Tracy Reed

This is the orchestra rehearsing Mozart’s ‘Sinfonia Concertante’ in the United Reform Church in Jesmond, Newcastle, conducted by Andy Jackson and led by Sasha Raikhlina from The Royal Northern Sinfonia.

Our wonderful soloists were Jane Nossek (violin) and Chrissie Slater (viola).

The programme also included Andy’s fabulous arrangements of Schulhoff’s Czech Dance, Tango and Tarantella, taken from his ‘Five pieces for string quartet’. 

This was a charity event with all proceeds for the Brundibar Festival. 

We had our first taster session on Saturday 19 January. If you missed it, you’ll have to come to Ludworth on a Tuesday evening, 7 – 9 pm. and players who were there will be able to tell you all about it.

Thanks to the four tutors who provided interesting explanations with demonstrations on their own instruments, and who supported the players in each section of the orchestra by pointing things out in the music, giving technical advice, and playing along: Peter Gulbis from our Billingham Group in the string section, Laura Reavley, our Morpeth Group leader, in the wind section, Clare Carr who used to conduct the Billingham group in the brass section, and our Cobweb guest conductor Mark Edwards in the percussion section. There were new players and current Cobwebbers who came along to try something new, including our events coordinator Lorna.

Here are some comments we received about the day:

“Congratulations on putting together a wonderful day at Ludworth…It was impressive. I so enjoyed the challenge of a new instrument in a friendly and welcoming setting.”

“There was a positive, happy ‘buzz’ throughout.”

“What a fab time we all had…what a lot of work you must have put in prior to today. Thanks so much, never thought I would get this far.”

“Super fun and very instructive. Excellent support from the section leaders.”

“Well run, lots of advice and help. Excellent music, various, great choices. Very friendly. Great day!!”

“A great mix of well-known and new (music). All fab to play. Brilliant idea – keep doing it!”

Yes we will! Hope this will tempt you to come along to the next taster session on Saturday 11 May. (Put the date in your diary now!) There’ll be more fun, more music and more to learn. (One suggestion was for me “to write a Cobwebs’ Guide to the Rudiments of Music”…)

Tracy Reed
(Ludworth Conductor)

Continue reading →

Elvaston Ensemble

Friday 14 December, 7pm
St Mary’s Church, Shincliffe, Durham. DH1 2ND.

The Elvaston Ensemble are all Cobweb players: Chrissie (flute), Anita (oboe), Tracy (clarinet), Rye (bassoon) and Clare (horn). They will be performing as a quintet in a concert of classical and festive music.

Tickets are priced £10, which will include festive refreshments in the hall afterwards.

Proceeds will be shared between Ludworth Cobwebs and St Mary’s Church fabric fund.

We found out all about jazz this year!

Thanks go to our special guest, the inspirational saxophonist Richard Ingham, who gave us a fun introduction to improvisation.

We really enjoyed his own pieces, clapping jazzy rhythms and singing some of the melodies as well as playing. Richard has now kindly donated them to our Cobweb library. (If you want to try them again, or if you couldn’t make the weekend and would like to find out what you’ve missed, come to Ludworth next term!)

We also looked at Beethoven’s 8th symphony and Leonora Overture No. 1, and Anita played the beautiful oboe concerto by Bellini.

Anita will be confirming the dates for next year’s Autumn residential very soon, so get your diaries ready!

The Cobweb Chamber Orchestra performed “an evening of music from Bohemia” on 24 November at Annie Mawson’s Sunbeams Trust in Penrith.

There were pieces by Dvorak, Janacek, Hummel and Vorisec.

Krommer’s double clarinet concerto (op. 35 in E flat major) proved to be crowd pleaser!

Watch out for future CCO concerts as it may be featured again…

Dear all,

A huge well done to those of you who joined Mark for a study day on Elgar Symphony No.2. It was a difficult work but you all did fantastic and it was an extremely enjoyable day.

In this week’s Cobweb News:
A message from Andy Jackson – Creative Director
Sedbergh residential 2019 – a date for your diaries Continue reading →

The Royal British Legion Women’s Section and other Ludworth residents had been planning a Remembrance service for the Armistice Day centenary. Dave, who runs the Community Centre where the new Ludworth group meets on a Tuesday evening, had set his heart on having a bugler to play the Last Post.

This was something that hadn’t happened in Ludworth for as long as anyone could remember, but everyone he contacted was playing elsewhere, so he started to talk about it to the Cobweb French horn player…who was eventually persuaded to find a cornet, and learn how to play it.

Here she is, helping to make Ludworth’s Remembrance service very special.