Welcome to recorder players of all ages and abilities!

American Music 1775-1850: from the Revolution to the Gold Rush

Andrew will present a Performance Workshop tracing the development of American Music from the founding of our Nation to the admission of California to the Union. We will explore the influence of English and European music, as well as French, Spanish, Native American, and African American cultural influences, tracing how an American musical style emerged and gained global popularity. Among the works we will play through are Native American melodies in arrangements by an unknown 17th century Frenchman, Creole Plantation songs, a Scotch Lament, and some popular music by Teodora Gines. We will perform interesting compositions by William Billings, Signor Lardino, Frank Johnson, Anthony Phillip Heinrich and Stephen Foster. Please join us for an interesting and illuminating time together!

We will still follow the updated CDC recommendations for in-person meetings indoors, including proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test. The detailed recommendations can be reviewed here.

Sheet music for March 20th is available now on this website, here.

Feel free to join us starting at 1 PM on Sunday, March 20th! See About –> Meeting Information for location and directions.

Join us on February 20th as Lisette leads us in a comprehensive rehearsal of Glen Shannon’s Petite Sweet Flute Suite, a commissioned work in honor of Hilde Staniulis to be performed in May. With extra time, we’ll explore Sören Sieg’s duet #9 Umlanjana (The Small Stream) and Giovanni Battista Vitali’s Sinfonia à Sei of 1684.

Lisette Kielson

We still follow the CDC recommended procedures for in-person meetings indoors, including proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test. The detailed list of procedures can be reviewed here.

Sheet music for February 20th is available now on this website, here.

Feel free to join us starting at 1 PM on February 20th! See About –> Meeting Information for location and directions.

UPDATE: Due to unfortunate circumstances, the Chicago Chapter January meeting will be held online, on Zoom.

Lisette will still lead us as we explore four new Baroque pieces, including a Largo & Gigue, an Allemand and Air by Loeillet and a Scotch Tune & Hornpipe. We’ll start at 1 PM with some general playing and Lisette’s program will begin at 2 PM.

Start the year off right… making music!

If you would like to participate (or have any questions), just send a note using the Contact Us option on this website, and we’ll respond with the Zoom sign in information and the website resource password.

Sheet music for January 16th is available now on this website, here.

Feel free to join us on Zoom starting at 1 PM on January 16th!

This year, we return to our in-person concert, while still following safety protocols (here). Using our new meeting format, there will be first-hour playing for those who arrive at 1 PM; music for this hour is now available on this website (here).

All are then invited to participate in the 2 PM concert, performing or listening. If you or your group would like to perform, contact Larry Johnson at ll_johnson1239@sbcglobal.net. Let me know ahead of time to be included in the printed program, but all will be welcome to play in any case.

To close the concert, all chapter members are invited to play a few music selections, that are available now on this website (here). We will check later to make sure all parts are covered; you can practice your part separately and our performance will be a spontaneous, rewarding surprise!

The traditional holiday treats will be provided by the chapter Board. To keep to our tradition while still adhering to health restrictions, the Board will organize a smorgasbord of goodies. Concert performers and audience may then separately fill their own gift bags to take home.

Please mark December 19th on your calendar and come to our annual holiday celebration!

Lisette returns to direct our November 21st meeting. In addition to revisiting Glen Shannon’s and Peter Seibert’s celebratory works (Friendship Canzona and Festival Music, respectively, both from September), we will play from Tomaso Albinoni’s beautiful Sonata á 5 and Lance Eccles’ spritely duo Spider Monkey.

We still follow the CDC recommended procedures for in-person meetings indoors, including proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test. The detailed list of procedures can be reviewed here.

Sheet music for November 21st is available now on this website, here.

Feel free to join us starting at 1 PM on November 21st! See About –> Meeting Information for location and directions.

For info on our successful, safely distanced October meeting lead by Mirja Lorenz, check out our November newsletter, here.

On October 17th at 2 PM, Mirja Lorenz, member of the Chicago Recorder Trio and Black Tulip, will present three substantial Early Baroque pieces: Sonata 15 by Dario Castello, Bergamasca by Girolamo Frescobaldi, and (another) Bergamasca by Samuel Scheidt. Please see our October newsletter here for more info.

Mirja Lorenz of the Chicago Recorder Trio (center) presents Early Baroque music on October 17th.

We will again follow the CDC recommended procedures for in-person meetings indoors, that we followed in September, including proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test. The detailed list of procedures can be reviewed here.

Sheet music for October 17th is available now on this website, here.

Feel free to join us starting at 1 PM on October 17th! See About –> Meeting Information for location and directions.

