WRS Homepage

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	Introduction to WRS How to become a member 2008-2009 Schedule Workshops: Reviews * Gruskin Workshop, April 25, 2009 * Roberts Workshop , Nov. 15, 2008 WRS notes Music links to download (free!) Newsworthy items * 2009 WRS Spring Concert : Review * Matchstick Recorders Anyone? * Social Hour * Survey Results * Recorders for Sale * Professional Recorder Teachers * WRS Music Library and Policy * Meetings snow policy! New flyer for download Membership Offices and officers Visitors and lost locals /Directions Interested in other early music related stuff? Checkout these links: * Societies, etc. * Retail shops * General Recorder Information For more information, contact: aej11@verizon.net

Washington Recorder Society

The Washington Recorder Society is a nonprofit organization dedicated to recorder playing. WRS is a chapter of the American Recorder Society. Currently the WRS has about 45 members.

WRS meets twice a month for ensemble playing, instruction, and guest recorder concerts at the Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church, 9601 Cedar Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814-4099, from 8:00-10:00 pm. Sheet music is supplied to participants at each meeting. These meetings are usually on the first and third Mondays from September through May.

The first Monday of the month is the Nova session, and is devoted to two hours of group playing under the leadership of Dick Shrager. The music ranges from the Middle Ages to modern jazz and tango.

The third Monday of the month is the Antiqua session. It begins with a brief business meeting which is followed by a guest recorder concert by a local group. The concert usually lasts about 30-40 minutes. After the guest concert, the attendees break up into separate ensembles under the direction of a group leader.

In 2008-2009, there will be three ensembles to choose from at each Antiqua session:

Group 1 - Leaders: Jane Takeuchi Udelson and Bruce Crane. Group 1 will concentrate on the basics of recorder playing and building ensemble skills. Emphasis will be on rhythm, intonation, and interpretation. Music to be played is scored SAT, but Bass players wishing to practice playing in the treble clef are welcomed. Members are encouraged to play at least two instruments (or be willing to try.) Music will come from the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods. This group is recommended also for players learning a new instrument.
Group 2 (Post Baroque) - Leader: Richard Shrager. The Post Baroque group is for those players wishing to explore the repertoire mainly from 1750 onward with occasional lapses into Baroque and Renaissance periods. Some of the music will be challenging, but level of difficulty varies among the parts. This group plays as a "recorder orchestra" with several players on most parts. Because of this and since the group is conducted, players who do not feel comfortable carrying their part unaided feel at home here.
Group 3 (Mixed Consort) - Leaders: Ferd Baer and Myrl Powell. The Mixed Consort welcomes players of recorders, viols, buzzies and percussion. Music of the Renaissance and earlier is the focus of the playing. The Mixed Consort is for intermediate to advanced players comfortable playing 'one on a part' and able to adapt to the instrumental needs of the music at hand.

In 2008-2009, WRS will host two exciting workshops by Gwyn Roberts and Shelley Gruskin. Keep posted for more information on these workshops by clicking on workshop.

In early May, WRS holds a Spring Concert where all Antiqua groups perform along with guest ensembles. On occasion at the Spring Concert, a group of WRS players has premiered a new composition for recorder. See the review of the 2008 concert under Newsworthy Items.

To join WRS, click on how to become a member.

For WRS’s 2008-2009 schedule, click on schedule.

Offices and Officers

President
and
ARS Chapter Representative

Art Jacobson......................(301) 983-1310

Vice President
Helen Eliot......................(301) 593-0061

Treasurer
Margaret Turner..............(301) 587-7985

Web-Master
and
Secretary
Ferdinand Baer.................(301) 622-4793

Members-at-Large

Anne Hinton......................(301) 229-5569

Vickie Walter....................(301) 891-1367

Ex-Officio

Jane T.Udelson...................(202) 966-0331

Myrl Powell.......................(301) 587-4799

Jayme Sokolow.................(301) 933-3989

Tempted to see these rogues in more detail? Click on their icon!

Web Pages of Interest

The American Recorder Society

The Viola da Gamba Society of America

The Crumhorn Page

Early Music FAQ (frequently asked questions)

The Recorder Home Page

WETA

Denver Recorder Society

Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center

Early Music Network

Retail Shops Online (some with general information)

The Recorder Shop

Dale Music

Lazar's Early Music

Antique Sound Workshop, Ltd.

