UZZ THE Welcome to the February edition of The Buzz – a little later than intended this time, thanks to an even heavier than usual workload for our small but extremely dedicated staff. And first of all a word of thanks and congratulations to all those course members who valiantly ignored the perils of heavy snowfalls and came to their courses anyway. We do our level best here to make sure that we run as much of what we promise to run as we can, and it’s always heartening to be reminded that there’s so much determination among the musicians who visit us that, come what may, the show must go on. Nevertheless a few, mostly small courses have had to be called off following insufficient interest. I was particularly disappointed that we failed to attract the attention of pianists for John Flinders’s useful new course for accompanists. But new ideas do sometimes take a little while to take hold, and sometimes a little judicious rescheduling can work wonders, as was the case with Peter Bassano’s Brass Ensembles course, which we shifted from a January weekday slot to a February weekend slot, with near-instant results. So we’ll give those failed courses another try next year, perhaps adjusting the timing and even the branding to see if we can whet a few appetites. That said, we’re still fairly happy with recruitment levels. The second quarter is looking particularly promising, although of course there is always room for improvement Finally, we’re getting extremely excited about this year’s opera, Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, which we perform at (and in collaboration with) North Hertfordshire College on 6 April. FEBRUARY 2013 MARCH AND APRIL VACANCIES There’s still space for more participants on the following courses. Dance Band with Roger Moon (Code 13/220, 1 - 3 March). Release Your Voice with Barbara Alden (Code 13/223, 8 - 10 March). Free Up Your Playing with Martin Lawrence (Code 13/316, 25 - 28 March). Springtime Recorders with Sandra Foxall, Alyson Lewin (Code 13/229, 17 - 19 April). Preparing for Grades 6 and 7 Piano with Timothy Barratt (Code 13/230, 17 - 19 April). Alleluya: The Chant of Easter with John Rowlands-Pritchard (Code 13/231, 17 - 19 April). Keeping it Fresh - A Course for Piano Teachers with Heli Ignatius Fleet (Code 13/232, 19 - 21 April). THIS MONTH’S SPECIAL OFFER String Quartets with the Bingham Code 13/312, 25 - 28 February Resident £315 Non-resident £245 Two day attendance welcome Resident £250 Non-resident £205 The course fee includes admission to the Bingham’s public concert, part of our International Recital Series, on 26 February at 8 pm. www.benslowmusic.org Plans are well advanced, and following auditions at Benslow Music and in London during January and February we have recruited a fine cast of young principals as well as an excellent orchestra. As is often the case we could still do with one or two more tenors and basses for the chorus, so if you know anyone who is game for the challenge and who can memorise the part, put them in touch with us! Our under 27s 25% discount applies, and we might be able to do even better than that for any gifted but impecunious student eager for the experience. Stephen Pettitt Director of Music
Transcript
UZZ
THE
Welcome to the February edition of The Buzz – a little later than intended this time, thanks to an even heavier than usual workload for our small but
extremely dedicated staff. And first of all a word of thanks and congratulations to all those course members who valiantly ignored the perils of heavy snowfalls and came to their courses anyway. We do our level best here to make sure that we run as much of what we promise to run as we can, and it’s always heartening to be reminded that there’s so much determination among the musicians who visit us that, come what may, the show must go on. Nevertheless a few, mostly small courses have had to be called off following insufficient interest. I was particularly disappointed that we failed to attract the attention of pianists for John Flinders’s useful new course for accompanists. But new ideas do sometimes take a little while to take hold, and sometimes a little judicious rescheduling can work wonders, as was the case with Peter Bassano’s Brass Ensembles course, which we shifted from a January weekday slot to a February weekend slot, with near-instant results. So we’ll give those failed courses another try next year, perhaps adjusting the timing and even the branding to see if we can whet a few appetites. That said, we’re still fairly happy with recruitment levels. The second quarter is looking particularly promising, although of course there is always room for improvement Finally, we’re getting extremely excited about this year’s opera, Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, which we perform at (and in collaboration with) North Hertfordshire College on 6 April.
FEBRUARY 2013
MARCH AND APRIL VACANCIESThere’s still space for more participants on the following courses.
Dance Band with Roger Moon (Code 13/220, 1 - 3 March).
Release Your Voice with Barbara Alden(Code 13/223, 8 - 10 March).Free Up Your Playing with Martin Lawrence(Code 13/316, 25 - 28 March).Springtime Recorders with Sandra Foxall, Alyson Lewin(Code 13/229, 17 - 19 April).Preparing for Grades 6 and 7 Piano with Timothy Barratt (Code 13/230, 17 - 19 April).Alleluya: The Chant of Easter with John Rowlands-Pritchard(Code 13/231, 17 - 19 April).Keeping it Fresh - A Course for Piano Teachers with Heli Ignatius Fleet(Code 13/232, 19 - 21 April).
