Members' Page

Members' page
Useful information for members of the Sheffield Chamber Orchestra (and interested non-members)

Rehearsals

Rehearsals are held at Endcliffe Methodist Church Lower Hall (just below Hunters' Bar - use rear entrance on Neill Road) on Tuesdays at 7:30 pm. - 9:30 pm. Please bring a music stand and try to arrive at the rehearsals at least 15 minutes before the starting time so that you can get set up, tuned and ready to start playing at 7:30.

There are usually 6 or 7 rehearsals prior to each concert, and on the day of the concert an afternoon rehearsal is held at the concert venue. Rehearsals are taken seriously and you should expect to work hard, but they are also friendly occasions - full of goodwill and humour. If you don't feel confident, please ask for advice from the section leader. There is a great deal of orchestral know-how to be learned, however brilliant your instrumental technique, and punctual attendance at every rehearsal is absolutely vital.

Rehearsal Schedule 2009 - 2010

Full rehearsals - Endcliffe Methodist Church Lower Hall, 7:15 (for 7:30 start) - 9:30 pm, unless stated otherwise. Sectional rehearsals - strings at Endcliffe Methodist Church, wind and brass at Bents Green Methodist Church - BUT this is subject to confirmation. Please listen for announcements at rehearsals.
2009 Autumn	2010 Winter	2010 Spring
13th October 7.30: FULL Mendelssohn/Beethoven. 9.10: STRINGS: Sollima (poss. Vivaldi) 9.10: WIND: D’Indy, II “Dances”	12th January Schubert Rameau (strings only 9:10pm)	16th March Brahms Beethoven
20th October 7.30 - 8.30 STRINGS: Sollima/Vivaldi. 7.30 – 8.00: Clarinets & Bassoons: D’Indy II “Dances” 8.00 Fl/Ob/Hn join for II “Dances” 8.30 FULL Beethoven	19th January 7:30 - Rameau 8:15 - Schubert/Beethoven extracts	23rd March (Sectional) STRINGS at EMC with RD WIND at BGMC with RH
27th October (Sectional) WIND: Start with Beethoven and Mendelssohn. STRINGS: to be advised.	26th January (Sectional) STRINGS at EMC with RD WIND at BGMC with RMc	13th April Bartok
3rd November 7.30: FULL Mendelssohn/Beethoven (Sollima at 9.10 possibly?)	2nd February 7:30 - Schubert mvts 1 & 2 9:00 - Rameau	20th April Brahms 1st & 4th mvts
10th November (AGM) 7.30: FULL: Mendelssohn/Beethoven. 8.45 STRINGS: Sollima/Vivaldi; WIND: D’Indy.	9th February Schubert mvts 3 & 4 Beethoven	27th April (SGM) Bartok with Robin Ireland Beethoven
17th November (Sectional) 7.30: STRINGS: Solima/Vivaldi (with soloists, if poss.) 7.30: WIND: D’Indy I and II, (D'Indy players only required)	16th February 7:30 - Rameau 8:00 - Beethoven then Schubert extracts	4th May Brahms 2nd & 3rd mvts Bartok extracts
24th November 7.30: Beethoven/Mendelssohn	23rd February Schubert complete Beethoven complete	11th May Bartok with Robin Ireland Brahms Beethoven N.B. Full brass for whole rehearsal
Saturday 28th November Firth Hall, University of Sheffield. Rehearsal 2:00 - 4:30 pm 2.00: STRINGS: Vivaldi/Sollima 3.00: FULL: Beethoven/Mendelssohn 3.45: WIND: D’Indy CONCERT 7:30 pm.	Saturday 27th February Firth Hall, University of Sheffield. Rehearsal 2:00 - 5:00 pm 2:00 - Beethoven 3:00 - Break 3:15 - Schubert 4:15 - Rameau CONCERT 7:30 pm.	Saturday 15th May Firth Hall, University of Sheffield. Rehearsal 2:00 - 4:30 pm 2:00 - Bartok 2:45 - Beethoven 3:15 - Break 3:30 - Brahms CONCERT 7:30 pm.

If you can't attend a rehearsal, for whatever reason, please let us know well in advance. Contact either another member of your section or the Membership Secretary (strings) or Steve Dumpleton (wind and brass). If necessary, please give your music to another orchestra member to take to the rehearsal.

New members

The Sheffield Chamber Orchestra welcomes new members, subject to available vacancies. Please contact the Chairman, Robin Saunders in the first instance. We don't normally hold auditions, but a minimum playing standard equivalent to Grade 8 is expected.

We also maintain a list of additional players of instruments that we do not normally use regularly, such as trombones, extra double basses, horns, keyboards, percussion, etc., whom we can call upon when the concert programme demands it. If you would like to be added to this list please contact the Chairman, Robin Saunders (strings and percussion) or Steve Dumpleton (wind and brass).

Music

Music for each concert is available at the first rehearsal, and is shared between desks where necessary. Individual practice is vitally important. Please mark the parts only in soft pencil (always bring a pencil and a rubber to each rehearsal). After each concert performance hand in ALL music to the librarian, Peter Dyke - NEVER take it home after the concert! The Orchestra is fined for missing parts. (We always have to pay for the hire of music - the orchestra has no library of its own).

Subscriptions

The current Annual Subscription is £70 (£25 for students) and is due in October, at the beginning of the Orchestral year. Payment, preferably by cheque, payable to "Sheffield Chamber Orchestra" should be given to the Treasurer, Liz Versi. Pro-rata rates apply to those joining the Orchestra later in the year.

Gift Aid

If you are a UK tax payer at the standard rate, we can reclaim the income tax that you have paid. This gives us an extra £16.80 for each tax-paying member's subscription and therefore is a particularly valuable source of income for the Orchestra. Please ask the Chairman, Robin Saunders for a Gift Aid Declaration form, if you have not already made a tax declaration.

Ticket sales and publicity

Ticket sales provide our main source of income. The help of all members of the Orchestra is essential to publicise our concerts to as wide an audience as possible by distributing flyers and selling tickets (available from Sue Shaw at rehearsals). Each member is urged to sell at least 3 tickets (preferably a good deal more) in advance of each concert.

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