The next playing session will be Friday, May 22nd, 2009.
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Be ready to play at 7:30pm in the Community Room of the Kennedy School, 5736 NE 33rd Ave., Portland, OR. Bring music stands and stand lights if you have them. For more information, go to our website.
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Not currently receiving this newsletter each month? Sign up HERE
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All our professional coaches are available for private lessons and ensemble coaching.
Please contact them directly for scheduling at the links below.
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Vicki Boeckman
Eileen Hadidian
Phil Neuman
Gayle Neuman
Kim Pineda
Bryce Peltier
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From our Music Director
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Greetings
everyone! I can hardly believe that our
second year is almost over, but the coming meeting will be the last official
playing session of the season. What a whirlwind it has been! We continue to grow stronger and wiser and I
am looking forward to our next season together. The PRS wouldn't be here
without you, the members, or the dedicated team that makes up the Board. Thank you for another stimulating season!
I would like
to encourage all of you to participate in Members Night on Friday, June 19th. The evening is for YOU, to round up
ensembles of any size, shape, or constellation, and play any piece that you
want. This is a great opportunity to
form some new friendships and collaborations for the occasion, or, if you already
play in a group, it is a chance to bring your ensemble to the next level by
performing and sharing your music with others outside of your own living rooms.
For our
session on Friday, May 22nd, we will play pieces from several styles
and eras, starting with a beautiful renaissance motet Schaffe in mir, Gott, by Andreas Hammerschmidt. We will wander over
to the jazzy side to a lovely setting of Aqua
e Vinho dedicated to Cleà Galhano by Peter Siebert, then we'll linger on the
swinging side of the street and play Andrew Charlton's Pipe Dreams, dedicated to the Alberta Plummers Association(!) and
end with an invigorating 10-part arrangement of Handel's Arrival of the Queen of Sheba.
All sizes of
recorders from sopranino on down are needed, and all viols and buzzies and/or
other strings and early winds are welcome.
See you soon!
Vicki
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| Upcoming Playing Sessions |
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May 22, 2009 (NOT the 3rd Friday this month!), Vicki Boeckman conducts
June 19, 2009, Member's Night Extravaganza
Summer break: See you in September!
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We NEED to Hear From YOU! The June Member's Night Extravaganza is Coming Up Soon!
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Reserve
the third Friday in June on your calendars and start rehearsing now!!
As an alternative to hearing your small ensembles play during each
monthly session, we have planned a whole evening of music
featuring...YOU! The setting is designed to be a supportive, low-key
atmosphere for ANYONE who wants to perform in front of people, no
matter what your experience level. All instruments are welcome, as
many recorder players are talented on other instruments as well! Bring
a potluck dessert dish, bring supportive friends and family and plan to
participate! If you have a newly formed ensemble and want coaching
prior to the performance, please contact any of our esteemed
conductors, as listed in the sidebar. If you would like to form a new ensemble,
a classified ad in this newsletter can help find other members, or you
are welcome to make an announcement at the next PRS session. Please
contact Zoe Tokar at pdxrecorders@comcast.net as soon as possible so we will have an idea of the number of groups. Should be a fun evening! |
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Technique Tip: Skillful Practicing
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by Vicki Boeckman
Consider how
many hours a week (or month) you are by yourself, in your own practice room
without a teacher or a coach, compared to the one or two hours when you have instruction. You need to be your own
teacher - a sage, informed and rational coach!
Many times what we think we are doing is not what we are doing at all.
For me, the best and harshest teachers are a full length mirror and a recording
device of some sort. These are
invaluable tools and essential reality checks for our progress.
Sometimes we
just want to play through music and be intuitive and emote and not stop to work
on things. This is a necessary element in music making, but when something isn't working we need to find solutions.
Many years ago
I attended a one day workshop in Denmark called Practicing for Artistic Success by Burton Kaplan. Kaplan was in my
opinion at the time the embodiment of the super intense high energy New Yorker,
and at first seemed rather crude and direct, which was diametrically opposed to
the ways of the gentle Danes. What he said, however, and what we learned, has
stuck with me ever since. The workshop was targeted for the professional
musician preparing for an important audition or performance. While many of you may not fall into this
category, I believe that some of the methods discussed are vital and important
to share.
One of the
things that Kaplan suggests is keeping a diary of your practicing successes. In
the diary, make a "First Time Chart". In this chart, list the Day, the Piece or
Movement, the Degree of Success, the Parts Needing Work, and, if you are
working towards a performance, if it was Acceptable - Yes or No.
Then, from this list, break up Parts Needing Work into smaller bits. Choose the exact passage and keep track of your successes
and failures. You may have to break down the bit to as tiny as a shift between
two notes! What we want is control and confidence. Practice the Part that Needed Work 10 times. Write down Yes or No each time. If you succeeded in
achieving 5 successes after 10 tries, move on. The successes do not have to be
consecutive. Do not add more
information, it will only overload. However, if you do not succeed in achieving
5 successes after 10 times, STOP! It is not worth trying again, because you
have less than 50% chance of control. Revise your goal and reduce the demands upon your skill
until you can get 5 out of 10. The ultimate
goal is to "succeed" 5 times out of 5. Judge your progress by recording the
proportions i.e. 5/10 the first day, 5/8 the second day, and before you know it...5/5!