THIS MONTH’S SPECIAL OFFER
String Quartets with the BinghamCode 13/312, 25 - 28 FebruaryResident £315 Non-resident £245 Two day attendance welcome Resident £250 Non-resident £205
The course fee includes admission to the Bingham’s public concert, part of our International Recital Series, on 26 February at 8 pm.
www.benslowmusic.org
Plans are well advanced, and following auditions at Benslow Music and in London during January and February we have recruited a fine cast of young principals as well as an excellent orchestra. As is often the case we could still do with one or two more tenors and basses for the chorus, so if you know anyone who is game for the challenge and who can memorise the part, put them in touch with us! Our under 27s 25% discount applies, and we might be able to do even better than that for any gifted but impecunious student eager for the experience.Stephen Pettitt Director of Music
FORTHCOMING CONCERTSA swift reminder of three unmissable concerts at Benslow Music in February and March. First on Tuesday 26 February the Bingham Quartet, together with viola player Jonathan Barritt and cellist Alice Neary, give a stunning programme which includes Schoenberg’s luscious early string sextet Verklärte Nacht – nothing to fear for those allergic to the twelve-note method! – and Mozart’s late “Prussian” Quartet, K575.
Then, on Saturday 16 March, we welcome the distinguished countertenor Michael Chance and world-famous lutenist Nigel North, who give a recital of lute song as part of our LuteFest, given in association with the Lute Society.
And on Friday 22 March our friends the Maggini Quartet return for a concert which includes a centenary performance of Benjamin Britten’s First String Quartet alongside music by his teacher Frank Bridge and by Schubert.
Later this year the Fitzwilliam and Bingham Quartets will complete our very own Britten quartet cycle.
All concerts take place in Peter Morrison Hall, Benslow Music at 8pm.
Free entry for under 27s and full time students.
Tickets £10 I Box Office: 01462 459446
BENSLOw MUSIC APPOINTS NEw VICE-PRESIDENT
We are deeply honoured that the distinguished composer and choir trainer John Rutter has agreed to be Vice-President of Benslow Music. Mr Rutter, who joins a distinguished team which also includes Stephen Isserlis, Nona Lidell, Melvyn Tan, Roger Vignoles, Stephen Wilkinson and David Wilson-Johnson, taught choral courses at Benslow Music many years ago and more recently has led two Singing Days for us at St Mary’s Church. At a lunch with Trustees he spoke eloquently about a wide variety of musical topics but made it very clear that he welcomes close involvement in our work.
ABOUT THE HOUSEWe’re delighted to announce that one of our most spacious and well appointed bedrooms in the Main House, Helen Wright, is now, thanks to the erection of strategically placed new studwork, an en suite room, further bringing our accommodation into line with current industry standards.
We’re also pleased to say that the basement in the Main House has received long overdue attention following important remedial work over Christmas. We’ve taken the opportunity to have a clear out of irrelevant old papers and other items. The basement will still be home to the archives as well as to certain library materials.
We apologise to any course members who were adversely affected by some problems which raised their ugly heads more or less simultaneously over the past few weeks. Most seriously, we experienced difficulties with heating in Fieldfares and a recurrent damp problem in The Lodge, but we hope we have now resolved these issues for good.
We intend to start work on various modifications to the ground floor of Pamela Maud building and the Coach House immediately after opera week in April. Watch this space!
NEw YEAR QUARTETS wITH THE MACNAGHTENSTutors: Nic Fallowfield, Janet Hicks, Jen Lynch, Richard Muncy
“I thoroughly enjoyed the course - good living, excellent coaching and many friends” - Elizabeth
“I cannot say thank you enough. You actually nurture us with kindness” - Christine
“Lovely atmosphere, lovely music, beautiful food and accomodation, staff very friendly and helpful, tutors brilliant” - Kate
TUTOR PROFILE: ROGER MOONRoger teaches and plays the piano for three of our most popular courses, Singing from Scratch, Dance Band and Palm Court Orchestra. He was introduced to what is now Benslow Music by our Vice President Stephen Wilkinson, and enjoyed participating in Stephen’s choral courses before becoming a tutor himself in 1999. Roger has seen many changes at Benslow Music, but still loves its unique character.
In an eclectic musical career Roger has appeared as a singer alongside John Dankworth, Cleo Laine and Petula Clark, contributed many vocal arrangements to stage productions, and directed choirs and singing groups both amateur and professional. He has led and played in bands for ballroom, folk and jive dancing, played jazz, light classical and Palm Court music in concerts and hotels from Yorkshire to Egypt, and even once impersonated the piano playing of Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda, for a BBC play.
