Members’ Page

This page contains info for Orchestra Members only.  If you are not a member, we suggest looking at the Home Page or a section of Our Past for info for you

Pandemic Progress: we’re  (virtually) back!

The Listening Project

For the current lockdown and probably for some time afterwards we will be unable to rehearse together at the DLT.   So, instead of rehearsing we are meeting each Monday on Zoom – for sessions we have titled The Listening Project.   These are sessions led by Dan where he is exploring music which particularly speaks to him.  Some pieces may be familiar to you while others will be new – the subject of each session is not announced beforehand so it will be a surprise.   Some session may offer the opportunity to play along, and for these you will get advance notice so you can print off any music needed.   We are also planning a Christmas Special for Dec 14th!  Information to connect to the Zoom meetings has been sent out by Jacky; if you need a reminder please email her.

We look forward to seeing you all when we can rehearse together – but until the we look forward to meeting on Zoom!

Alison Raju remembered

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It is with great sadness that we record the loss of Alison on Monday 2nd Nov after a long period in care.  Alison was a former horn player with the orchestra, and spent a number of years as one of the Librarians for the orchestra.   This eulogy by ‘The Confraternity of Pilgrims to Rome’ shows just what an astonishing and varied life Alison led and is well worth reading.

Cancelled Concerts

We had a full year plan for concerts for 2020 before the March Lockdown – but as you know all had to be cancelled.  Until the situation is clearer, we are not planning future concerts, but hope to be able to use some of the pieces we would have played, when we do.  Below we list what the programmes would have been, along with links to manuscript and YouTube performances so you can play your part alongside a performance if you wish.

Cancelled from 28th March 2020:

  • Tchaikovsky – Polonaise from Eugene Onegin (Manuscript see Mvt 19; Youtube)
  • Elgar – Three Bavarian Dances (Manuscript; Youtube Dance1  Dance2 Dance3)
  • Sibelius – Karelia Suite (Manuscript; Youtube)
  • Elgar – Cello Concerto, with soloist Danushka Edirisinghe (Manuscript; Youtube).  (Danushka is a member of the NYO and is taught by Ben Davies. In 2019  Danuschka won the Gregynog Young String Player of the Year Award and Leicestershire Lord Lieutenant’s Award – Young Artist of the Year 2019 – for his musical achievements.)

Cancelled from 11 July 2020 (Folk theme)

  • Vaughan Williams – Folk Song Suite; (no Manuscript;  Youtube)
  • Holst – A Somerset Rhapsody; (Manuscript; Youtube)
  • New commission from Ben Graves; (no Manuscript or Youtube – obviously!)
  • Dvorak – Symphony No 8  (Manuscript  ;  Youtube)

Cancelled from 21 November 2020 (Russian Theme):

  • Balakirev – Overture on Three Russian Themes; (No Manuscript; Youtube)
  • Mussorgsky – Dawn at the Moskva River;  (Manuscript; Youtube)
  • Rimsky Korsakov – Trombone Concerto; (No manuscript; Youtube)
  • Tchaikovsky – Symphony No 6 (Manuscript;  Youtube)

Rehearsals (and refreshment breaks!)

Rehearsals – when they resume – are held in the Theatre building at the Sherwood Rise site of the Djanogly Learning Trust, NG7 7AR (See map) on Monday evenings from 7.00 pm to 9.15 pm.

  • If you can arrive early to help put out chairs, that is really helpful.
  • We have a refreshment break at ‘half time’ for which we provide tea/coffee  but members need to bring their own mug. We have a rota for  members of the Orchestra to serve the refreshments – so please check to see when you are scheduled.

Membership and Subs

If you are not a member but interested in joining the Orchestra, please see info on the Home page.

Members need to be able to come to rehearsals regularly – as frequent gaps make it less enjoyable for other players.