Good Luck and
Have Fun!
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Thank You Volunteers!
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Thank
you to all who signed up to bring snacks for enjoyment after our
playing sessions. Here's a
friendly reminder to Jey Wann and Cak Marshall - you're on for May 22nd. Simple and healthy is ideal: juice, fruit, crackers, cheese, etc., though cookies are great too (see below)!
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Portland Recorder Society Oatmeal Cookies
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by Robin Teitzel
Several people asked for the recipe of the cookies I brought
to the last session of PRS. Viola! The recipe is based on "Oatmeal Cookies" by
Bill Blass from the "The 50 Best Oatmeal Cookies in the World". The cookie is
more for adults, the spices and flavors are very nice. That said, kids
sometimes find the cookies have too much flavor.
Ingredients:
¾ Cup Unsalted Butter
1 cup firmly packed brown Sugar (see footnote 1)
½ cup sugar (see footnote 2)
1 egg
¼ water
1 Teaspoon of Vanilla
1 Teaspoon of salt
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour (see footnote 3)
½ teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg (see footnote 4)
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped Pecans
3 cups uncooked Oatmeal
1.
Preheat over to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream together Butter, Brown Sugar, and
White sugar.
3. Add egg, water, and Vanilla beating
until light
4. sift together salt, flour, soda, and
spices in separate bowl. Mix well, then add to the butter and sugar slowing
mixing together ~1/4 of the flour mix at a time.
5. Add raisins and pecans.
6. Mix in 1 cup of Oatmeal at a time,
until all 3 cups are added.
7. On greased cookie sheets (or ones that
have been sprayed with Pam or vegetable oil) drop mixture by the tablespoon.
8.
Bake
for 12 to 15 minutes (see footnote 5)
Footnotes:
1) OK, for the cookies for the meeting I had ~2 tablespoons less
brown sugar than I needed. I used white sugar and ~1 tablespoon of molasses.
2) At times I have substituted honey for the white sugar. Be sure
to reduce the amount of water used.
3) I have used all whole wheat flour at times (1 cup). The result
is a dryer cookie.
4) I like the flavor nutmeg adds. I have used freshly ground
nutmeg.
5) I like crispy oatmeal cookies
so tend to use the longer times. It helps if you loose the timer and run around
looking for it to see if the cookies are ready.
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We Need Your Membership!
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Portland Recorder Society membership includes:
~monthly playing sessions (Sept-May) coached by professionals
~Discount to Columbia Gorge Early
Music Retreat
~Monthly e-mail newsletters
~Networking opportunities with
like-minded musicians
Yearly dues are $40, additional donations welcomed and are tax deductible. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization!
Click HERE for a link to our membership registration form.
If you are not a member, drop-in fees are $10 per playing session; your first visit is free to try us out!
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Upcoming events
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PRS members are welcome to submit recorder/early music related items for this section. Deadline is 7 days prior to the next PRS playing session. Submit to pdxrecorders@comcast.net
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Sunday, May 17, 2009, 2:30pm: Oregon Renaissance Band - Early Music
of Scandinavia (celebrating Norway's Constitution Day.) Camerata Musica
series at the Salem Public Library. Thirteen musicians perform the music of Dowland, Brade,
Borchgrevinck, Schattenberg, Pedersøn, Willaert and others for voices,
violin, recorders, sackbuts, lute, harp, corna musen, krummhorn, racketts,
octave spinet harpsichord, tabor, triangle and bell. The program contains
two spring songs from the famous Piae Cantiones of 1582, one of which
may sound surprisingly familiar. The program will include the oldest example of
Norwegian renaissance polyphony, "Cor mundum" by Caspar
Ecchienus, and the strange story and music of Heinrich Meyer's
"Netherworldly Outdoor Concert" of 1695, which is the earliest printed example
of Norwegian folk music.
Loucks Lecture Hall, Salem
Public Library, 585 Liberty St. SE, Salem, OR. Free admission.
Community Music Center Summer Early Music Classes begin
Thursday July 9.
6pm: Early Strings Class
6:30pm: Beginning Recorder
7pm: Recorder 2 and Advanced Ensemble
The Community Music Center is located
at 3350 SE Francis in Portland.
La Stella Baroque Ensemble: Wednesday, September 23rd at Noon: Brown bag lunch concert at the Old Church in downtown Portland. Mary Rowell, violin, Zoe Tokar, recorders, Max Fuller, viol/cello, Hideki Yamaya, theorbo/lute.
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Classified Ads
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PRS members are welcome to submit recorder/early music related items for these ads. Deadline is 7 days prior to the next PRS playing session. Submit to pdxrecorders@comcast.net
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For sale: Jean Luc Boudreau Aesthé
Alto (A=440) $650. South American Boxwood, excellent condition, well
cared for, oiled, played regularly, and kept in smoke and odor free
home in SE Portland, OR. Please contact Jan Groh h)
503-616-3165 jandroid@gmail.com
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