Roger’s interest in the music of the British dance bands began in the 1960s, when he became closely acquainted with his grandfather’s collection of 78rpm records. Since then he has compiled his own modest collection of historic recordings. His other interests include vegetable growing and watching old films, an interest which, along with the walking of their two crossbreed terriers, he shares with his partner Fiona whom he met at Benslow Music in 2001.
Roger’s next course at Benslow will be The Benslow Dance Band (Code 13/220, 1 - 3 March).Spaces still available for Tenor Sax, Trumpet, Trombone, Violin and Guitar
“As always, I marvel at Benslow’s balance of smooth efficiency and great willingness of the staff ” - Barbara
“Thank you for a lovely few days! Looking forward to coming back in two weeks” - Gill
“We come again and again, over a period of twenty years for the quality of tutoring” - Sue
BAROQUE CHAMBER MUSIC AT A=415Tutors: Theresa Caudle, Catherine Latham, Alastair Ross, Stephen Preston
MICHAEL AXTELL’S wIND CHAMBER MUSICTutors: Michael Axtell, John white
PIANO SIGHT READINGTutors: Christopher Roberts, Susie Asquith
FOUNDATION STRINGSTutors: Janet Hicks, Jen Lynch, Georgie Payne, Diana Levitas“A very friendly atmosphere, I could come alone and have no worries. Tutors excellent” - Patricia
COULL STRING QUARTETTutors: Roger Coull, Philip Gallaway, Rose Redgrave, Nicholas Roberts
Benslow Music, Benslow Lane, Hitchin, Herts SG4 9RBT: 01462 459446 I E: [email protected] I W: www.benslowmusic.org
COURSE PROFILERELEASE YOUR VOICE
FRI 8 – SUN 10 MAR
Barbara Alden has been running our Release Your Voice course for several years now. It’s the perfect opportunity for anyone who already sings or who would like to sing to join with others of varying experiences and backgrounds in order to learn how to exercise that larynx - and those lungs - properly, thereby releasing more vocal potential. Many people, when they sing, tire quickly or feel tensions. Barbara’s aim is to undo all of those bad habits that leads to these things, so that the act of singing becomes a natural and free-flowing action. She works on elements such as posture, and breathing, and helps train muscles to do the right things using articulation and resonance exercises. And because everyone learns better and more quickly when they are having fun, she brings that to the party too, with group singing and a generally convivial, mutually supportive atmosphere - Benslow Music’s speciality. Because there are some physical exercises – nothing too daunting! - students are asked to bring loose fitting, comfortable wear and a mat or old towel for floor work, together with a small hand mirror.
RECIPE OF THE MONTH LINDA’S CHICKEN AND PASSATA CASSEROLE
3 tbs olive oil4 boneless chicken breasts250g shallots halved 1 clove garlic crushed1 550g jar passata2-3 tbs chopped fresh thyme 2 peppers sliced (different colours looks better)12 pitted black olives Heat 2 tbs of oil and quickly brown the chicken, add remaining oil, shallots, seasoning and passata. and most of the thyme and stir.Put in pre heated oven at gas mark 4, 180 C or 350 F for 30 minutes. Stir in peppers and olives, and return to oven for further 30 minutes. Sprinkle over the remaining thyme and serve with green vegetables, and herb bread or new potatoes or brown rice.
Linda Steeples
LIBRARY NEwSWe are currently reviewing library stock in order to consolidate the library as far as possible within two dedicated spaces - the current library premises and, we hope, a proposed new stack to be housed in the basement. We also need to minimise the backlog of gifts and over the next few weeks to accelerate our processing of them. We therefore ask anyone who might have been intending to bring or send gifts of music to the library in the immediate future to try to hold off until after 31 May. Thank you for your patience.
THE RODERICK SwANSTON LECTURES II - DOwLAND, CAMPION AND THE wORLD OF THE LUTE SONG
The irrepressible Roderick Swanston returns on 16 March to give a Saturday afternoon lecture on the rich topic of the Elizabethan and Jacobean lute song, deliberately coinciding with our annual LuteFest course held in
association with the Lute Society. Roderick’s talks are brimful of information presented in a friendly way and with plenty of visual and audio elements, and with all the political intrigues of the era bound up in its art we’re guaranteed to be entertained as well as informed.
The talk begins at 2pm and ends before 4pm. The fee is £15, or £10 if you are a LuteFest course member. All students have free entry.
CALL FOR POSTER AMBASSADORSAre you within reasonable touching distance (say a twenty-mile radius) of Benslow Music? Do you have some spare time on your hands? Do you enjoy a good, healthy walk? Then Benslow Music needs you! We’d like to expand our network of friends in nearby towns and villages who distribute our lovely concert posters in person to local businesses, libraries, community centres - any location with a notice board in fact. Please call Vicky on the Benslow Music number or email her at [email protected] and she would be delighted to speak to you.
