Play-the-Recorder Month

The national ARS is once again encouraging chapters to “plan and carry out creative ways to showcase the recorder in their communities ” during March. Gardenscape would be one venue for us, but can you think of more? Do you have other ideas?

Japan—Anyone?

It’s very interesting that the January issue of American Recorder highlights the history of the recorder in Japan. Last summer a few of us met Momo Kusaka, a recorder player living in New Jersey, but originally from Japan! In fact, she was born in Hamamatsu, Rochester’s sister city. Through casual conversation with her, the idea evolved of a recorder group from Rochester visiting Hamamatsu at the time of their Recorder Festival in June. While Momo was in Japan recently, she spoke with recorder friends, who enthusiastically welcomed this idea. Hamamatsu is also the home of the Yamaha recorder factory and boasts a museum of musical instruments. In addition to tours of these sights, a visiting group could participate in the Recorder Festival. This trip is barely past the initial talking stage, but if there’s interest, we’ll pursue it with the Sister Cities Committee and with Momo and her friends. What an opportunity!

Ornaments

• Concerts

• A Pegasus Early Music concert entitled “Music and Medicine” is scheduled for January 29-31 with performances on Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoon. The program features Laura Heimes, a fabulous soprano, as well as local artists Christel Thielmann and Boel Gidholm on viola da gamba and violin, respectively. Check it out: www.pegasusearlymusic.org

• Here is the webite for the Recorder Festival: www.geocities.jp/sekishirecordermusic/RecFes060604/index.htm. It’s in Japanese, but if you click on the numbers on the left, you’ll see a picture of the group, and then under the picture, scroll down and you’ll see blue print, or even English titles. Click on these and you’ll hear the group.

November 2009

Workshop and Drawing: November 14

Do you have your calendars marked for 9-12 a.m. on Saturday, November 14? That’s the day the chapter will march, swing, and play rags and jazz. It’s also the day of the raffle DRAWING for the
$50 gift certificate. (Tickets will still be available next Tuesday and on the 14th.) We’ll be setting up in Hubbel Hall at 8:30, with coffee and refreshments available. To spare our treasury and our generous leaders, we need to ask for $1 or $2 to defray copying expenses.

Also available for browsing and buying will be 1, 2, and 3-part music from our library.

Holiday Gathering on December 8

Instead of our regular meeting format on December 8, our final session for 2009 will be our annual all-chapter gathering, a time for classes to share pieces they’ve been working on and outside groups to
perform. Pat Hanley will also lead us in holiday songs, some familiar and others new and interesting. It’s an informal evening of sharing and playing with plenty of time for socializing and enjoying luscious snacks. We ask everyone to bring finger food to share; chocolate goodies are particularly prized by some chapter members!

Join our National Organization

We are a chapter of the American Recorder Society, and our parent organization encourages local members to become part of the larger group. In fact, in order to be a chapter we need a certain number of national members. There are benefits, as detailed here on our website, or see the national website at www.americanrecorder.org. The most recent issue of the organization’s informative magazine features an article about recorder maestro LaNoue Davenport plus an account of our chapter’s activities of last year.

Ornaments

• Regular meetings resume on January 12.
  But don’t pack your recorder away! Play for holiday singing. Get together with other chapter members to play for fun!
• Concerts
• Free organ concert at First Baptist Church, our meeting place, featuring the church’s organist, Cheryl Frank and her organist husband. Nov. 4 at 7:30.
• Rochester Early Music Festival on Friday, Nov. 6, at St. Anne Church, Mt. Hope Ave. at 7:30. It’s a chance to enjoy many local early music performers. See www.musicaspei.org.
• Oratorio Society sings Brahms. Also Beethoven Piano Concerto #4 with Richard Volpe at Hochstein, Nov. 7, at 7:30. See www.rossings.org.
• Guitar recital with Richard Taglieri participating on Nov. 15, at 5 p.m. in Howard Hanson Hall. Repeat performance in Dec. Ask Richard.

October 2009

Upcoming Raffle

As our prize for tying in second place for the Play-the-Recorder-Month activities, the Chapter was awarded a $50-dollar gift certificate from Lazar’s Early Music. The Board has decided that we should hold a raffle and let the lucky winner pick his or her prize. The winner may also choose an item that is higher in value and make up the difference. At our next two meetings we will be offering one raffle ticket at $2.00 and three for $5.00. The drawing will be held at our workshop on November 14.  So-- what’s in your future--a music stand, a metronome, music for the holidays? Check them out at www.LazarsEarlyMusic.com and enjoy browsing.
(See the latest issue of American Recorder to find out how we earned this recognition.)

Workshop on November 14

For the past four years we have offered a half-day in-house workshop for all our members on a Saturday morning. Our volunteer teachers will once again lead us, this year in playing accessible swing, rag, jazz, and other music of the 20th century. It will be a fun-filled morning and a chance for the whole chapter to enjoy playing together. Mark your calendars and join us on Saturday, November 14, from 9-12 in Hubbel Hall at the church. Refreshments will be provided.  The workshop is free, but we may ask for a small copying fee.

Disk of May Concert

Stan Gross has volunteered his time and technical expertise to make disks for all of us of the May concert. He views our ability to hear our playing not only as a chance to remember but also as a learning opportunity. Disks will be available again next week. If you wish, you may make a donation to the chapter for your disk. Thanks to Stan and also Neil Seely, who did the insert.

Ornaments

• Regular Tuesday meetings seem too short in time for music sales. We will continue to offer music from the library on specific dates, however. The next will be at the workshop on November 14.
• Concerts: Pegasus on Sunday, October 25, at 4:00, featuring music of the Elizabethan era, with works by Byrd, Holborne, and Dowland, composers whose music we also play. At the concert they will be sung and played on violins, viols, and lute. Information at: PegasusEarlyMusic.org.
• Teachers: Don’t forget our holiday gathering on December 8. Will your class play a piece for the group?

September 2009

This year is the Rochester Chapter’s 45th Season!

Watch for the history of the chapter to appear here soon.

Board News

The Board met twice this summer to plan this year’s activities. Kudos especially to Katy Mulvey, our webmaster, who did major work in revamping the website and to Jessica Brennan, our new publicity chair. She sent the usual announcements to the media but also designed flyers and business cards for posting and use at our outreach programs.

Outreach Group

The Outreach Group played a variety of musical numbers at five farmers’ markets in late August and early September. People seemed to appreciate the sound of the recorder, and we have several new members as a result of this outreach effort. Participating in the core group were: Courtney Richards, Pat Hanley, Liz and Neil Seely, Susan Hollis, Mary Jones and Edie Prest. They were joined on several occasions by: Ellen Brannin, Katy Mulvey, and Jeff Pratt. Dolci Venti played a few numbers at the Brighton market, after which members Frank Amato and DeeDee and John Heyer took part in the core group. We had some weather issues, but we weren’t rained out, and it was fun playing together. Oh—and the tip jar brought in $35.00 for the chapter!

Ornaments

• A big welcome to new members, and also to previous members who are returning!
• News Flash! The Rochester chapter tied for second place in the Play-the-Recorder-Month contest. More info to follow.
• Music sales from the library will continue on Tues. evenings. On Sept. 22: one-part music. Check it out!
• Concerts:
  Pegasus on Sun., Sept. 27 at 3:00. Information at: PegasusEarlyMusic.org
• Our chapter is on Facebook. Join!
• Pat Hanley welcomes sponsors for the Lupus Walk.