October Playing Day

Our October playing day was again very well attended - although this isn't reflected in the photos which were taken in the afternoon after several people had left (mental note to take photos in the morning in future... and try to get everyone into one photo; I have a lot to learn!).

We started the morning with the 2-choir piece that we're rehearsing for our joint playing day / concert in December: 'Angelus ad Pastores Ait' by Samuel Scheidt. This involves some tricky time signature changes, but Caroline guided us through these and we were getting there by the end of the first session.
After coffee, this was followed by 'Morning Mist' by Sylvia Corinna Rosin. Another tricky piece with all parts playing different rhythm. We are improving, but need to work on everyone (within Bass and Tenor parts especially) playing notes exactly on the beat (whatever that beat might be!).

During lunch we were entertained with a rehearsal by the quintet Mynydd Du for their performance at Greener Abergavenny the following day. Good luck all!

After lunch Trina conducted us, easing us back into playing with Vaughan Williams 'Prelude on the hymn tune rhosymedre', arranged by Paul Clark, then upping the ante with Telemann's 'Four Friday Piece' and Scott Joplin's 'Magnetic Rag'.

After a short coffee break, Delyth took over and gave us some more practice in counting minims and changing time signatures with Giovanni Gabrieli's 'Canzon Septimi Toni'. Finally we ended the day with Lyndon Hilling's 'A swing in the park'. Phew!

It was an excellent and varied day's playing. As usual, many thanks to all our conductors for their hard work.