davidsmithconductor

BCB looks east!

davidsmith — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:10:52 +0000

Saturday 26 May 2012

St Mary’s Church, Barnes, SW13

A concert full of music that looks east – setting off on the Orient Express and taking in the sights of Armenia, Russia, China and Japan along the way!

Philip Sparke: Orient Express
John Williams: Viktor’s Tale (from The Terminal)
Alfred Reed: Armenian Dances
Leonard Bernstein: Slava!
Shostakovich: Festive Overture
Tan Dun: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Nigel Clarke: Samurai
Friedemann: Slavonic Rhapsody No. 2

May concert with CLSW

davidsmith — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:17:03 +0000

Sunday 27 May, 4.30pm

St Paul’s, Covent Garden

City of London Symphonic Winds

Programme to be announced

For further information contact the Box Office: tickets@clsw.org.uk

The most fun you can have with a database

davidsmith — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:02:59 +0000

OK, so Fabio Capello’s resignation has just been announced, so I won’t be making the headlines with my own particular exciting times, but there’s lots going on right now, and – given my prowess on Football Manager (“the most fun you can have with a database”) – I’m sure that my to-do list will shortly include “call the FA back about the job”.

In the real world, the new SE London orchestra with which I’m involved in founding is well and truly off the ground. It’s worrying/exciting/nerve-wracking, all at the same time – will anyone actually be interested in joining (other than dozens of flautists and clarinetists), will we be pissing off other groups, will we ever agree on when to hold rehearsals? Tricky.

We’re delighted, however, that things are off to a flying start with more people than we dared dream contacting us within the first two weeks. And plenty of them have strings on their instruments.

And, in other news, I am actually playing the trombone this week! Take cover. It’s a pleasure to be in the orchestra for the world premiere performances of Thelma by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor – his ‘lost’ opera, being produced by Surrey Opera at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon. You can read Tom Service’s piece on the Guardian website for more info – he was at the dress rehearsal on Monday. The premiere is Thursday 9 February, with further performances on Friday and Saturday.

And it’s back to the wonderful City of London Symphonic Winds on Sunday, preparing for our 26 February concert. I know I pick the programmes, but why oh why did I think that Charles Ives would be fun? (OK, it will be fun, I know, but tricky for me!) Maybe less time on Football Manager, more with the score…

A new orchestra for SE London

davidsmith — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:13:51 +0000

I’m thrilled to be part of a brand new project to launch an orchestra in a ‘pocket’ of SE London which is currently not served by anyone.

This yet-unnamed orchestra will launch in April 2012, with the intention of serving musicians and communities in and around the areas of Beckenham, Bellingham, Catford, Crystal Palace, Elmers End, Forest Hill, Norwood, Penge and Sydenham.

We are actively looking to recruit the first members!

Are you interested? The orchestra will first get together for a repertoire day that will end with an informal ‘open rehearsal’/play-through. This will be at a venue in or around Beckenham, in mid-April 2012. There will be some great music, combined with lunch together and the all-important social at the end of the day!

Interested? So what do you need to do now?

The first thing to do is simply to send us an email (seorchestra@gmail.com) to register your interest – tell us what instrument(s) you play, and anything else relevant, e.g. your experience, why you’re interested etc. As soon as we have fixed the date, venue and schedule, we’ll get back to you with confirmation. But we do need you to get in touch with us soon, because we won’t be able to go ahead if we don’t hear from enough people.
Please also help us to spread the word about the new orchestra with any/all players in your contacts book – send them the link to this page. Word of mouth is so important – and even if it’s not for someone in particular, if you ask them to send it on to their contacts too, then the word gets around even more. Thank you!

If you can help publicise the website – on Facebook, Twitter, emailing friends – then please do so: http://seorchestra.wordpress.com/

I will let you know how we get on!

Haydn 102 – repertoire session

davidsmith — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 12:07:59 +0000

Wednesday 18 January 2018, 7.00pm

St Joseph’s Church Hall, London, EC1

London Repertoire Orchestra

Haydn: Symphony No. 102 in B flat

The last Christmas before the Olympics

davidsmith — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 16:49:03 +0000

Sunday 4 December 2011, 2.30pm

Wathen Hall, Barnes, SW13

Barnes Concert Band

A charity concert in support of local charity FiSH, a neighbourhood voluntary care scheme in Barnes.

John Williams: The Olympic Spirit
Vangelis: Theme from Chariots of Fire
Arnold Steck: Sporting Occasion
Hammond/Bettis: One Moment in Time
John Williams: Olympic Fanfare and Theme
Leroy Anderson: A Christmas Festival
Irving Berlin: I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas
David Barker: Scherzo from A Christmas Suite
Clare Grundman: Three Carols for Christmas
Slade: Merry Christmas Everybody
Leroy Anderson: Sleigh Ride

Auditions

davidsmith — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 11:12:03 +0000

Today is going to be a fun day – off to Barnes to audition young musicians for the opportunity to play in Barnes Concert Band’s 10 March concert (see my earlier post on the subject). We have to pick the best young players from the Barnes/Richmond/Hounslow areas to play a solo piece with the band.

Time to look friendly and encouraging!

Young soloists with BCB

davidsmith — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 16:16:58 +0000

On Saturday 10 March 2012 Barnes Concert Band and I will be joined by a number of young soloists from around the area for a special concert.

The band wants to encourage young musicians to reach their potential and share the enjoyment of playing with a concert band. As such, a competition has been running for woodwind, brass and percussion players living in Richmond, Hounslow or Kingston to audition for this opportunity. Auditions took place in November 2011.

The concert on 10 March at Richmond Park Academy will feature the winners of the competition, each performing a solo work accompanied by the band. And now we know that the winners are:

Matilda Ashe-Belton (trombone) – performing the Rimsky-Korsakov Trombone Concerto (first movement)
Robbie Henderson (euphonium) – performing Goff Richards’ ‘Midnight Euphonium’
Amy Tucke (flute) – performing the Chaminade Flute Concertino

The rest of the programme will be:

Leonard Bernstein: Slava!
Philip Sparke: Orient Express
Edward Gregson: Festivo
Frank Ticheli: Vesuvius
Morten Lauridsen: O Magnum Mysterium

Spring with CLSW

davidsmith — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 16:06:37 +0000

Sunday 26 February, 4.30pm

St Paul’s, Covent Garden

City of London Symphonic Winds

Norman Dello Joio: Variants on a Medieval Tune
Adam Gorb: Awayday
Paul Hart: Cartoon
Eric Whitacre: Cloudburst
Charles Ives: Country Band March
Derek Bourgeious: Serenade

For further information contact the Box Office: tickets@clsw.org.uk

Community carol service

davidsmith — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 13:34:19 +0000

Thursday 15 December 2011, 7.00pm

St Michael & All Angels Church, Barnes

Barnes Concert Band

Christmas carols and a couple of Christmas favourites at St Michael & All Angels’ annual community carol service.