Shropshire Music Service

Welcome to the ‘blog’ for the Shropshire Music Service. Please see the category listing on the right to access the posting.

As part of the national focus on young voices, Shropshire Music Service is presenting many hundreds of young voices in three massive choirs at the Shrewsbury West Mid Show Ground on July 2nd 3rd and 4th.

The open-air events, beginning at 7pm, will provide the audiences with an opportunity to hear songs which have been taught in recent weeks across many schools and will allow the children, often singing in small school choirs to be part of a massive vocal ensemble numbering more than 800 on each evening.

Schools who are offering their childen the opportunity to learn to play the violin as a part of the curriculum performed concerts in the Shrewsbury Music Hall this week (17th and 18th June).  A DVD is being made of the event and can be ordered through the participating schools.

Any schools wishing to learn more about this initiative whereby a whole class of children is taught as a class-group, should contact the Shropshire Music Service.

Saturday 8 December    

Christchurch Bayston Hill -12.00 noon
Shropshire Girls Choir, Shropshire Junior Choir, Shropshire Training Clarinet Choir and
Shropshire  Training Youth Orchestra  

Saturday 8 December   

St Mary’s Church – 2.30pm 
Shropshire Youth Wind Orchestra,
Shropshire Youth Training Wind Orchestra and
Shropshire Youth Percussion Ensemble 

Saturday 8 December 

Priory
School—7.00pm
Shrewsbury Area Windband and
Shropshire Youth Saxophone Ensemble 

ALSO on 8 December
Shropshire Youth Brass Band are performing under the Market Hall in
Shrewsbury with collecting tins from 10-12am. Do listen while you are
Christmas shopping! 

Thursday 13 December 

13 December  7.30pm  NWSSSO will be performing in the Marches School Carol
Service at
Christchurch, Oswestry. They are rehearsing from 6-7pm; the Carol Service should finish approx. 8.30pm. Please see Mrs Jarratt for more details 

Monday 17 December
Shrewsbury Abbey—8.00pm
Shropshire Youth Orchestra with New College Chorale

The Pops orchestra is one of the Shropshire Music Service’s most experienced and leading ensembles.  The orchestra works largely on film scores and so offers a much wider repertoire than is usual for an enlarged symphony orchestra, as it is augmented with larger brass and woodwind sections and a full percussion section and keyboards. 

The Pops Orchestra had a great first rehearsal at

Longmeadow
School. The next rehearsals are on 20th Jan and 17th Feb   Concerts on 14th &16th March. Repertoire includes Thunderbirds, West Side Story `Symphonic Suite’ and Theme from `Narnia’. More players are very welcome to join us.  Contact Alan Atkin via the office for more details.

A new area ensemble called ‘PONTSEMBLE’ aimed mainly at new players, will meet during term time 4.00-5.00 on Mondays starting on 12 November in the Performing Arts Studio at Mary Webb School. Registration forms are available from Glenn Pollard via the Music Service Office.

The provider of the Cleobury Mortimer to Ludlow to Shrewsbury service has change with immediate effect to  R&B Travel.  Please note that the pickup points and times have not changes.

Details of the calendar and background information for the Shropshire Music Service for 2007-8 can be found here.

The Shropshire Youth Orchestra returned from Italy yesterday having performing during the week to appreciative crowds and packed venues.  Full report to follow.   Hear the SYO at the Parents Association (SYMPHO) meeting on September 15th at 1pm at The Priory School, Shrewsbury.

The following posting gives a list of events for the summer term - in some cases further details will be added shortly.

Saturday 28 April at 2pm – Woodwind Platform (including music by Shropshire Youth Training Woodwind Ensemble, the Training Clarinet Choir, Edgetone (Flute ensemble) Double Reed trio, Saxophone ensemble and Senior Clarinet Choir) at Belvidere School, Shrewsbury at 2pm.

Tuesday 22 May at 6pm - North West Shropshire Schools String Orchestra at the Marches School, Oswestry at 6.00pm

Friday 22 June A concert given by whole school classes of violin pupils showing the progress made by this initiative now in its third year. Shrewsbury Music Hall - further details to be added.

Saturday 7 July 10am -12 noon. Shropshire Youth Brass Band playing in the Shrewsbury Market.

Saturday 7 July Shropshire Training Youth Orchestra and Shropshire Training Youth Wind Orchestra at Crowmoor Baptist Church - further details to be added.

Saturday 7 July Shropshire Girls Choir at Crowmoor Baptist Church - evening - further details to be added.

Saturday 7 July at 7:15pm Strings Gala at Meole Brace School (changed from 14 July)

Sunday 8 July Church Stretton Food Fair featuring the  Shropshire Youth Brass Band, Shropshire Youth Wind Orchestra, Shropshire Girls Choir and  Shropshire Percussion Ensemble.

Monday 9 July – Cellobration 3 (A celebration of cellos) at Christchurch, Bayston Hill - further details to be added.

Tuesday 10 July 7.00pm Meole Brace School – Shrewsbury String Festival - further details to be added.

Wednesday 11 July Brass Extravaganza - further details to be added.

This summer the Shropshire Youth Brass Band will visit and perform in Reims and Lausanne.  The tour leaves on July 22nd and returns on the 29th.

