As you will have noticed – assuming you have read any previous posts – the notion of us vs them has been a recurrent topic in recent posts – and actually it goes back a long way in the posts in terms of the way in which I see the world and how we each “belong” to different groupings – often arbitrarily and fleetingly – sometimes quite deliberately and long term – and occasionally permanently due to “force of circumstances.
George McConnell
Gloria With Glorianna
I have concentrated on the summer schools – but my association with the music department in Glasgow afforded a lot of other opportunities as well. One was being in the orchestra for a choral concert (I think with the Glasgow Schools Choir) consisting of the Faure Requiem and the Vivaldi Gloria.
More From The Ballet
I didn’t ever go to the “Third Orchestra” summer course – but I did help them out a couple of times at their ‘repeat’ concert and had worked with their conductor, Stuart Robertson, at the Glasgow Arts Centre Orchestra as well. Although these were “third choice” players the standard was still very good and the repertoire was challenging.
Soothing Brahms
My Friday choice just made it in time….
Better Than My Effort
Just noticed that yesterday was a milestone in my daily music posts – number 100! Today is also an auspicious day in terms of my Glasgow Schools reminiscing – the 16th is the only one that I have two different concerts to choose from.
Popcorn
15th July 1976 – my final Glasgow Schools’ course had its concert in Ardrossan Academy. This was my fifth year as horn tutor at the military band camp – and I had just about got the hang of it😃. This was also Derick Kane’s last time as Trombone tutor.
A Cello Today
Today my mind goes back to Dunoon in 1971. Castle Toward was a marvellous venue for the course.
Memories Of Summer Music Courses
A bit of reminiscing this week – the Glasgow schools’ summer music courses always happened during the first two full weeks in July immediately after the school holidays started. For seven years I was privileged to be a part of those courses – firstly as a student and then on the staff. So this week is going to be about those courses.
Perhaps An Unexpected Source of Religious Music
Today’s choice is Stravinsky’s setting of Psalm 150 – the third and final movement of his Symphony of Psalms. When I played this with the Glasgow University this was very new music to me and I wasn’t sure whether I liked listening to it – even though it was good to play.
Dancing Now In Central Europe
Today’s choice is another “fun” piece and another that I played with the Scottish Universities Orchestra.