Let's Keep the Ukeleles and the Recorders

Guest Blog

This week's guest blog comes from Nick Stringfellow, talented Southern Sinfonia cellist and member of our Quartet in Association, the Villiers Quartet. 

My thoughts have been occupied this week by the impact of systematic cuts to the Arts, and its effect on music in schools. I have recently experienced this first hand after visiting a handful of primary schools in different parts of the country.

The first thing that hit me was just how little instrumental teaching was happening in some schools. It is not unusual for a school musical evening to now consist primarily of children performing to backing tracks. Don't get me wrong, the performances themselves are often very creative and sometimes in the case of the dance ensembles, choreographed by the children themselves. The small instrumental element is represented by those children who learn their instruments outside school, privately or with a parent. I don't mean to generalise about this and I should point out that there is another side to the coin.

I also visited a school where instrumental teaching still appeared to be thriving. This school was obviously managing to cling on to its peripatetic music service. The class teachers (who probably remember how instrumental music in schools used to be) seem desperate to keep the home fires burning. But what becomes evident in this situation is the difficulty to maintain standards as the instrumental lessons get squeezed. Most of the time, we're talking about a 30 minute group lesson with 3 children. That's 10 minutes each! In real terms, after spending 2 minutes getting the instrument out of its case (and putting it away), a broken string would mean the end of the lesson!

Another model for instrumental music in schools is the huge sticking plaster known as "wider opportunities." This, I imagine, started life as a box ticking exercise, and on paper it looks pretty good. Alerted to the fact that instrumental music in schools was becoming extinct, the solution was to get everybody in a classroom playing the same instrument for a year. As a result, it's not unusual to walk into schools and find an arsenal of trumpets ready to “lock and load”. Unfortunately, there are some schools which acquired the instruments for wider ops, but now don't have the resources to properly support it. Then you’re left with a Performing Arts space which now houses a tenor horn graveyard...

Allow me to transport you back to the early eighties and to my primary school in Rotherham. I started learning the recorder using tablature like a lot of kids my age did. I can't remember a time when I wasn't playing chamber music in some shape or form, even if it was sharing a music stand with a flautist as we battled through "Cherokee Chief"! I was asked on the strength of those experiences (even with my "goldfish" recorder technique) whether I'd like to play the cello...and the rest (as they say) is history.

Rotherham music service was a crack team of enthusiastic and exciting professional teachers. They would come into school en masse and give ensemble performances displaying an infectious camaraderie and communication. This rapport existed because the teachers spent a lot of time working together. There were at least two youth orchestra rehearsals every week, which the majority of instrumental teachers would attend and coach their particular sections. I remember my very first experience of string quartet playing, after I had only been studying the cello a couple of years. It was a weekend chamber music course and the initiative of one of the string teachers who was passionate about quartet playing and wanted to share his burning enthusiasm.

I know from talking to many of my colleagues that this situation was not unusual and there were other notable music services in Leicester and Bedfordshire for example, who are now sadly struggling against cuts in funding.

I have to say at this point that there is an abundance of great teachers out there right now. They still have all that burning enthusiasm that they're desperate to share. I've seen amazing things happen in response to these cuts.... individual instrumental teachers holding 60 children spellbound with their charisma and instrumental virtuosity. In some ways these teachers have had to evolve with the environment and now need a comprehensive "tool kit" to deal with anything that might get thrown at them.

The problem is, morale is low in many areas of the teaching profession. These amazing people are now under so much pressure to get results that their passion and enthusiasm is waning. Many teachers are under much scrutiny from regulating bodies and effectively encouraged not to teach in a creative way. There is no longer space to nurture individual talent. This system of box ticking is eroding the rapport that existed between the teachers and making our schools soulless. My only hope is that somehow we find a way to increase the resources and inject life back into our music services and schools again.

Let's keep the ukuleles and the recorders. They are an entry point for children to quickly find a musical voice, and can be introduced in the classroom by every teacher. There comes a point, though, when some of those children need a leg up to the next rung of the musical ladder--the watchful eye of that teacher who recognises their talent and can say “How about trying the cello now? There’s one in the music cupboard with your name on it.”

Thank you to Nick for his very insightful words! We will be back in a few weeks' time with our next article. In the meantime, if you want to find out more about Southern Sinfonia, you can visit our website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Is combining classical music with other genres a good idea?

