We, as members of MPRO, have generally been referring to our gathering every two weeks as "meetings". It appears to me that it would be more appropriate to call them "practice sessions" since that is our real reason for coming together. MPRO is a performing musical organization that normally gives a concert in the Fall and a concert in the Spring. When we correctly identify our purpose and our goals it takes on a different meaning, and that is practicing to give performances.
Let me share with you some thoughts I am lifting from an article entitled "Positive Preparation For Practice" written by Katherine Borst Jones, Flute Professor at The Ohio State University since 1985 and Christopher Weait, Professor of Bassoon at Ohio State University since 1984. These two music teachers have spent many years with music students and have several observations:
WHY DO SO MANY MUSICIANS HATE TO PRACTICE OR PUT IT OFF?
FACTORS INHIBITING PRACTICE OR REASONS FOR NOT FEELING LIKE PRACTICING:
We, as members of MPRO, are lucky; at our practice sessions we do not need to play the role of a teacher or give ourselves directions. We do, however, need to be good students to benefit from the directions and goals given to us by the Conductor. We need to objectively evaluate our mistakes and incorrect playing procedures so that we can we can make progress.
It is not unusual for us at MPRO to receive new music that we will need to learn or unfamiliar music that we need to review. Since we all should carry out positive preparations for "Practice Sessions", the article that I have been referring to gave the following practice strategy for unfamiliar or new music:
Yogi Berra, the Baseball Hall of Famer, is well known for his philosophical quotations. In regard to seeing, Yogi has been cited as saying "You know you can see a lot if you just look". If I am permitted to borrow the pattern of Yogi, I would say "You know we can hear and learn a lot about music if we just listen". Amateur musicians have been noted to do what they do for music, simply for the love of it.
CONDUCTOR'S CORNER
Dear members of the Mid-Peninsula Recorder Orchestra,
Adam Gilbert will be the guest director for the MPRO meeting on March 23. He is currently a visiting assistant professor at Stanford University, where he teaches courses in renaissance music. He has performed on recorder and double reeds with early music ensembles in the United States, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, is a Fulbright Scholar and holds a PhD from Case Western Reserve University. He can be heard on the Dorian, Deutsche Grammophon and Lyrichord labels. I encourage all MPRO members to attend the March 23 meeting and take advantage of this opportunity to work with an outstanding musician and musicologist.
Listed below is the music for the orchestra's next three meetings. Please note that krummhorns and contrabass recorder will be needed for the meeting on March 9 and great bass and contrabass recorders will be needed for the meeting on April 6.
| March 9 | MPRO Rehearsal Biber: Sonata pro Tabula Heinichen: Concerto a 8 Pass'emezzo della Paganina and Saltarello Secunda: Meine Yiddishe Meidel |
| March 23 | MPRO Rehearsal - Adam Gilbert, guest director ...Music to be provided... |
| April 6 | MPRO Rehearsal Biber: Sonata pro Tabula Heinichen: Concerto a 8 Hugo de Lantins: A ma dame playsant et belle Haydn: Allegro |
I look forward to seeing you at these upcoming meetings.
The American Recorder Orchestra of the West (AROW) will present its 2005 concert series, "Music of the British Isles," in Berkeley and Los Gatos.
March 12th, 7:30 PM
All Souls Church
2220 Cedar Street
Berkeley, CA
March 13th, 3:00 PM
Los Gatos United Methodist Church
111 Church St.
Los Gatos, CA
"Music of the British Isles," will include Renaissance, Baroque, and modern music. Some pieces will be familiar melodies and others may be new to you. The orchestra is made up of recorders of all sizes from the smallest, the tiny garklein, to the great bass. Other instruments joining the recorders are Baroque oboe, crumhorns, cello, harpsichord, guitar and percussion as well as voice.
For more information, contact Music Director Richard Geisler richgeis@jps.net (530) 477-2293, Phil Robbins philrobbins@astound.net, Suzanne Siebert dschweter@comcast.net, or AROW's Web site www.schweter.com/arow.html. Admission is free with donations appreciated. AROW is an affiliate of the San Francisco Early Music Society.
A workshop led by Eileen Hadidian (recorders) and Maureen Brennan (Celtic harp), presented by Healing Muses.
This day-long workshop is open to a variety of instruments (low recorders, flute, viol, harp, guitar, dulcimer), and is a wonderful opportunity to learn new repertoire, meet players of other instruments and establish ensembles for playing healing music. We will use a combination of medieval, Renaissance, Celtic and traditional repertoires to explore the ways various types of music may be used for healing. Participants will be able to use the music packet, resource materials, and new connections to play music for healing in new ways and in new venues, enriching their lives and bringing comfort to others.
Letitia Berlin, Frances Blaker, Louise Carslake, Hanneke van Proosdij performing in San Jose. Music by Bach, Frescobaldi, Maute, Ockeghem, Senfl and others. The quartet's debut recording of works by Ludwig Senfl will be available at the concert.
SATURDAY, March 5, 8PM Foothill Presbyterian Church, 5301 McKee Rd., San Jose 95127-2200.
Admission: $18 (general), $15 (SFEMS members, students and seniors), free (children under 12)
Tickets and information: 510-559-4670 or farallonrecorderquartet@mindspring.com