talented guitarists all over the world to showcase their musical potential.
Prizes for this year's Guitar Competition include CASH in USD, high quality handcrafted Jose Ramirez Guitar, strings, trophies and more (worth more than SGD $30,000).
Please see the link for information on the Guitar Festival and Guitar Competition or visit our website at www.tomas-music.com/consultants
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/edzeh2w1tvqp8q5/sLwM8BCH-B
Do help us pass the word around to all your friends and fellow guitarists on Facebook and social media (THANK YOU!)
Feel free to drop me an email at clara_chua@tomas-music.com if you have any enquiries. We hope to see you at the event this year!
Yours Sincerely,
Clara Chua
Marketing Manager
DID: (+65) 6447 0177
clara_chua@tomas-music.com
Like us on Facebook now! https://www.facebook.com/Tomas.Music.SG
Tomas Music Consultants Pte Ltd & Tomas Music Centre
#01-97 / 98 Roxy Square II
50 East Coast Road Singapore 428769
Tel : (65) 6344 3671 / 6348 9798
Fax: (65) 6344 3615
Website: www.tomas-music.com
The 11th International Guitar Festival 2013 (Singapore) invites renowned artistes and music lovers worldwide together to share their love for music. Seminars, masterclasses and individual lesson/s are also available, conducted， by artistes and guest speakers. Topics covered range from musical sensitivity, guitar education to finger-style techniques and more.
Artistes for this year includes:
1. John Mills (United Kingdom)
2. Pavel Steidl (Czech Republic)
3. Eric Franceries (France)
4. Berta Rojas (Paraguay)
5. Franco Morone (Italy)
Guest Speakers for this year includes:
1. Amalia Ramírez (Spain)
2. José Enrique Ramírez (Spain)
3. Bernard Maillot (France)
4. Robert Liew (Singapore)
In line with the festival, the 6th International Guitar Competition will bringing budding talented guitarists all over the world to showcase their musical potential.
Prizes for this year's Guitar Competition include CASH in USD, high quality handcrafted Jose Ramirez Guitar, strings, trophies and more (worth more than SGD $30,000).
Please see the link for information on the Guitar Festival and Guitar Competition or visit our website at www.tomas-music.com/consultants
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/edzeh2w1tvqp8q5/sLwM8BCH-B
Do help us pass the word around to all your friends and fellow guitarists on Facebook and social media (THANK YOU!)
Feel free to drop me an email at clara_chua@tomas-music.com if you have any enquiries. We hope to see you at the event this year!
Yours Sincerely,
Clara Chua
Marketing Manager
DID: (+65) 6447 0177
clara_chua@tomas-music.com
Like us on Facebook now! https://www.facebook.com/Tomas.Music.SG
Tomas Music Consultants Pte Ltd & Tomas Music Centre
#01-97 / 98 Roxy Square II
50 East Coast Road Singapore 428769
Tel : (65) 6344 3671 / 6348 9798
Fax: (65) 6344 3615
Website: www.tomas-music.com