Guest Blog

Inspired by a recent question we posed on Twitter, one of our cellists, Matthew Forbes, has written these thoughts for our blog.

It's an important question. The history of Western classical music is one of adaptation and evolution. As any art form should, it has absorbed influences from so many other places and embraced them over the centuries. Many great composers (Haydn, Beethoven, Ravel, Messaien and so many others) borrowed from other forms of music and were influenced by other ideas, and yet their work remained individual and honest. 

As musicians, our frame of reference should be as wide as possible. We ought to be knowledgeable about many other types of music because they should be regarded as fuel for the fire of imagination. In a series of television lectures he once gave, Leonard Bernstein listed all the genres of music he could think of, then famously said "I love it all!" While I don't confess to loving all music that I hear, I concur wholeheartedly with the sentiment. Of course, this width of scope should combine with rigorous technical discipline. The purpose of technique is to allow us to play or sing anything we want, while remaining true to our individual selves. This is also evident in other spheres; W. H. Auden was always a proud craftsman, turning his hand to anything in verse, whilst retaining his distinctive voice. Alec Guinness could be anybody - playing every part (including the women) in "Kind Hearts and Coronets" - and yet was always recognisably himself. This approach, where the mind is both open and focused, should be our ambition, especially in an age of indistinct musical boundaries.

Another important concept is what I call 'ownership' of music. It is difficult to define, but essentially it is a feeling within a person which allows them to grasp a sound or style and 'own' it for themselves, allowing it to penetrate and be part of their own identity. One line in a Paul Simon song reads: "Every generation throws a hero up the pop charts". Parents do not like their children's musical tastes; they are not meant to. It is because these sounds belong specifically to a time, a place, and a set of people. Billy Connolly described his teenage years when "Elvis came and saved us all." Parents and the press might have been terrified and derisory, but the act of each generation owning its own musical culture is vital to its identity and development.

Additionally, I believe that cultural ownership goes further than listening. For many of us, that sense of belonging to the music comes from participation. If you ask any professional musician how they started playing their instrument, most answers you get are uninspiringly prosaic. But there does come a point where a player will develop a deep personal association with their instrument and its sound. I remember being very excited every time I heard a cello as a young player - that was MY sound!

Not everyone loves classical music - nor do they all love dubstep. But for some, a combination of these may be an expression of something very personal and meaningful. Who am I to make a moral judgement on their juxtaposition? I was asked if there were certain combinations I thought worked better than others. I can only answer for myself - I have enjoyed many classical/British folk collaborations, because I love both these elements. I love funk; using jazz musicians to play rock rhythms, as well as groups like the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, because they are both entertaining and skilful. I didn't enjoy the music of William Orbit (classical plus electronic dance) because, to me, the rhythmic fluidity of the the material he used was lost to compensate for the feel of his version. But if that was his expression of being a musician then it belongs in our culture and must stay there.

Finally, a few more aspects which I feel are crucial for a positive collaboration of genres:

1. It has to be good. The quality of the sound, the range of techniques, imagination and inventiveness have to be of the highest possible level, as the detail always matters. 

2. A musician is a listener first, and a player second. My definition of a musician is someone who is fascinated by why music does what it does, be that comfort, excite, move or repel.

3. Every genre of music shares the building blocks with all the others (melody, rhythm, structure etc.). Saying that, the most powerful element is rhythm, and is therefore the most important to get right.

4. People hear music in different ways. Some are fascinated by harmony, some by the immediate effect on the emotions, some even by a strong imaginary link between sound and colour. This diversity is a good thing, and must always be taken seriously.

5. Gimmicks never last. If a fusion of genres is created purely as a commercial venture or an attempt at adhering to fashion, it lacks integrity. Sincerity is essential. 

Who knows where the next great music will come from? I can't wait to find out!

Thank you to Matthew for writing this week's guest blog; do you agree with his thoughts? Let us know in the comments below. 

You can also get in touch with Southern Sinfonia through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To find our more about the orchestra please visit our website. 

The Woodwind Section under the Spotlight

Guest Blog

This week we have a very special guest blog by Natasha Wilson, Projects Manager and Southern Sinfonia oboe and cor anglais player. Natasha provides a detailed and insightful look at woodwind instruments. 