Collins and Williams

Unicorn Recorders

SAUNDERS RECORDERS (British)

von Huene Workshop

Wichita Band Instrument Co.

Honeysuckle Music

Musiciansfriend.com

Courtley Music Unlimited

Kelischek Workshop

Boulder Early Music Shop

Lark in the Morning

Buy download music?

General Recorder Information

About Recorders by Carson Turner

Winfried Bauer's Recorder Fingerings

Online Music Scores (to Download)

Music Theory & History Online (Dr. Brian Blood)

Early Music America

Harmonia - American Early Music Series Audio Programs

Medieval and Renaissance Music - Early Music Resources on the Web

Visitors and Lost Locals

If you are traveling in the area with your recorders at the time of one of our meetings (see schedules above), you are welcome to join us in playing with one of our groups. We meet at the following location and the map should help to locate you:

Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church
9601 Cedar Lane
Bethesda, MD 20814-4099

MAP(Click)

Newsworthy items

2009 WRS SPRING CONCERT

On Saturday, May 2, 2009 at 3:00pm at the Cedar Lane Unitarian Church, the WRS presented its annual spring concert. This is a tradition of over thirty years wherein subgroups of the society and their friends perform some of the beautiful literature available to recorders. A number of groups performed at this concert , and the variety of music was delightful. Since it is difficult in this day and age to attract new members to our society, we are encouraged that this event may lead to a renaissance for the WRS. We therefore hope that you will join one of our performing groups in the future. Click here for the program of this year's concert.

Matchstick Recorders

Greetings from England, U.K.! I enjoyed visiting your website and wondered if your members might be interested to learn about my recorder. It is one of a set of playable musical instruments my late father imagined and created entirely from used wooden matchsticks. More than 2,000 matchsticks went into the construction. The matchsticks were individually stuck together with hide glue and the blackened, burnt match-heads were ingeniously interlocked to form ornate designs. Since he made it in 1976 it has been played at museums, musical festivals and on BBC television by soloists and as part of the matchstick band. In 2003 it was entered in the book of Guinness World Records. The abbreviated text says: " Tony Hall (UK) owns 10 playable musical instruments made entirely from 106,000 used wooden matchsticks." For further information go to the following links:

http://www.ibluegrass.com/bg_posting3.CFM?p__i=641&p__r=&p__a=match

http://www.m-navydays.com/newpages/Matchstickman/Jackhall.htm

Best regards to your members,
Tony Hall
email: tonyhall.match10@btinternet.com

Social Hour

The board has determined that there will be a social hour with beverage service preceding the Antigua meeting. The social hour will commence at 7:30pm and will be followed by the regular meeting at 8:00pm. Please come and interact with your fellow members.

Survey Results

You were all part of a survey in 2004 and the results have been tabulated. If you want to know the outcome of this effort, click here.

RECORDERS for SALE

None at this time.

Professional Recorder Teachers

WRS is proud to report that four professional recorder teachers rank among its membership. For members seeking professional help with their playing, these individuals would be pleased to discuss your needs with you. You may contact them as follows:

John Benaglia      (202-234-1837)
Suzana Cooper     (301-718-6454)
Kay Jones              (301-652-7231) ensemble teacher
Carole Rogentine (301-530-6386)

WRS Music Library

The WRS music library consists of two separate collections of printed music. All the music in both collections is available to WRS members to borrow. The music is stored in two cabinets in room 1, downstairs at the Cedar Lane Unitarian Church where our meetings are held. The cabinets are unlocked and open before and during our Nova and Antiqua meetings and workshops. Instructions for charging out and returning music are posted on the inside of the right-hand door of the right-hand cabinet.

The collections consist of the original WRS music, which has accumulated since the beginning of the Society itself and the Oler Collection, which was given to the WRS several years ago by the Oler family. The music in both collections is fully cataloged according to number of instruments and by composer or title. There are also some exercise and performance manuals. It is easy to find a specific piece of music you might want or to browse through the music according to solo or ensemble music.

Members are encouraged to use the music.

Meeting policy for snow days

Cedar Lane Unitarian Church's policy about closings/cancellations of evening meetings is the following. A message will be placed on the church phone number if the building is to be closed during the evening. The way to check is to call 301-493-8300. If there is no word about closing, they are open. Their policy is to remain open as much as possible, even if the County schools are closed. Their primary concern is the condition of their parking lots. Please use this method as your first line of information on whether a meeting of the WRS will be cancelled.