All Live Meetings Canceled Until We Can Meet Again Safely
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and in order to keep our members safe, there will be no live meetings in the foreseeable future. See below for details and ideas to stay involved with recorders until we can get together once more.
Keep playing and listening
Charlie Jackson has offered to host a 2nd OCRS/SCRS on-line concert after the first success. Here is your chance to shine or at least to have some fun playing to an appreciative and forgiving audience, or at least to tune in and hear your fellow recorder players. August 1 2:00. Learn more.
Update July, 2020 from the OCRS President
I want to report to you that in response to the recent Ballot/Questionnaire, a quorum was met with 20 of the members out of 38 memberships and 47 members responding. The Ballot measures were approved, and many helpful suggestions and thoughts were provided through the Questionnaire.
The Board has determined that in light of the continuing health and safety concerns and resulting restrictions, there will be no live in-person meetings for the foreseeable future and that there will be no membership dues for the 2020/2021 Season. In place of these we will be offering on-line sessions beginning in the Fall with 2 sessions. If there is sufficient interest and participation, then additional on-line sessions will be offered in the Winter and Spring. There will be no fees charged for these sessions. All 2019/2020 members are invited, and donations will be greatly appreciated.
I have contacted several recorder professionals who have presented outstanding on-line sessions this Spring and Summer and they are enthusiastic about working with OCRS. The on-line sessions will be conducted using the meeting application Zoom. Details on using Zoom for these sessions will be sent out shortly as well as a description of the sessions. As I have indicated previously, Zoom is a popular, easy to use application for computers and tablets that, when done correctly, provides a positive user experience in spite of its limitations compared to a live in-person session- it is just different. I think that you will enjoy it and its possibilities.
The Board has proposed that when it is safe and we are all confident in returning to live in-person playing, OCRS will host a “gala” member gathering celebrating making music together again. In the meantime, the OCRS website will continue to be maintained. The plan is to start posting useful sheet music, lists of upcoming on-line classes and other music-related resources, as well as links to on-line performances that members might enjoy.
As we face these unusual and challenging times, I wish each of you the best. Please stay safe and stay well.
Win Aldrich
Stay in Touch
We’re interested in your ideas. Contact us, including OCRS in the subject line.
Even if we can’t meet in person, we will share ideas for ways to keep playing and enjoying the recorder while sheltering.
Message from OCRS President Win Aldrich
In the face of global pandemic, what is a recorder player to do?As I write this, my upcoming travel plans are draining away- one workshop after another is cancelling or postponing. COVID-19 is hitting the recorder world hard. So many of our activities depend on gathering together, so when we can’t, we face significant disruption.
Seeing as how so many of us may soon be hunkered at home trying to wait out the contagion, I’ve been giving some thought to how we can continue to grow musically during such an isolated and difficult time!
Here are five ideas:
Chain Your Practice
One of the few things we may soon have a wealth of is time. And how better to spend that time than making your practice habitual? Jerry Seinfeld’s “don’t break the chain” method for creative output is focused not on results, but on consistency- you get yourself a blank calendar and X out the first day you practice. Then you do it again the next day. The idea is to keep X-ing, without breaking the chain. Again, the emphasis isn’t on duration of practice- it’s on the everydayness. If you can make practice a part of your everyday, it will pay amazing dividends down the line.
Embrace solitude!
Turn isolation into a plus by tackling some of the wonderful music that’s out there for unaccompanied recorder. The postal system still works, so try motivating yourself by purchasing a quality edition of one of the following…or any other solo music that fits the bill.
- Telemann: 12 Fantasias for Solo flute (recorder version)
- Van Eyck: Der Fluyten Lusthof
- Bassasno: Ricercate
Record and Replay
Recording yourself can be uncomfortable at first, but it pays off. You’ll be able to analyze your own playing much more keenly and deeply than you can in real time, and that can only help you grow. You can also fake a duet partner by recording yourself playing one part, and then playing the other part as you play the recording back. Pro tip: If you do this, DEFINITELY use a metronome as you record. Because you won’t have two parties able to respond to rhythmic fluctuations in real time, at least one part must be rock solid.
Go Online
Facetime, Skype, Zoom, and other platforms help us connect with one another across vast distances. Although the time lag makes it impossible to play simultaneously with another person online, you are able to listen to one another play and talk back and forth with ease. Now is a great time to take some online recorder lessons, or simply call up a friend and take turns playing for one another. No mask required.
Dream
You may not be able to meet up with your fellow recorder players at the moment, but you can start thinking about what you’ll want to play when you can. Explore new music online, either via hunting for scores or listening to recordings. When the pandemic passes, you’ll be ready.
Download the latest newsletter: OCRSnews0320