Welcome to SRS

COVID update:  For the time being SRS is sharing online meetings with the San Francisco Recorder Society on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom.  We also encourage participation in online classes held by ARS and SFEMS.  Please consider supporting professional recorder players and teachers affected by the pandemic by contributing to the Recorder Artist Relief Fund.

The Sacramento Recorder Society is a chapter of the American Recorder Society and an affiliate of the San Francisco Early Music Society. We welcome recorder players of all ages and abilities as well as players of other early music instruments such as lutes, viols, sackbuts, shawms, curtals, krummhorns, and percussion.  When we are able to meet in person safely, we meet monthly September through June, from 6:45-9:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month, at the Friends Meeting House, 890 57th St., between H and J. We always welcome visitors to our meetings.  Map

For regular announcements, please follow the blog and be sure to read our monthly newsletter. You’ll get an email when new announcements are posted, generally only a few per month.

Questions? Contact Mark Schiffer or any board member on the Contact page.

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tibia Duo’s Practice Challenge #22

Greetings!

Please read on for your invitation to join Tibia Recorder Duo (Tish Berlin and Frances Blaker) for our 22nd Practice Challenge. We start on Monday January 18th and finish on Sunday February 28th. We hope you’ll join us!

Letitia Berlin and Frances Blaker
Tibia Recorder Duo

January 9, 2021

Dear fellow musicians,
In this time of COVID-19, getting together to make music with others is too risky, but we all need music more than ever! During Practice Challenges # 17 to 21 (the first five PCs during almost-national shelter-in-place orders) there was a wonderful sense of community with our fellow practicers. We want to keep that sense of community going! We hope you’ll join Tibia Recorder Duo in our quest to make practicing recorder (or any other instrument, or voice) a part of everyday life for six weeks. Even a five-minute practice session counts, so don’t be daunted! We are here to help and encourage!

#22: A Practice Challenge for Extraordinary Times
Monday, January 18th – Sunday, February 28, 2021

Tier 1 is free and is designed to provide a community of practicers (that’s you!) with:

• Inspirational messages once a week from Tish & Frances!
• As incentive and accountability, you can opt to email us weekly check-in reports. (We read them all, but can’t respond to them all – there are just too many of you!)
• Participation in the private member-led group email exchange. This part is also optional, but we love this part of the Practice Challenge – participants always ask great questions and receive helpful support from the group. We use Groups.io for this forum.

Tier 2 is a paid tier – the fee is $32. Tier 2 participants receive all of the benefits of Tier 1 AND:

• Can email us with questions as part of their weekly check-in report, and we can answer them!
• Practice materials! The materials we send are not homework and you can use them as you see fit. Those of you who have your own materials to work on may wish to use the PC materials as supplemental material, save them for later, or just to play for fun!
• Access to our play-along videos – we play trios minus one, so you can play along with us. You’ll have access to the music in advance, with markings for phrasing and articulation. Every other week you’ll receive two trio-minus-one videos – one geared toward more advanced players and one toward less advanced players. For alternate weeks, see next item.
• Barbara Weiss, harpsichordist, will provide play-along continuo recordings on alternate weeks. For Practice Challenge #22 we’ll be focusing on dance movements by French Baroque composers geared toward the more advanced players, and on dances from the 1612 Terpsichore publication geared toward the less advanced players. Barbara can also provide tailored recordings for you – contact her privately at harpsichordweiss to inquire about her rates.

Click here to register for Tier 1 or Tier 2!

We hope you will join us at one of these two levels. As always, please reply to this email or contact us at our website if you have any questions.

If you do not receive a confirmation email from us, your registration or payment did not go through. Please contact us for help at tibiarecorderduo or try again.

Now, let the practicing begin!

Musically yours,
Tish & Frances

https://sites.google.com/view/practice-challenge-22/tibia-duo-pc-22-info

Letitia Berlin and Frances Blaker
Tibia Recorder Duo
www.tibiaduo.com
510-882-1169
visit us on Facebook!

