MAY, 2013
MPRO - The Past Twenty-Five Years (1988-2013)
Part 2
By Frederic Palmer
The past twenty-five years have not only seen major changes in
recorder playing but also a major transformation in technology. In 1988, desktop computers were becoming more
common, word and music processing programs were becoming available, the sounds
of musical instruments could be synthesized, recorded and digitally stored
through a process called MIDI, e-mail communication was gaining popularity, the
Internet was making its appearance and digital imaging was in progress leading
to scanning and the capability of digitally storing anything that could be
photocopied. These technical innovations
had a decisive effect on MPRO. All of
the music that I arranged or transcribed for the orchestra after becoming its
music director was generated using music processing programs. This had several advantages over handwritten
manuscript: The format was similar to
professionally engraved notation that made it graphically consistent, properly
spaced and free from idiosyncrasies. It
was very time efficient since repeated figures, phrases or whole sections could
be copied and pasted instead of being manually inputted, transpositions could
be accomplished with a few keystrokes and parts could be extracted from a score
automatically and virtually without transcription errors. Even more important, music files could be
played through a computer, creating a mechanically correct rendition and
allowing for assessment, correction and experimentation towards a finished
product. As music processing programs
became more sophisticated, MIDI files could be imported as well as
exported. Any piece of music found among
the growing number of MIDI files available on the Internet could now be
converted into a music file and then edited or arranged. Any music file could be turned into a MIDI
file. Moreover, it was also possible to
import printed music that was scanned as well as music in PDF format, and PDF
files could be generated from music files.
Meanwhile, it became possible to attach virtually anything that could be
stored digitally to an e-mail message.
This transformed the way the orchestra distributed music to its members
and how the members practiced and prepared the music for rehearsals and
concerts. Beginning with the orchestra’s
2009-2010 season, music was sent to the membership by e-mail. Three seasons later, all but three members
were receiving music this way. Thanks to
MPRO member George Greenwood, the 2009-2010 season also initiated the
distribution of the orchestra’s current music in MIDI format to the
membership. This enabled all those with
e-mail to hear what that music sounded like, practice it with all parts sounding
and, using various computer programs, adjust the tempo and eliminate parts to
better learn and prepare it on their own.
At the same time, the repertoire available to MPRO was vastly increased,
since anything that was available in MIDI or PDF format or any printed music
that could be scanned was capable of being imported into a music processing
program, edited or arranged for recorders
and then exported as a PDF file, MIDI file or printed hard copy.
In 1988, the master
for the orchestra’s newsletter was assembled by manually cutting and pasting
various pieces of text and graphics, and photocopies of this master were then
sent to the membership by U.S. mail. This
created a patchwork look to the newsletter’s format with various typefaces,
point sizes and margins next to each other.
When Dick Davies assumed the position of newsletter editor at the
beginning of the 2000-2001 season, issues began to be composed using a word
processing program. This gave the
newsletter a more consistent and professional appearance and made it possible
for issues to be converted into PDF files and sent the membership by e-mail,
which began during the 2009-2010 season.
PDF files of the newsletter also had the advantage of including color
photographs, could be e-mailed to various organizations interested in MPRO’s
activities, were easily archived on the orchestra’s website and saved the
orchestra the expense of photocopying and postage. The 2000-2001 season also saw the
introduction of group e-mail for MPRO thanks to Christopher Flake, the
orchestra’s membership officer. Group
e-mail made it possible for any MPRO member to communicate with all of the
others by sending a message to a single e-mail address. It also made it possible to easily send
music, MIDI files and important information to the membership and allowed the
orchestra’s board and music director to exchange ideas and for the board to
vote on issues without the need to call a meeting. Finally, the 2000-2001 season marked the
beginning of MPRO’s website, which was created and maintained by the
orchestra’s webmaster, Dan Chernikoff.
The website was not only designed to serve the membership but was also
MPRO’s open door to the world through the Internet and included the orchestra’s
rehearsal schedule, concert dates, information about its workshops with
registration forms, current and past newsletters, a history of the orchestra,
pictures and descriptions of small ensembles in which members of the orchestra
played, applications for MPRO membership or renewal, a resource page containing
recorder fingering charts and instructional materials as well as links to a
host of recorder-related websites. The
website later contained links to YouTube videos of MPRO performances and most
recently a collection of my compositions and arrangements for recorders. By the
turn of the 21st century, advances in technology had transformed the
operations of MPRO, and the orchestra’s positive responses to those advances
have kept it a thriving musical organization in today’s world.
During the late 1980s, changes were also taking place outside of music
and technology that had an equally important impact on MPRO. The rents being charged for rehearsal and
performing venues were increasing, the requirement that the orchestra have
liability insurance to use those venues was becoming standard and the amount of
insurance required was rising as well, which meant higher premiums. Moreover, some venues were only available to
not-for-profit organizations. This put
MPRO into a difficult position: Its
expenses were growing, any donations made to the orchestra were not
tax-deductible, thus severely limiting the pool of potential donors, and the
rehearsal and performing spaces that it could use were potentially restricted
as well. MPRO president, Diana Fischer,
came up with a solution to this problem.
The orchestra would become an affiliate of the San Francisco Early Music
Society and thereby share in that organization’s not-for-profit status and insurance
coverage, all for the price of the society’s annual membership fee. This occurred in 1994 and was crucial to the
continuation of the orchestra. It also
gave MPRO wider recognition through its association with a major Bay Area
musical organization. In 1999, the
orchestra became a consort affiliate of the American Recorder Society, thus
linking it to a national organization and giving it nationwide recognition.
Where does MPRO go
from here? It all depends on how well
the orchestra adapts to future circumstances.