The Shropshire Youth Orchestra visits the Lake Garda area from August 26th to 2nd September.

The final held 28 March at The Music Hall was a most successful evening with music of a high quality. The four finalists were accompanied by the Shropshire Sinfonia under the baton of Bob Wysome. The event was recorded by Radio Shropshire and broadcast at Easter. This year’s winner after a close competition was Sue Lim playing Beethoven Piano Concerto No.1.

As a joint venture between Shropshire Music Service and the North West Shropshire Excellence Cluster, a new band for wind, brass and percussion players is being created.

It will meet weekly from 4:00pm - 5:00pm with the first rehearsal on April 17th 2007.

There will be a ‘taster’ session at Gobowen Primary School on Friday March 9th at 1:30pm with parents welcome to hear the results of the workshop at 3:30pm.

Today saw an excellent rehearsal for a major pair of concerts later this year.  This seasons repertoire include music from Mission Impossible, Dances with Wolves, West Side Story, Miss Saigon, Les Miserable, The Big Country and Gladiators.  The next rehearsal is on Sunday February 18th from 10:00am -3:00pm with concerts as follows:

Albrighton hall Hotel (Shropshire County Council Charity concert for Hope House) - Friday evening March 16th (time to be confirmed via this posting - probably 7:30pm - Tickets available from Shirehall - details of this special fund-raising event to be posted here.
Church Stretton School - Sunday March 18th at 2pm - tickets available on the door. Tickets £4.

A new woodwind ensemble is being created for young people who have been learning a woodwind instrument for at least 1 term up to Pre-grade 1 on flute, oboe, clarinet, alto and tenor saxophone and bassoon.

The ensemble will rehearse throughout the year on School of Music weekends (roughly fortnightly) at the Herbert Centre at Belvidere Secondary School, Crowmere Road, Shrewsbury beginning on Saturday 13th January 2007 from 9:30am to 12:30pm.

Transport is available from pick-up points around Shropshire.

For further details please contact Music Service Manager Alfie Raggatt via the ‘contact’ button at the top of the page.

The rehearsal of The Shropshire Music Service Pops Orchestra on 29th October was most successful with some very impressive orchestrations from Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, West Side Story, Mission Impossible and Dances with Wolves rehearsed. There are still places for all instruments especially woodwind and violins. Remaining rehearsals are on 21st January 2007 & 18th February 2007 (10.00am -3.00pm) and concerts are on 16th & 18th March 2007.

If you enjoy film music come & enjoy a different experience.

The preliminary rounds will be held on 14th November 2006 at New College & on 15th November 2006 at Crowmoor Baptist Church.  From this event a smaller number of performers will be selected by independent adjudication to go forward to the next round. 

Penultimate Round 17th January at New College.

The final group of performers 3 or 4 musicians will go forward to the final which will be held on 28th March 2007 at The Music Hall, Shrewsbury when they will be accompanied by The Shropshire Sinfonia.

Christmas concerts ‘Passport tickets’ are available for the following concerts at £8 adult, £4 concession £20 family which entitles you to entry to as many of the following concerts as you wish. Individually these concerts are priced at £4, £2 & £10.

Look out for further details which will be posted closer to the event.

Saturday 2 December - 6.00pm Shropshire Girls Choir & Shropshire Junior Choir at Crowmoor Baptist Church

Saturday 9 December – 2.00pm Shropshire Training Youth Orchestra, Shropshire Training Youth Wind Orchestra, Shropshire Senior Clarinet Choir & Shropshire Senior Percussion Ensemble at Christchurch, Bayston Hill

Saturday 9 December – 2.30 pm Shropshire Youth Wind Orchestra & Shropshire Youth Brass Band at St. Mary’s Church, Shrewsbury

Monday 18 December 8.00pm Shropshire Youth Orchestra & New College Chorale at Shrewsbury Abbey

The following items from the diary are here to give some advance notice – further details will be posted closer to the event.

Tuesday 5 December North West Shropshire Schools String Orchestra at The Marches School, Oswestry 6.00pm

January 5-7 – Strings Residential Weekend at Pioneer Centre. This very popular course is now full.

February 24th – Woodwind Platform

March 2 to 4 – Residential Chamber Music Course at Pioneer Centre. Please return forms asap even if you are not a member of a chamber group.

March 3^rd Shropshire Youth Brass Band performing in Condover

March 9 and 10 – School of Music Open days – take an opportunity to hear our bands, choirs and orchestras in rehearsal, especially if you would like to join.

March 17 (10.00 -16.00) Music for Youth, Meole Brace School – the regional round of the National event.

March 30^th at 7.30– Shropshire Youth Brass Band at Wrekin College

April 28th– Woodwind Platform

June 22^nd Whole class violin concert, Shrewsbury, The Music Hall

July 9^th – Cellobration 3 – our third annual event to celebrate the cello at Christchurch

July 10^th 7.00pm Meole Brace School – Shrewsbury String Festival

July 11^th Brass Extravaganza

July 14th 7.15pm Strings Gala Concert, Meole Brace School

The Shropshire Youth Big Band, which rehearses on Friday evenings of School of Music weekends at Belvidere School from 5.30 to 8.00pm, has vacancies for alto, tenor & baritone saxes, trombones & percussionists. The contact is Jenny Couch at our email address – see ‘contact’ above.