Tips to Help you Navigate the Practice Challenge Google Site for Registration and Payment

1. Go to https://sites.google.com/view/practice-challenge-22/tibia-duo-pc-22-info. It’s probably better to do this on a laptop or desktop, but it should also work on a tablet. If you have trouble, use a different browser, such as Chrome, DuckDuckGo, or others.

2. Fill in the requested information, then click “Next”. You may need to scroll back up to the top of the next page. You may also need to move your cursor around the screen to bring up the necessary forms.

3. If you selected Tier 2, you’ll be asked for more information. Fill in your request if you have one. Click on “Submit”. Once again, you’ll need to scroll back up to find the “Submit” button.

4. If you selected Tier 1 you will be taken to a page that confirms your registration.

5. If you selected Tier 2, scroll to the bottom of the page for the payment information. We have removed the PayPal button because too many people couldn’t make it work before. Please use one of the options (Paypal, Venmo, Zelle, or check) listed on the registration page.

If paying by check, please mail to Tish Berlin and Frances Blaker at 806 Washington Ave., Albany CA 94706. Your name will be added to Tier 2 when your check arrives.

https://sites.google.com/view/practice-challenge-22/tibia-duo-pc-22-info

Tibia Recorder Duo
Letitia Berlin and Frances Blaker
tibiarecorderduo
www.tibiaduo.com

tibia Duo’s Practice Challenge #22

Greetings!

Please read on for your invitation to join Tibia Recorder Duo (Tish Berlin and Frances Blaker) for our 22nd Practice Challenge. We start on Monday January 18th and finish on Sunday February 28th. We hope you’ll join us!

Letitia Berlin and Frances Blaker
Tibia Recorder Duo

January 9, 2021

Dear fellow musicians,
In this time of COVID-19, getting together to make music with others is too risky, but we all need music more than ever! During Practice Challenges # 17 to 21 (the first five PCs during almost-national shelter-in-place orders) there was a wonderful sense of community with our fellow practicers. We want to keep that sense of community going! We hope you’ll join Tibia Recorder Duo in our quest to make practicing recorder (or any other instrument, or voice) a part of everyday life for six weeks. Even a five-minute practice session counts, so don’t be daunted! We are here to help and encourage!

#22: A Practice Challenge for Extraordinary Times
Monday, January 18th – Sunday, February 28, 2021

Tier 1 is free and is designed to provide a community of practicers (that’s you!) with:

• Inspirational messages once a week from Tish & Frances!
• As incentive and accountability, you can opt to email us weekly check-in reports. (We read them all, but can’t respond to them all – there are just too many of you!)
• Participation in the private member-led group email exchange. This part is also optional, but we love this part of the Practice Challenge – participants always ask great questions and receive helpful support from the group. We use Groups.io for this forum.

Tier 2 is a paid tier – the fee is $32. Tier 2 participants receive all of the benefits of Tier 1 AND:

• Can email us with questions as part of their weekly check-in report, and we can answer them!
• Practice materials! The materials we send are not homework and you can use them as you see fit. Those of you who have your own materials to work on may wish to use the PC materials as supplemental material, save them for later, or just to play for fun!
• Access to our play-along videos – we play trios minus one, so you can play along with us. You’ll have access to the music in advance, with markings for phrasing and articulation. Every other week you’ll receive two trio-minus-one videos – one geared toward more advanced players and one toward less advanced players. For alternate weeks, see next item.
• Barbara Weiss, harpsichordist, will provide play-along continuo recordings on alternate weeks. For Practice Challenge #22 we’ll be focusing on dance movements by French Baroque composers geared toward the more advanced players, and on dances from the 1612 Terpsichore publication geared toward the less advanced players. Barbara can also provide tailored recordings for you – contact her privately at harpsichordweiss to inquire about her rates.

Click here to register for Tier 1 or Tier 2!