With the Southern Sinfonia Wind Quintet, I recently performed in the Café Concert series. This concert, ‘Winds Exposed’, explored the relationship between four woodwind instruments and one brass and touched on the role of wind and brass instruments in the orchestra. Being a member of the woodwind section, in particular, is different to a string section. The main difference is that in a string section, the viola section, for example, there are as many as six or more players playing the same part, therefore giving the security of playing with a desk partner and being part of a larger section. However, they have to work closely as a team to make a cohesive body of sound. There are, however, exceptions, where string parts divide (‘divisi’), which enriches the sound and adds depth to the harmony and in solo sections. This is why a section leader is vital as players follow their lead on bowings, phrasing and entries after bars of rests.

In a woodwind section, there is one person to a part. There are therefore two aspects to playing; exhibiting soloistic qualities as you are often exposed, but also being able to blend with the other players within the section. A standard woodwind section consists of two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets and two bassoons, therefore blending sounds can be challenging, as the section is made up four very different instruments that exhibit unique qualities and present their own challenges, but also share common ground.

So how do we move as a team? Well the way we sit is no accident, generally sitting on risers which elevate us about half a metre above the ground. This means the woodwind sound can project over a large string section and reach the audience, and on a basic level we can see the conductor more easily, aiding communication. The flutes and oboes sit on the front row, as the higher register instruments, with the clarinets behind the flutes and the bassoons behind the oboes. The clarinets have an exceptionally wide range, being able to play higher than the oboe but also much lower, so it makes sense for them to sit next to the bassoons which are bass instruments and generally supply the harmonic foundations. Placing the bassoons behind the oboes is also very logical as both instruments are related as members of the double reed family. The sound combination of the oboe and bassoon is therefore very rich and full.

The principal players form a quadrat in the centre with the second players on their outside:

This formation is important for a number of reasons. The principal players communicate with one another through movement, leading with their instrument and with their breath so that the whole section can breathe together and enter as one. This is then adopted by the second players. In solo sections, such as the flute and oboe solo in the second movement of Schubert’s 5^th Symphony, sitting next to each other really helps to unify the melody.

In orchestral music the higher melodic writing is played by the principal players sitting in the quadrat, with the lower register music being played by the second players. Therefore, the balance of the woodwind section works well with the higher register music and, often, melodies being played in the centre of the section and with the lower register counter melodies or accompaniments being played on the outside of the section.

As a principal player you have to be virtuosic, soloistic and fluid in the upper register but also be able to blend when harmonising with the other instruments.  When playing ‘second’, you have to be secure in the lower register able to accompany the first player in solos but solid particularly in intonation (or tuning) as you tune to the bass note within a chord. The second players will often be able to double when there are larger orchestral forces. In general, the flute doubles the piccolo, the oboe doubles the cor anglais, the clarinet doubles the bass clarinet and the bassoon doubles the contra bassoon. These allied instruments definitely add colour, character and depth to the sound. The piccolo (which sounds an octave higher than the flute) adds extremes of tessitura in chords and intensity to finales, but is also very dexterous and can be used in technically demanding passages, for example Rossini’s Overture ‘The Thieving Magpie’ and Brahms Symphony No 4. The cor anglais has a beautiful mellow sound, being pitched a fifth lower than the oboe (in F) and is often used in mournful and haunting solos eg ‘The Swan of Tuonela’ by Sibelius and Dvorak’s ‘New World’ Symphony. 

The bass clarinet adds a wonderfully deep, rich and gravelly sound, is pitched an octave lower than the B flat clarinet, and is notable in works such as Ravel’s ‘Daphnis and Chloe’ and MacMillan’s ‘St John Passion’. The other member of the clarinet family occasionally used is the E flat clarinet, which sounds a minor third higher than written. This mini clarinet has a striking and distinct sound that is used to great effect in such works as ‘Symphonie Fantastique’ by Berlioz and Strauss’ ‘Till Eulenspiegls’.

Finally, the contra bassoon is an extraordinary instrument sounding an octave below the bassoon and provides what can only be described as a ‘meaty’, full and reedy sound. It really feels like the ground is shaking below you when its lowest notes are employed in dramatic chords. However, it can also be quite cheeky and playful – such as in Ravel’s ‘Mother Goose’; very surprising when you see it arrive in its case before the rehearsal which can be the size of a coffin!

