JUNE 2021

END OF THE SEASON

The final virtual play-along session of MPRO’s 2020-2021 season will be held on Wednesday, June 23.  See Fred Palmer’s column in this issue for more information. Our next season will begin in September.  The MPRO Board of Directors is taking a “wait and see” attitude regarding in-person meetings.  As of now, the church where we usually rehearse is holding only online and outdoor events. The next issue of Upbeat will be “published” in late August or early September.  Information about the next season and significant other “coming events” will be emailed to MPRO members over the summer.

COMING EVENTS AND VIRTUAL RESOURCES

The San Francisco Early Music Society will continue to hold virtual classes through July. SFEMS has also scheduled two in-person “camps” in Oakland in late June and July, the Music Discovery Workshop & Youth Collegium for children, and the Classical Workshop for strings. The latter will involve coaching by the New Esterhazy Quartet. See the “Classes/Workshops” dropdown menu at the top of the sfems.org page for more information. 

The all virtual Boston Early Music Festival, including free “fringe” events, will continue through June 13.  See: 2021 FESTIVAL.

CONDUCTOR’S CORNER

Dear members of the Mid-Peninsula Recorder Orchestra,

        Ray White and I will be co-hosting a virtual MPRO meeting via Zoom on Wednesday, June 23, at 7:30 P.M.  Those attending will be admitted to the meeting starting at 7:15 P.M.  We will be working on the following music:

Frescobaldi:  Canzona detta la Sardina

Modena:  Ricercar III

Biber:  Amener

Schmelzer:  Balletto di spiritelli 

Vejvanovsky:  Intrada

 I have sent PDF files of this music to all MPRO members.  Please remember that I will be conducting each of the selections scheduled.  This means that the music will not appear on the screen, and those attending will need to read from hard copies they have downloaded when playing along with the sound files.  Ray White will be sending out invitations to all MPRO members with a link to the virtual Zoom meeting and other information.  Please contact him at <rayhwhite@yahoo.com> if you do not receive an invitation.

This will be the last meeting of MPRO’s 2020-2021 season.  
The orchestra’s activities will resume again this fall either with virtual or in-person meetings depending on the state of health conditions at the time.  Meanwhile, I encourage MPRO members to consider taking advantage of the many educational opportunities offered by the San Francisco Early Music Society and other musical organizations offering summer classes and programs for the recorder.   Best wishes and I look forward to seeing those who will be attending the meeting on June 23.

-Sincerely, Fred Palmer

MORE COMING EVENTS AND ONLINE RESOURCES

The Mountain Collegium Early Music & Folk Music Workshop will be held from June 29 to July 3. It is normally held in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina but will be all virtual this year.  Options include a recorder “package” and selections of individual classes from an “a la carte” menu. More information is available at Mountain Collegium Home.

Lark Camp (August 4-8) is free this year!  Lark in the Morning, a Berkeley-based business featuring world music instruments, sponsors an annual folk music and dance workshop, usually in Mendocino County.  This year’s Lark Camp will be all virtual, with 18 different workshops.  See: Lark Camp Online: August 4 – 8, 2021

for more information.

The American Recorder Society is offering free online recorder classes for beginners, open to members and non-members. The next four-session class with Andrew Levy runs between June 19 and 27. For more information, see https://americanrecorder.org/free_online_recorder_lessons_f.php

RECORDINGS OF MPRO’S “NEW” MUSIC

Following are links to recordings of the music that will be played at MPRO’s June 23 session:

Frescobaldi:  Canzona detta la Sardina https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qqhwtwk63bg

Modena:  Ricercar III, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaXiAi_Thlo

Biber:  Amener,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBkU7yiQjY4

Schmelzer: Balletto di spiritelli, https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=schmelzer+spiritelli

Vejvanovsky- Intrada) -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsRomQg1ByY

DID YOU EVER HEAR A GARKLEIN?

The garklein, also known as the sopranissimo or piccolo recorder, is the smallest (and highest voiced) member of the modern recorder family.  This “Intro to the Garklein” video includes some history and demonstrations of fingerings and notes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGLIBoYti34. You can hear a garklein as part of this mixed-ensemble recording of the medieval round Sumer is icomen in:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i32c-FiU7Ww,

The Board: President: Judith Unsicker; Treasurers: Chantal Moser and Mary Ashley; Recording Secretary: vacant; Membership: Chris Flake and Tom Granvold; Publicity: vacant; Graphics: Mary Ashley; Newsletter Editor: vacant; Workshop Coordinator: vacant; Hospitality: vacant; Music Sales: Laura Gonsalves; Historian: vacant; Webmaster: Dan Chernikoff;  Music Director: Fred Palmer.  MPRO website: http://www.mpro-online.org      

Past Months' Issues: http://www.mpro-online.org/MPROArchives.htm