We hope you will join us at one of these two levels. As always, please reply to this email or contact us at our website if you have any questions.

If you do not receive a confirmation email from us, your registration or payment did not go through. Please contact us for help at tibiarecorderduo or try again.

Now, let the practicing begin!

Musically yours,
Tish & Frances

https://sites.google.com/view/practice-challenge-22/tibia-duo-pc-22-info

Letitia Berlin and Frances Blaker
Tibia Recorder Duo
www.tibiaduo.com
510-882-1169
visit us on Facebook!

Tips to Help you Navigate the Practice Challenge Google Site for Registration and Payment

1. Go to https://sites.google.com/view/practice-challenge-22/tibia-duo-pc-22-info. It’s probably better to do this on a laptop or desktop, but it should also work on a tablet. If you have trouble, use a different browser, such as Chrome, DuckDuckGo, or others.

2. Fill in the requested information, then click “Next”. You may need to scroll back up to the top of the next page. You may also need to move your cursor around the screen to bring up the necessary forms.

3. If you selected Tier 2, you’ll be asked for more information. Fill in your request if you have one. Click on “Submit”. Once again, you’ll need to scroll back up to find the “Submit” button.

4. If you selected Tier 1 you will be taken to a page that confirms your registration.

5. If you selected Tier 2, scroll to the bottom of the page for the payment information. We have removed the PayPal button because too many people couldn’t make it work before. Please use one of the options (Paypal, Venmo, Zelle, or check) listed on the registration page.

If paying by check, please mail to Tish Berlin and Frances Blaker at 806 Washington Ave., Albany CA 94706. Your name will be added to Tier 2 when your check arrives.

https://sites.google.com/view/practice-challenge-22/tibia-duo-pc-22-info

Tibia Recorder Duo
Letitia Berlin and Frances Blaker
tibiarecorderduo
www.tibiaduo.com

Tibia Recorder Duo’s Practice Challenge #22

Greetings!

Please read on for your invitation to join Tibia Recorder Duo (Tish Berlin and Frances Blaker) for our 22nd Practice Challenge. We start on Monday January 18th and finish on Sunday February 28th. We hope you’ll join us!

Letitia Berlin and Frances Blaker
Tibia Recorder Duo

January 9, 2021

Dear fellow musicians,
In this time of COVID-19, getting together to make music with others is too risky, but we all need music more than ever! During Practice Challenges # 17 to 21 (the first five PCs during almost-national shelter-in-place orders) there was a wonderful sense of community with our fellow practicers. We want to keep that sense of community going! We hope you’ll join Tibia Recorder Duo in our quest to make practicing recorder (or any other instrument, or voice) a part of everyday life for six weeks. Even a five-minute practice session counts, so don’t be daunted! We are here to help and encourage!

#22: A Practice Challenge for Extraordinary Times
Monday, January 18th – Sunday, February 28, 2021

Tier 1 is free and is designed to provide a community of practicers (that’s you!) with:

• Inspirational messages once a week from Tish & Frances!
• As incentive and accountability, you can opt to email us weekly check-in reports. (We read them all, but can’t respond to them all – there are just too many of you!)
• Participation in the private member-led group email exchange. This part is also optional, but we love this part of the Practice Challenge – participants always ask great questions and receive helpful support from the group. We use Groups.io for this forum.

Tier 2 is a paid tier – the fee is $32. Tier 2 participants receive all of the benefits of Tier 1 AND:

• Can email us with questions as part of their weekly check-in report, and we can answer them!
• Practice materials! The materials we send are not homework and you can use them as you see fit. Those of you who have your own materials to work on may wish to use the PC materials as supplemental material, save them for later, or just to play for fun!
• Access to our play-along videos – we play trios minus one, so you can play along with us. You’ll have access to the music in advance, with markings for phrasing and articulation. Every other week you’ll receive two trio-minus-one videos – one geared toward more advanced players and one toward less advanced players. For alternate weeks, see next item.
• Barbara Weiss, harpsichordist, will provide play-along continuo recordings on alternate weeks. For Practice Challenge #22 we’ll be focusing on dance movements by French Baroque composers geared toward the more advanced players, and on dances from the 1612 Terpsichore publication geared toward the less advanced players. Barbara can also provide tailored recordings for you – contact her privately at harpsichordweiss to inquire about her rates.

