MPRO UpBeat September 2013

SEPTEMBER 2013

Fellow MPRO Members,

Welcome to our next season together, our first as the newly recognized Recorder Orchestra affiliate of the American Recorder Society. This designation, along with Fred’s article on the ARS website this spring, has already helped to increase our profile nationally.

In addition to the interesting and challenging pieces Fred has selected for us, we are looking forward to the January 25th workshop with recorder heavyweight Paul Leenhouts. The Board and contributing members will be finalizing preparations for Paul’s visit in September. We are truly fortunate to have a workshop director of this caliber and hope all our members will be able to attend.

For a little personal history, I have a BA in Musicology from Sonoma State University, where I did chorale and some recorder and vocal consort performance, along with music journalism. Then, after many years in the corporate world, the recordings of David Munrow, Ciaramella and Piffaro inspired me to play early music again. I bought a set of Renaissance recorders from Bill who, along with George, suggested I join the MPRO.

I'm self-taught, with all the bad habits that implies. So I'm learning proper technique here, as well as improving my general musicianship and ensemble playing — that gets to the heart of my philosophy as President: It’s about the music. We’re all here to make something beautiful.

I want to thank Liz Brownell, the rest of the Board, Fred and all of you for making me feel welcome. I’m humbled by the dedication I’ve seen to this group by its members, even through great personal adversity, and am proud to be a part of it.

I look forward to making music with you and helping out in any way I can this year and in the years ahead.

Best Wishes for an excellent 51st season.

Dana

Conductor’s Corner

Dear members of the Mid-Peninsula Recorder Orchestra,

Welcome to MPRO’s fifty-first season. As the orchestra continues its half-century tradition of providing quality musical activities for those in the San Francisco Bay Area who play recorders and other early instruments, I am pleased to announce that Paul Leenhouts will be directing a workshop presented by MPRO on Saturday, January 25, at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Menlo Park. This will be a rare opportunity to work with one of today's leading recorder players and ensemble directors as well as a founding member of the world famous Amsterdam Loeki Stardust Quartet, and I encourage everyone to attend this unique event. Details concerning the workshop will appear in future issues of Upbeat. In the meantime, please reserve January 25, 2014, on your calendar for this workshop.

For the orchestra’s holiday concert in December, I have chosen several unusual, yet outstanding, selections. These include three 16^th-century Scottish melodies, probably arranged in four parts around the year 1600, a setting from The Song of Solomon by the English composer, John Hotby, who lived at the cusp of the Middle Ages and Renaissance but whose music foreshadows that of the early Baroque, and two pieces for recorders by Henry Cowell, who was born and worked in Menlo Park and is considered one of the most important, innovative and influential American composers of the 20^th century. In addition, we will be including the following music from last season: the Gabrieli Canzon Septimi Toni, the Corelli Concerto Op. 6, No. 2 and the Albinoni Adagio Op. 9, No. 8, featuring oboe soloist Nicholas Vigil. We will also be welcoming back Irene Beardsley on keyboard who will be joining the orchestra for the performance in December.

Listed below is the music for the first three meetings of the orchestra. Music can be purchased at these meetings for those who did not download and print it from the PDF files sent to the orchestra’s membership in August. Those returning from last season can use their music for the selections by Gabrieli, Corelli and Albinoni. Please note that there will be sectional seating for the Gabrieli Canzon Septimi Toni, 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 September 25. Please note as well that sopranino and contrabass recorders as well as dulcien will be needed at all three meetings, great bass recorders on September 11 and September 25, krummhorns on September 11 and October 16, and bass viola da gamba on September 25 and October 16.

September 11

Hotby: Quae est ista

Cowell: Birthday Piece, Jig

Anonymous: O lusty May, Wo worth the tyme,

How shuld my febill body fure

September 25

Gabrieli: Canzon Septimi Toni

Hotby: Quae est ista

Corelli: Concerto Op. 6, No. 2

October 16

Anonymous: O lusty May, Wo worth the tyme,

How shuld my febill body fure

Albinoni: Adagio Op. 9, No. 8

Corelli: Concerto Op. 6, No. 2

I look forward to working with you again in September and encourage you to let any of your friends who play early instruments know about the orchestra's activities this season and invite them to attend our upcoming meetings, workshops and concerts.

Sincerely,

Fred Palmer

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A Note from the Editor

Dick Davies, after thirteen years as Upbeat editor, has turned the production over to me. The newsletter was always interesting, accurate and timely under Dick’s conscientious and capable editorship. It will not be easy to fill his shoes. But he has given me his complete, well-organized files and has graciously offered whatever help I might need.

Dick deserves a huge thank you for his years of dedication and excellence.

THANK YOU, DICK!

Mary Ann Field, Editor

A Message from the Treasurer

Hi Everyone -

Welcome to MPRO's fifty-first season! We are starting this year in a reasonably comfortable financial position since we ended last year by adding about $400 to our General Fund instead of being in the red. This surplus was the result of concerted efforts by everyone to reduce costs and to encourage donations. While we were able to add to our reserves last year, in previous seasons we have had to draw on these funds, which remain low, to balance our expenses. So, as in the past, I am asking everyone to consider making a tax deductible donation in any amount to help defray our normal expenses, especially rehearsal space rental. Please help MPRO stay in the black. If you decide to make a donation, the best way to do so is by writing a check to the San Francisco Early Music Society, our parent organization, and I will forward it with a cover letter specifying it is a donation to MPRO.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Leslie Pont, Treasurer

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MPRO Spring Concert Picnic

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in June, MPRO members and guests gathered at the home of Fred Palmer in Belmont to help Fred christen his new patio and barbeque. The views of the East Bay Hills and San Francisco Bay were magnificent. Fred treated us to a demonstration of his culinary talents by serving a colorful array of vegetables which he grilled. Many thanks, Fred, for your hospitality.

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Save the Date: Workshop with Paul Leenhouts--Saturday, January 25, 2014.

See Conductor’s Corner for information.

DUES ARE DUE
A reminder that your dues for the 2013-2014 season are due:

$100.00 for Participating Member

$50.00 for Student Member
$35.00 for Associate Member

Make your check to MPRO and give it to Chris at the September 11 meeting.

Please enclose an updated application form (above) with your payment. If you completed an application form within the last three years and have no changes, just write your name. If it has been more than three years, please complete the application this year. And please be sure that Chris has your latest e-mail address (email membership@mpro-online.org).

The Board: President: Dana Wagner; Treasurer: Leslie Pont; Recording Secretary: Helen Shamble;

Membership: Chris Flake; Publicity: TBD; Graphics: Mary Ashley; Newsletter Editor: Mary Ann Field;

Workshop Coordinator: Laura Gonsalves, Stuart Elliot; Hospitality: Judith Unsicker; Music Sales: Laura Gonsalves;

Historian: vacant; Webmaster: Dan Chernikoff; Facilities Mgr: Grace Butler; Consort Coordinator: vacant;

Historian: vacant; Music Director: Fred Palmer.

MPRO website: < http://www.mpro-online.org >

$100.00 for Participating Member

$50.00 for Student Member $35.00 for Associate Member

Make your check to MPRO and give it to Chris at the September 11 meeting.

Past Months

$50.00 for Student Member
$35.00 for Associate Member