October 2021 Workshop Registration
On Sunday October 17, 2021 from 3:00-4:30, the VdGS-NE presents its next special topics workshop entitled: “Playford Tunes as Tech Hacks.” The guest presenter will be Tina Chancey.
Tina writes: “As musicians, we’re always faced with things we can’t do; long notes we can’t hold, low or high notes we can’t reach, ornaments we can’t play fast enough. Practice is the universal answer, and as classical musicians we’re trained to isolate the issue, remove it and take it apart to study. But when we re-insert the problem notes back into the piece, sometimes they’re no better. It seems that context matters when dealing with hard passages. How do you get into it (did your hand start out contracted or extended)? What end of the bow were you on, on the note before? Would using an open string help you move around faster?
Playing John Playford’s dance tunes is a great way to learn technique in context; they’re short, catchy, and generally stick to one or two musical motifs. We’ll use 5 main tunes to study 5 common technical problems, though more tunes and more issues will come to light along the way. Your job is to notice; to listen for scratchiness or unclarity, to feel when your left and right hands go out of balance, to anticipate developing tension. We’ll address 5 issues (Subdividing, Rushing, Octaves, Fast notes, Dance rhythms) and explore 5 Playford country dance tunes (Hole in the Wall, Dargason, Emperor of the Moon, Daphne). ”
Pitch: A=415. Open to all instruments and all levels.
For more information please consult the Workshop Flyer.
The fee for the workshop is $15 for members and $20 for non-members. If you indicate on the signup form that you would like to join the society, your first year’s membership will be free! If this poses a challenge for you, contact our treasurer. The registration deadline is October 12.
Zoom links and musical examples will be emailed to participants upon successful registration.