Click here to register for Tier 1 or Tier 2!

We hope you will join us at one of these two levels. As always, please reply to this email or contact us at our website if you have any questions.

If you do not receive a confirmation email from us, your registration or payment did not go through. Please contact us for help at tibiarecorderduo or try again.

Now, let the practicing begin!

Musically yours,
Tish & Frances

https://sites.google.com/view/practice-challenge-22/tibia-duo-pc-22-info

Letitia Berlin and Frances Blaker
Tibia Recorder Duo
www.tibiaduo.com
510-882-1169
visit us on Facebook!

Tips to Help you Navigate the Practice Challenge Google Site for Registration and Payment

1. Go to https://sites.google.com/view/practice-challenge-22/tibia-duo-pc-22-info. It’s probably better to do this on a laptop or desktop, but it should also work on a tablet. If you have trouble, use a different browser, such as Chrome, DuckDuckGo, or others.

2. Fill in the requested information, then click “Next”. You may need to scroll back up to the top of the next page. You may also need to move your cursor around the screen to bring up the necessary forms.

3. If you selected Tier 2, you’ll be asked for more information. Fill in your request if you have one. Click on “Submit”. Once again, you’ll need to scroll back up to find the “Submit” button.

4. If you selected Tier 1 you will be taken to a page that confirms your registration.

5. If you selected Tier 2, scroll to the bottom of the page for the payment information. We have removed the PayPal button because too many people couldn’t make it work before. Please use one of the options (Paypal, Venmo, Zelle, or check) listed on the registration page.

If paying by check, please mail to Tish Berlin and Frances Blaker at 806 Washington Ave., Albany CA 94706. Your name will be added to Tier 2 when your check arrives.

https://sites.google.com/view/practice-challenge-22/tibia-duo-pc-22-info

Tibia Recorder Duo
Letitia Berlin and Frances Blaker
tibiarecorderduo
www.tibiaduo.com

January 2021 Newsletter

January 2021 newsletter.pdf

Dear Early Music Friends,  

I hope this finds you all well! I am doing fine myself (fingers crossed!).  In reference to yesterday’s events, I saw a post that said, “This seven day free trial of 2021 is not working out for me.  I want to cancel my subscription!”  Fortunately, the elector count is now done.  On to more cheerful musical things! I have included quite a few online musical resources in this newsletter. And I just received the following description from Vicki Boeckman for next Wednesday’s music and thought I’d share it here.

“I am honored to be on the impressive lineup of guest conductors, and excited to lead your January 13^th session. My intent is to share joyful music that uplifts and enlivens. We will start with a simple yet lovely Danish hymn to ring in the new year: “Vær Velkommen Herrens År”, roughly translated as “We Welcome you, Year of the Lord”. If there are any Danes out there, I encourage you to sing along at the top of your voices! Of course anyone may sing, but the text flows best in Danish. 

We will then play one of my absolute all-time favorite pieces for the new year; the gorgeous Andante Festivo by Jean Sibelius, tastefully transcribed by Charles Coldwell. Originally written for string quartet in 1922, Sibelius re-scored it in 1938 for orchestra and timpani (for a grandiose flourish on the final 4 measures), and conducted the premier in a direct radio broadcast on New Year’s Day 1939.

After all that gorgeousness we’ll need to pep things up a bit, so I have chosen a delightful arrangement of a medieval Saltarello by Seattle Recorder Society’s director emeritus Peter Seibert. I’m sure you all will recognize the familiar tune, and I guarantee Peter’s clever harmonies will bring a smile to even the weariest of souls.