As long as the recorder retains its current status and popularity, MPRO
can continue, provided it keeps pace with the recorder movement and external changes
that affect it. But, at the same time,
the orchestra cannot remain passive. It
must contribute to the development of the recorder orchestra, the advancement
of recorder playing and the overall musical experience of its members. And here is where a look at MPRO’s history
might prove useful. The term, “recorder
orchestra,” began with MPRO, and this was more than just part of the
orchestra’s name but also a concept.
MPRO must keep expanding upon this concept by continuing to experiment,
innovate and help define what constitutes a recorder orchestra. Moreover, MPRO needs to consider reviving the
kind of recorder education fostered by Angela Owen, not only for its benefit to
the community but also to bring new recorder players into the orchestra. While MPRO is not an educational organization,
it can suggest, encourage and support private and community programs that
introduce people to recorder playing.
Finally, MPRO must continue and even expand the opportunities that have
come with membership over the past fifty years.
These include encouraging and assisting those interested in playing in a
small ensemble to either find one to join or form one with others. And MPRO must not forget the social aspect of
recorder playing which was responsible for the formation of the orchestra with
the recorder picnic organized by Bill Barnhart in the spring of 1962. Half of a century can be a long time, but
hopefully it is only the beginning for MPRO.
u u u u u u u u u u
Conductor’s Corner
Dear members of the Mid-Peninsula
Recorder Orchestra,
Listed below is
information regarding the final two meetings, dress rehearsal and performance
that will conclude MPRO’s 2012-2013 season.
Bass viola da gamba and sopranino recorder will be needed at the
meetings on May 1 and May 20, great bass recorders on May 1 and krummhorns,
dulcien and contrabass recorders on May 20. All of these instruments will be
needed for the dress rehearsal on May 31 and concert on June 1. Please note that the meeting on Monday, May 20, will take place at
Trinity Presbyterian Church, 1106
Alameda de las Pulgas in San Carlos at 7:30 P.M.
and that Friday, May 31, is the dress rehearsal for
MPRO’s spring concert, and this rehearsal will also take place at Trinity
Presbyterian Church at 7:30 P.M. The spring concert will be at Trinity Presbyterian Church on Saturday, June 1, at
2:00 P.M. As
in the past, small ensembles are encouraged to appear in the spring
concert. Those groups that intend to
perform at the spring concert on June 1 are asked to send me the following
information by May 22: the title(s) of
the music to be performed, the name(s) of the composer(s), the name of the
ensemble (if any) and the names of the ensemble's members.
Wednesday, May 1
Jane Latrop Stanford Middle School
7:30 P.M.
Dufay: Adieu ces bons vins de Lannoys
Bloomer
Deussen: Impressions Around G
Corelli: Concerto Op. 6, No. 2
Monday, May 20
Trinity Presbyterian Church
1106 Alameda de las Pulgas, San Carlos
7:30 P.M.
Gabrieli: Canzon Septimi Toni
Praetorius: Psallite,
unigenito
Corelli: Concerto Op. 6, No. 2
Friday, May 31
Trinity Presbyterian Church
1106 Alameda de las Pulgas, San Carlos
7:30 P.M.
Gabrieli: Canzon Septimi Toni
Praetorius: Psallite,
unigenito
Corelli: Concerto Op. 6, No. 2
Dufay: Adieu ces bons vins de Lannoys
Bloomer Deussen: Impressions
Around G
Saturday, June 1
MPRO Spring Concert
Trinity Presbyterian Church
2:00 P.M.
Gabrieli: Canzon Septimi Toni
Dufay: Adieu ces bons vins de Lannoys
Bloomer Deussen: Impressions
Around G
Praetorius: Psallite,
unigenito
Corelli: Concerto Op. 6, No. 2
The orchestra’s spring concert
will be the second celebrating MPRO’s fiftieth season, and I encourage you to
invite your family and friends to attend this performance. I would also like to thank the members of
MPRO for all of the time and effort that they have put in preparing this
season’s music, as well as the orchestra's officers
for seeing to the necessary tasks that make MPRO's programs possible. I wish all MPRO members the very best this
summer and look forward to seeing all of you again in September at our first
meeting of the orchestra’s 2013-2014 season.
Sincerely, Fred Palmer
u u u u u u u u u u
NEW BOARD MEMBERS
SELECTED FOR 2013-14 SEASON
Thanks
to Liz Brownell and her nominating committee, Mary Carrigan and Laura
Gonsalves, we have a new Board to handle MPRO’s activities starting next fall.
Liz plans to hand over her file to the new president at the Board
Meeting this Wednesday, April 24.
The new Board Members are:
President - Dana Wagner
UPBEAT Editor - Mary Ann Field
Hospitality - Judith Unsicker
Workshop - Laura Gonsalves, Stuart Elliott
Facilities Mgr - Grace Butler
Publicity - Helen Shamble
Continuing Board members are:
Publicity - Chris Flake, Mary
Jane Fenn
Graphics - Mary Ashley
Membership - Chris Flake
Music Sales - Laura Gonsalves
Webmaster - Dan Chernikoff
Welcome, new
members, and thanks to all for helping run MPRO.
u u u u u u u u u u
The days before MPRO. 
Did
you hear about the recorder player who bragged that he could play 16th notes?
The rest of the orchestra didn't believe
him so he proved it by playing one!
The Board: President: Amy Booth; Treasurer: Leslie Pont; Membership: Chris Flake; Publicity: Mary Jeanne Fenn; & Marguerite Dilley;
Newsletter Editor: Dick Davies; Music Sales: Laura Gonsalves; Graphics: Mary Ashley; Webmaster: Dan Chernikoff;
Workshop Coordinator: TBD; Consort Coordinator: TBD; Hospitality: Claire Heinzelman; Historian: TBD;
Music
Director: Fred Palmer. MPRO website: < http://www.mpro-online.org >
