 |
|||||
 |
|||||
 |
|||||
APRIL, 2011
 |
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENTS
It has been a long journey from her first recorder at age 6 to her present participation as a performing member of the MPRO. How lucky were those children at the campfires around Annapurna1 And how lucky are we that Adelheid now shares those speedy fingers with us!
Grace and Liz (Co-Presidents).
Four Recorders in the Mountains of Nepal
How did I come to play recorders? Two German customs made that happen. The first was that in Germany, children were given soprano recorders to play when they reached school age. My sister and I both received recorders when we were 6 and my mother would accompany us once a week to a local music school where we learned to read music and to play the recorder.
The other custom is the celebration of Advent. The Advent holidays are the four Sundays before Christmas when at home, we would sit around the dining room table on those Sunday afternoons, singing Christmas carols, playing music and eating a lot of goodies. This celebration of Advent stopped when we were in our teens and had better things to do. When I was in my late thirties, however, living in Munich, I remembered this custom and invited my friends to my house for Advent singing and they brought their recorder playing kids who accompanied the singers. One year, the kids were in their teens and they decided they had better things to do. So, I decided to buy a soprano recorder to see if I was still able to play it. Christmas songs are easy to play so, I managed. In fact I had such great fun playing the recorder again, I decided to take lessons.
When I met my American husband Mark, who had played Bassoon in college, he bought a Bass recorder and soon we where playing duets for Soprano or Alto and Basso Continuo. We found two other recorder players and played quartets. Noteworthy may be a trekking trip in 1989 around Annapurna in Nepal with one other couple and 4 recorders. We would play in the warm evenings at the campfire with a very excited audience of Nepalese children watching us with amazement.
In 2001 we moved for 2 years to Ottawa, Canada. Through my Ottawa recorder teacher, I found a bigger group of recorder players directed by the wonderful Jennifer. We would perform in retirement homes. It was a big learning experience for me (counting all these rests correctly and moving my fingers speedily). When we came back from Ottawa in 2003 somehow we ended up attending a concert of the MPRO in the community center of Portola Valley. It was a lovely concert and I decided to join. Since then, I continue to struggle with counting the rests correctly and moving my fingers speedily enough, but I enjoy making some progress and being part of such a dedicated group directed by an even more dedicated director.
Adelheid Levi
ConductorÕs Corner
Dear members of the Mid-Peninsula Recorder Orchestra,
Listed below is the music for the orchestra's next two meetings. Please note that there will be sectional seating for Sonata La Margherita with those in Coro Primo sitting on the right as they face the conductor and those in Coro Secundo on the left. Please observe this seating arrangement when you choose your place at the beginning of the meeting on May 4. Please note as well that great bass and contrabass recorders, bass viola da gamba, harp and sopranino recorder will be needed at both meetings and dulcien as well as krummhorns on May 4.
April 20
Grenon: Je suy defait
Johannes le Grant: Entre vous nouviaux mariŽs
Shmulowitz: A Brivele der MamÕn
Hovhaness: Let them praise the name of the Lord
Purcell: Suite in G Major
May 4
Boyce: Symphony No. 3
Palmer: Sonata La Margherita
Grenon: Je suy defait
Johannes le Grant: Entre vous nouviaux maries
Purcell: Suite in G Major
I look forward to seeing you at these upcoming meetings.
Sincerely,
Fred Palmer
u u u u u u u u u u
A Reminder
MPROÕs Spring Concert will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, June 4, at Grace Lutheran Church in Palo Alto. The dress rehearsal will be at 7:30 P.M. on Wednesday, June 1, also at Grace Lutheran Church. Be sure to put these dates on your calendar!
National Association of Composers USA
(San Francisco Chapter) presents new American music for piano, guitar, violin, clarinet, and voice written by outstanding Bay Area composers: Michael Barnett, Mark Behm, Simon Bokman, Robert R. Conrad, L Peter Deutsch, Hubert Ho, Joanne Reinecker, and Davide Verotta. http://www.music-usa.org/nacusa/
Sunday, April 10th, 3 PM, at Foothill Presbyterian Church, 5301 McKee Road, San Jose, CA 95127. Contact info: Jay Jordana, http://www.foothillpc.org. Suggested donation: $10/person. Proceeds benefit the Foothill Music Series to facilitate future concerts.
u u u u u u u u u u
Albany Consort Performs
The Albany Consort, consisting of Jonathan Salzedo, harpsichord, Marion Rubinstein, recorder, Laura Rubinstein-Salzedo, violin/viola dÕamore, Christa Pfeiffer and Jeff Fields, singers, Darlene Franz, oboe, Yueh Chou, bassoon, and Roy Whelden, viola da gamba. The group will perform music by Bach, Vivaldi, Rameau, and Telemann.
Fri Apr 15th 12:30pm The Atrium, Stanford Hospital, 300 Pasteur Stanford Free
Fri Apr 15th 8:00pm University Lutheran Chapel, College/Haste Berkeley $10-$25
Sun Apr 17th 2:00pm Congregation Etz Chayim, 4161 Alma Palo Alto $10-$25
For additional information see http://www.albanyconsort.com/concerts/index.htm or e-mail jonathan@albanyconsort.com
u u u u u u u u u u
GOLDEN OPPORTUNITES
The MPRO is pleased to offer the positions of Co-Presidents to its currently performing membersÉÉto commence in the Fall of 2011. As with the rest of the Board, these are voluntary positions requiring little time but receiving much respect! For details regarding the nuts and bolts please contact Liz Brownell and/or Grace Butler.
u u u u u u u u u u
DONATIONS
ItÕs not too late to make a donation to MPRO to help balance our budget. An anonymous generous donor has agreed to match one for one any donation made to MPRO through SFEMS for the calendar year 2011. What a great opportunity to double your donations! Please keep this in mind if you are considering a tax-free donation. Make your check to SFEMS, the San Francisco Early Music Society (since we are an affiliate) and specify that the donation is for MPRO. Please give your checks to our treasurer, Leslie Pont, and she will route them through SFEMS.
Flanders Recorder Quartet
Friday, May 6, 2011, 8:00 PM, at Saint LukeÕs Episcopal Church, 20 University Avenue, Los Gatos, CA 95030. Adults $25, Seniors $20, Students $10. For tickets and information: www.sunsetconcerts.org.
u u u u u
Rock Monanoff was a famous post-romantic composer of piano concerti.
 |