For skiers and snow lovers out there we will end with the zippy “Down the Piste” from Benjamin Britten’s picturesque Alpine Suite, enabling players oodles of opportunities to practice double tonguing diddles or duhguhs. 

Pitch for the evening will be 440 or thereabouts (!) Please choose any size recorder that you like. I will be sharing sound files so you will have the experience of playing in a virtual ensemble, but due to the varying degrees of latency there is no way that scrolling or page turning will ever be ‘just right’ for everyone, so I find it most successful if folks print and read from their own parts. (or download to a separate device).”

Sounds great, right?  I’m looking forward to seeing you (in your square!) next Wednesday,  

Patty Johnson, SRS newsletter editor

SFEMS Spring 2021 Virtual Classes

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

ENROLL TODAY!

Come enjoy SFEMS’s patented mix of playing, scholarship, and community!2021 is almost here! While we are waiting for our vaccines, we can still study, play, and branch out into new areas of early music. These classes will have something for everybody, from lectures and demonstrations to play-along sessions!Highlights include a five-class series on late medieval repertoire with Shira Kammen; one two-part class on historical dance with Jennifer Meller; and a special lecture on historical temperaments and tuning by the man who wrote the book on topic, Ross Duffin!Listen, practice, dance, ask questions, and interact directly with our faculty members—there’s something for everyone!

Saturday, January 16 @ 10AM
Daphna Mor (recorder, voice) and Kane Mathis (oud, kora): Music of the Mali EmpireFive Saturdays @ 10AM (January 23–February 23)
Shira Kammen: A Whirlwind Tour from Chant through Dufay—Polyphonic & Monophonic music from the early Middle Ages to the beginning of the Renaissance
Saturday, January 30 @ 3PM
Vicki Boeckman: Musicke for a King
Sunday, February 7 @ 1PM
Rachelle Romero: Musical Evolution through the Hundred Years’ War
Saturday, February 13 @ 1PM
Mary Springfels: Chasing the Good Lai—Machaut’s Lai de la fontaine
Sunday, February 21 @ 1PM
Cheryl Ann Fulton: To Pluck and Not To Plink – That is the Secret!
Saturday, February 27 @ 3PM
Vicki Boeckman: Canons and Imitation across the Nations
Saturday, March 6 AND Sunday, March 7 @ 3PM
Jennifer Meller: Whistle While You Dance: Sung Branles of 16th Century France /
Branles of Mystery
Saturday, March 13 @ 1PM
Ross Duffin: The Tuning and Temperament Conundrum
Sunday, March 14 @ 1PM
David Morris: Boismortier Suite in G minor—And You’re the Soloist!
Saturday, March 20 @ 10 AM
Bianca Hall: Madrigals of Hope and Renewal
Saturday March 27 @ 1PM
Adam Gilbert: We’ll Meet Again—Songs of Greeting, Parting, Longing, and Hope

January Zoom music classes with Tish Berlin

Greetings!

Here is some information about classes in January. I hope you can join me!

With best wishes for a healthy and happy holiday,
Tish

Tish Berlin’s Zoom classes January 12, 19, and 26, 2020

1.The Trill of the Baroque II
Tuesday January 12, 19, and 26, 10:00 am – 11:30 pm Pacific/1:00 – 2:30 pm Eastern.
Each Tuesday we’ll drill Baroque trill fingerings and other essential ornaments, then work on Baroque duets to practice the trills in context. For intermediate to upper intermediate recorders.Pitch: A=440

2. Susanne and the Elders: Settings from the 16th Century
Tuesday January 12, 19, and 26, 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm Pacific/4:30 – 6:00 pm Eastern.
One of the greatest tunes of all time, Susanne un jour, uses a poem by Guillaume Guéroult to tell the story of Susannah from the Book of Daniel (an addition to the book in Catholic and Orthodox Christian churches). The story of the persecuted Susannah struck a chord with composers and painters alike, so we’ll accompany our music with brief visits to paintings by Artemisia Gentileschi, Tintoretto, Jacopo Bassano, and others. We will explore the original polyphonic composition by Didier Lupi Second, and subsequent settings by Orlande de Lassus, Claude Le Jeune, Cipriano de Rore, and Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, and part of Lassus’ Mass based on the chanson. For upper intermediate to advanced recorders.Pitch: A=440.

