With the summer holidays behind us, get ready to blow those Cobwebs off your music stands again and get back into your groups and playing in events. We’re very much looking forward to kicking off in style with the Brahms Violin Concerto with our friend Iona Brown on Sunday; there’s still time to join us if you would like – details below!
In this week’s Cobweb News
Brahms Violin Concerto with Mark Edwards and Iona Brown (violin)
Opera Project with Peter Wood
Film Music with Bill Connor
Brahms Violin Concerto with Mark Edwards and Iona Brown (violin)
Sunday 8th September, 2-6pm
Lidgett Methodist Church, Wheatlands Grove, Acomb, York YO26 5NH
Join us for an insightful and enriching study day with celebrated violinist Iona Brown and our Artistic Director Mark Edwards as they delve into the intricacies of Brahms’ Violin Concerto in D major. Throughout the day, we will look at the nuances of Brahms’ complex score, from the soaring melodies to the intricate orchestral interactions. As she prepares to perform the concerto later this year, Iona will be very much looking forward to testing out the work with us, and guiding us through putting such a brilliant work together. We’d particularly love to see more viola and violin players with us on the day!
To enrol, please click here
Sunday 29th September, 2-6pm
St John’s Hall Meadowfield, Durham£13 Members/ £16 Non-MembersTO ENROL, CLICK HEREThe 4th session of the Opera Project will take place at St John’s Hall, Meadowfield, Durham on Sunday 29 September 2024 from 2.00pm to 6.00pm.
In this chronological journey we have now looked at 33 opera overtures, finishing our last session in 1805 with Fidelio by Beethoven. Overtures prepared for this next session include Faniska and Les Abencerages by Cherubini and La Vestale and Fernand Cortez by Spontini, both prolific opera composers in the late 18th century and early 19th century. We will also look at Der Freischutz by Weber. Our next session also sees the arrival of Rossini, one of the most acclaimed opera composers of the 19th century, and I will be bringing overtures for The Silken Ladder, The Italian Girl in Algiers, Tancredi, The Barber of Seville, Cinderella, The Thieving Magpie and Semiramide.
We aim to run through as many of the overtures as we can in the available time whilst hearing stories behind them and their composers.
Most of the overtures we will be looking at are fully scored for strings, flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns, trumpets, trombones and timps (some with additional percussion). As previously, transposed parts will be available.
Early enrolment is appreciated for these events to ensure we have the necessary transpositions, and to give early warning of any holes that might need to be filled in the orchestra.
I’m looking forward to exploring these overtures with you.
Peter
Film Music with Bill Connor
Saturday 12th October
11-4pm
St. Oswin’s Church Hall, Wylam, NE41 8AT£13 Members/ £16 Non-Members
TO ENROL, CLICK HERE
You might remember Bill from our Sedbergh residentials and we’re delighted that he’ll be leading a study day.
Have you ever considered the writing of music to film and TV from concept to completion? The writing and recording process? Music written specifically for film or use by the various “Library Music” companies who commission music to be licensed for use in TV programmes and documentaries. Come and join us on the 12th October for a Study Day playing through some of the everyday scribbles of one of the many scriveners who make their living writing music to Film/TV/advertising/with a special look at and play (of Course!) the music for Lauren Bacall’s last film “All At Sea” with James Fox and Brian Cox Directed by Robert Young
I’d love to share this process with you…best wishes hope to see you 12th Oct!
Bill Connor ( b.1949 ) written music to over 300 films, TV series, Documentaries and as orchestrator for other film composers including Hans Zimmer, Harry Gregson-Williams, Richard Harvey, Carl Davis. Through the late 60’s and 70’s he evolved as an arranger/orchestrator/composer with the BBC Radio orchestras, record, film and Television industries. He was composer-in-residence with Granada TV from 1980-88. He has worked as composer/conductor/workshop leader with the Halle, BBC Philharmonic, BBC Singers, BBC NOW, Manchester Camerata, RLPO, ENO North in their Education and community work. More recently he was Composer-in-association with the Adelaide S.O. 1995 – 2000 New Zealand S.O., Queensland S.O. He’s still scribbling….and is a proud member of COBWEBS!
Lorna Edwards