We’ve all waited a whole year to meet and play together again, and we certainly plan to this season. Who would have guessed that we’d still be in recurring semi-pandemic mode over a year after we first heard the term ‘Covid”? But we have also managed to meet, in small groups, indoors and out, over the past months. Between our cautious in-person sessions, and our continued online chapter meetings, we’ve managed to maintain an active chapter for all of our members!

In light of continuing pandemic concerns, we will begin the season meeting in person in a safe, controlled situation (see restrictions below). Of course, if circumstances require, we will continue to meet on Zoom.

In spite of all the caveats, warnings and precautions, we look forward to welcoming everyone back for another rewarding season of music, hard work and fun!

Lisette Kielson returns as our Music Director!

Hello everyone! I am so excited to return as Music Director of the Chicago Chapter and really looking forward (and crossing fingers!) to reconnecting with vaccinated members in person at our first meeting on September 19^th. I plan to revisit some joyous large scale works such as Glen Shannon’s Friendship Canzona, Peter Siebert’s Festival Music, and more! In addition, I will bring some wonderfully challenging duos made more accessible by in-person playing (think Telemann and Sieg!)!

If Covid and the variants, the CDC and our comfort levels, determine that it is better to meet over Zoom, I will guide, instead, a virtual ‘how to practice’ session, addressing various aspects of technique and musicality through scales, etudes, and solos, culminating in duets for intermediate SAT recorder players. Let’s dust off our summer cobwebs!

Whether in person or apart, music-making is the goal for our 2021-2022 season! Join us!

Required music is available now on our website, at:

https://chicagorecorders.org/resources/meeting-downloads/2021-2022-season/

New Meeting Protocols!

For those meeting in person, there are two general announcements:

1. Due to a new request and agreement with Covenant church, our in-person meetings in the hall will run from 1 PM to 4 PM. The hour from 1 to 2 PM will be our ‘chapter hour’ of free-form playing, and our formal music presentation will run from 2 PM to 4 PM, as usual. The meeting will end at 4 PM by request of the church.

2. We plan to use the following rules for our meetings:

– We will follow CDC and common sense guidelines (used by other music venues) during our meetings.

– The first time you attend a meeting, proof of vaccination will be required. Without vaccination, a recent negative Covid test result will be required for every meeting, while restrictions apply.

– Masks should be worn inside the meeting room when not playing music.

– While playing, chairs will be arranged with the recommended safe distancing. (Recorders only!)

– Hand sanitizer will be provided in the meeting room and we should all use it.

– For our first meeting or two, we will forgo shared food and drink; please bring anything for yourself that you may need for hydration or snacking.

Here are some available recorder activities for more summer fun!

• If you or a friend would like to learn how to play the recorder, you can sign up for free beginning recorder lessons here, on the ARS National website. Yes, free lessons!
• There are additional online, no charge, learning resources for those newer to the recorder, who would like to improve their skills. Please email us through the Contact Us option on this website, for further info on these free options!
• For more experienced players: Investigate some great opportunities to play recorder over the summer, on our “Upcoming Workshops” page – here!

Includes info on the PortTownsend – SFEMF online summer workshop, going on now through Aug. 1st; and the Bach Musicians Summer Chamber Music Workshop, featuring Lisette Kielson and others, from July 26 to 30, in person in Madison, WI.

Happy summer playing!

The online Spring Concert on May 16th was a complete success, with several members performing. (See the music program here.) Afterwards there was an enjoyable group playing session with all members participating.

“Though we have to say good-bye for the summer…” please check in with us during the summer months, to keep updated on possible summer playing sessions, online and in person, and plans for September.

Have a wonderful summer! See you in September!

Lisette Kielson performs in May.

Nancy, Lynette and Esther perform in trio.

Please join us, and perform if you like, at our Spring Concert on May 16th. We have the opportunity to be creative for this virtual concert, perhaps playing a solo, perhaps playing a pre-recorded piece, or some other creative idea!
There will be a general playing session afterwards, with music to be specified and made available in advance on our website.

If you would like to participate (or have any questions), just send a note using the Contact Us option on this website, and we’ll respond with the Zoom sign in information and the website resource password.

All the music featured in May is now available here.

Hope to see you on may 16th!

For a review of our April meeting, see our May newsletter here.

Don’t forget about the Whitewater Early Music Festival from June 5 to 6!
Registration for the festival is open until May 21st. You can sign up for eight one-hour sessions over two days for $75, or four one-hour sessions on one day, for $40. For more info and to register, see the Whitewater festival website here.