I am often asked what it feels like to play in an orchestra. My musical journey began at the age of 11 when I started the oboe and I went to my first concert in Salisbury Cathedral, and was completely blown away by the whole experience. From this moment I knew that orchestral playing was something I wanted to do in the future. I worked hard at school studying the oboe, piano and voice and went on to Music College, where I gained a BA Hons and MA in music; then, my dream of performing professionally started to become a reality. It is hard to put into words the satisfaction and fulfillment you gain from producing a great performance alongside friends and colleagues, and it is this feeling that keeps me coming back for more. For me, playing with Southern Sinfonia is exciting, challenging yet overall enjoyable, as it is wonderful to be part of a team. We all know each other well, play together regularly and respect one another and this is why it works!

Southern Sinfonia has some fantastic concerts this week which feature the wind section. Tonight, Friday 28^th, we perform at St Lawrence Church in Hungerford. Rachel Broadbent will perform Handel’s Oboe Concerto No. 1, followed by other well-known works by Handel, including the Arrival of the Queen of Sheba and his Water Music Suite No. 1. Tomorrow evening, Saturday 29^th March, Southern Sinfonia perform Stravinsky’s Mass for wind instruments and choir and Mozart’s C Minor Mass in Bath Abbey with Bath Choral Society.

Thank you so much to Natasha for writing this week's guest blog. 

To contact Southern Sinfonia and find out more about our work, please visit our website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram profile.

Speed Interview with Andrew Dickinson...

Andrew Dickinson, winner of the Hampshire Singing Competition, joins us on Friday 15 March for English Serenade, the first in our Concert Series for Spring 2013. We always like to get to know our soloists and were lucky enough to have caught Andrew for a quick interview. So here it is...

What has been your career highlight so far?

I've been really lucky and have had some wonderful experiences already as a soloist. The one that leaps out is probably a Messiah I did a couple of years ago in Berlin. The RSAMD (where I was studying at the time) provided the choir and soloists and we were accompanied by the UDK Orchestra. It was a spectacular venue and concert, but what really made it special was having so many good friends performing with me.

                         

How do you relax when you aren't performing?

Sleep is always a good way! I'm a huge cricket fan and during the summer months I try and fit in a few games when I can. I also run a music festival in my home town of Rainhill (Merseyside), so this tends to take up a lot of my down time! www.rainhillmusicfestival.com (excuse the plug!)

When/ where are you most happy?

I’m most happy when I’m a) on stage, b) on a cricket field, or c) having good food with friends. Not always necessarily in that order!

If you could travel back in time where would you go?

There's a YouTube video that I'm obsessed with, which is a live performance of La Forza Del Destino from Palermo in 1958, with Franco Corelli singing "O tu Che in Seno." It's some of the most wonderful singing I've ever heard, and that's on a very old recording instrument. I would probably travel back to that theatre and get the best seat in the house!

What is the most played piece of music in your Itunes/ CD collection?

This varies a lot as I now have a Spotify account, so the choice of what to listen to can be a bit overwhelming! I've been going through a Steve Reich phase recently, particularly his guitar music. I also always have time for Radiohead.

Other than English Serenade with Southern Sinfonia, what else have you got planned for 2013?

I've just finished playing Lenski in Eugene Onegin with Bury Court Opera and Southbank Sinfonia, and in April I start a fantastic project with Mahogany Opera. We are performing Britten's Church Parables at the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, as well as Aldeburgh Festival, Southwark Cathedral and at Buxton Festival. They're fantastic pieces that are rarely performed in their entirety, or as a "triptych." After that I return to Glyndebourne as I'm involved in the revival of Billy Budd, before making my house debut as Male Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia on the Glyndebourne Tour.

Andrew Dickinson, winner of the Hampshire Singing Competition, performs Finzi's Dies Natalis with Southern Sinfonia on Friday 15 March 2013 at St. Lawrence Church, Hungerford. 

To find out more about our Concerts and Café Concerts in Berkshire, Hampshire, Wiltshire and across the South, or our Education & Outreach programme, please visit the Southern Sinfonia website, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Don't forget to subscribe and please feel free to leave your thoughts and comments for us below.