Subs should be paid by standing order – either annually in January;  or quarterly in November, February, May and August.  For 2020/21, subs are  £60 per year (Please contact the treasurer, Roger Kilby, for standing order information). One exception is that membership for a full-time student is free – so don’t forget to tell Roger if you already are (or if you become) a student!

Organisation

Our orchestra is a registered charity (Charity No. 1084053) and our structure is defined in the DCO constitution.  Management and planning is through our committee (You can read Minutes of our meetings and AGM; contact the Enquiries for a password).   Each member of the committee has specific roles, as shown below.

staff_jackyfisherChairperson: Jacky Fisher.
Jacky has been a member of the cello section since 2001, and is currently the committee Chairperson. She largely retired a few years ago from her job as a social worker in the field of disability. She hides at the back of the cello section, but loves the opportunity to make great music in a full-scale orchestra.
staff_rogerkilby
Treasurer: Roger Kilby. 
Roger has been playing violin with the orchestra since about 1995. He started learning at school and continued at University,  and is still involved in other string groups and choirs. Roger enjoys our Orchestra because he finds both the friendly atmosphere a real tonic after a day’s work, and because it presents the opportunity to tackle some genuinely challenging pieces of music.
 staff_johnthurstonSecretary & Website manager: John Thurston.
John joined the committee in 2012. He plays tenor trombone and joined the orchestra in 2008. Having played for many years previously only in a church music group, the transition to orchestra was challenging at times but was greatly helped and encouraged by other members of the Orchestra.
staff_cathlovatt Membership Secretary and Facebook manager: Cath Lovatt. 
Cath joined the committee in 2013. She plays clarinet, which she started at school (even performing with a very young Nigel Kennedy!). What she really likes about playing with Djanogly is that nobody cares about your day job – it’s just about making music. Her favourite from Djanogly repertoire is Aaron Copeland’s Appalachian Spring – mainly for the lovely clarinet solos.
staff_lauraewartDjanogly Learning Trust Liaison and Concert Programmes: Laura Ewart.
Laura is a member of the trumpet section of the orchestra. Her role on the committee are to write and produce the programmes for all of our concerts. She also works at the Djanogly Learning Trust which helps us enormously in the liaison and organisation of concerts and rehearsals.
staff_robynscottchaplin Concert Activities Manager: Robyn Scott-Chaplin.
Robyn joined the orchestra committee in 2015 where her remit is to Manage activities for each concert. She joined the Orchestra in 2000 as a very new percussionist, and is now our chief timpanist. She only became a committee member after cutting down on her day job, and loves to hear how music is created in front of our ears – just like magic!
staff_susansullivanConcert Venue Manager: Susan Sullivan.
Susan joined the orchestra in 2016 and the committee in 2017.  She is enjoying both playing in the friendly cello section, and, in her role as Venues Manager, liaising with the helpful church administrators and clergy in the churches where we play.
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is staff_gillcubitt.jpgGill Cubitt.
Gill joined the orchestra in 2005 and the committee in Nov 2020 so is currently ‘without portfolio’. She has played violin since age 7, and has worked as a music teacher, piano and violin teacher, music therapist and choir leader.  She continues to be involved in a variety of orchestras and music groups, and says she finds the orchestra friendly and supportive and enjoys playing a wide range of music.

Other Roles

staff_stephenhowarth Leader: Stephen Howarth.
Stephen joined the Orchestra in 2006. As Leader, he has an honorary role on the committee. He started learning violin age 5 and was heavily involved in performing music throughout his whole of his school life and his career as Chemical Engineer. He says that the Orchestra is full of welcoming and friendly musicians who enjoy making music together and putting on a good performance.
staff_emmagrishin Librarian: Emma Grishin.
Emma (who plays flute)  is our Librarian.  She hires or buys the music we need for our rehearsals and concerts, distributing it to players, and collecting it up and returning it after the concert. Emma is not committee members but contributes a vital role to the smooth runnung of the Orchestra.