HOW TO PAY Payment: $25 per individual class (take one Susanne ung jour class, pay $25, take two Susanne ung jour classes, pay $50, etc.) Electronic payment is preferred, but checks are also accepted. Please make Canadian checks out in US dollars and have a US bank name and address printed on the check. Visit http://tibiaduo.com/performances-and-teaching/ to learn how to register and pay.

January Zoom classes.pdf

Alasdair Fraser New Year Workshop and Ceilidh

Alasdair Fraser’s Annual Community Music Workshop & Ceilidh

an online gathering to kick off the New Year

Bring an instrument or just come for the craic!

Saturday, JANUARY 2, 2021, 1:00-6:30pm, Pacific time

A “zoom” event, open to registrants only

REGISTER HERE

1:00 pm WELCOME MEET & GREET

1:30-3:30 pm WORKSHOP with Alasdair Fraser
We’ll explore a few tunes relevant to a good Scottish New Year celebration

3:30-4:30 pm BREAK & BLETHER

4:30-6:30 pm CEILIDH hosted by Summer McCall
Alasdair will gather us for a toast to the old year and a moment of remembrance.
Summer McCall will lead us into the ceilidh with a few virtual social dances,
and welcome participants to share a song/tune/poem/story, etc.

We’ll have some lovely listening time, as well as a festive frolic.

“A GUID NEW YEAR TAE ANE AN’ A, WHEN IT COMES”

Advance registration only.
Family/Household $35, General/Single $20, Student/Youth $10

REGISTER HERE

This event is sponsored by Alasdair Fraser’s Sierra Fiddle Camp
and underwritten by the Sierra Fiddle Village Fund
of the non-profit organization Scottish Fiddlers of California.

December 2020

Dear Early Music Friends,

There’s some good stuff in this newsletter!  Two free holiday playing sessions, coming right up Thursday, December 3 and Sunday, December 6.  Be sure to get the links and music ahead of time (today would be good!) so you will be ready to party! While I have your attention…I plan to put together a January newsletter, so please send me anything you think might be of interest to our members.  Some ideas:  virtual concerts and workshops, what you have been doing musically during Covid, musical resolutions and hopes for the New Year (2021 will be better!). Thank you to Alex Ives for Martha’s obituary; a musical life well-lived.

Happy Holidays!     Patty Johnson, SRS newsletter editor

December 2020 newsletter.pdf

October 2020 Newsletter

Dear Recorder Friends,

When I started putting this newsletter together, it grew until it was indeed a full-fledged newsletter. I am attaching another membership form. If you haven’t joined yet, get that check in the mail! We are enthused about the potential of virtual concerts and workshops. Yes, nothing will replace live music, but the cloud breaks down international boundaries and other travel barriers! Looking forward to a calmer 2021, and hoping by the end of next year we will be able to get together again in person.

Stay safe!

Patty Johnson,

SRS newsletter editor

October 2020 newsletter.pdf

SRS membership form 2020-21.pdf

East Bay Workshop with Shira Kammen

Saturday, October 24, 2020
10:00 am – 11:30 am On Zoom*

Between the Worlds:
Celebrating Hallowe’en and Day of the Dead

Shira will lead us in magical music by Purcell, Machaut, Weelkes, and more, including laments for composers, and a spooky ballad or two. Come play any instrument you please and sing!

See brochure for more information and registration.

Shira-2020-workshop.pdf