Welcome to recorder players of all ages and abilities!

Our conductor for March,

Mirja Lorenz (center), with

the Chicago Recorder Trio

As always, we will begin the meeting at 1 PM with free-form group playing, music provided and posted by the chapter.

At 2 PM, Mirja Lorenz will conduct the group in a variety of beautiful Renaissance pieces by Italian, English and German composers, with one modern arrangement of a favorite Renaissance dance.

All music for March is available here now! Meeting location information is found here.

And don’t forget to register here for our April 22nd workshop with Anne Timberlake!

For info on our outstanding February meeting, and our chapter in general, see the latest newsletter here.

Beat the midwinter blues!

We will begin the meeting at 1 PM with free-form group playing, music to be provided by the chapter.

At 2 PM, Lisette Kielson will direct the group in dances by Attaignant, a fantasie by du Caurroy, Contrapunctus I from Bach’s Art of Fugue, another shot at Machaut’s Doulz Amis from last month (because who can capture medieval music in one session?!), and Charpentier’s Ouverture (a contender for the May concert).

For info on our wonderfully successful January meeting, and our chapter in general, see the latest newsletter here.

Music for February is available here now! Meeting location information is found here.

Join us in a whirlwind tour of French medieval, Renaissance and Baroque music, plus Bach!

Happy New Year to all!

We will begin the meeting with free-form group playing, with music to be provided by the chapter.

At 2 PM, Lisette Kielson returns with a celebration of French music from the 14th to 20th centuries. Machaut will represent the Middle Ages, Dornel and Charpentier the Baroque and Poulenc the early 20th century, with a nod to the late Renaissance. All following, of course our non-French Rooda scale warmups!

For info on our December holiday concert, and our chapter, see the latest newsletter here.

All the music for January is available here now! Meeting location information is found here.

Join us in beginning a Happy New Musical Year!

All are invited to participate in the 1 PM concert, performing or listening. If you or your group would like to perform, contact Mark Dawson at msjddawson@sbcglobal.net. Let him know ahead of time to be included in the printed program, but all will be welcome to play in any case.

All chapter members are invited to play in the chapter performance pieces, that are available now on this website (here). Also contact Mark Dawson, above, if you plan to participate in the chapter performance.

The traditional holiday treats table will be featured after the concert portion of the meeting. Feel free to bring some holiday edible to share!

We will then close the meeting with some group playing of music to be provided by the chapter.

Please mark December 18th on your calendar and come to our annual holiday celebration!

Please join us on November 20, at 1 PM, when Andrew Schultze returns to offer music from the 18th century Hapsburg Court of Vienna. Besides courtly chamber music and dances, Andrew will consider life in Vienna in Mozart’s day, including music for household gatherings intended for friends to play together in the parlor, as well as popular works and the first written notations of Hungarian songs. Join us!

Andrew Schultze presents music from the Hapsburg Court of 18th Century Vienna!

For info on our October meeting and our chapter, see the latest newsletter here.

All the music for November is available here now! Meeting location information is found here.

Hope to see you on the 20th!

Join the Chicago Chapter on Sunday, October 16, at 1 PM at Covenant Presbyterian Church, when Lisette Kielson returns. She plans to open with a scale exercise by G. Rooda (C Major) and a Renaissance duet by Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi. We will then move to selected movements from a Baroque suite by Johann Joseph Fux, and return to Pierre de la Rue’s Fors Seulement, from our September meeting. We will round out our playing with Rocky Blues by Steve Marshall.

For info on our wonderful September meeting and future plans, see our latest newsletter here.

All the music for October is now available here. Meeting location information is found here.

Hope to see you on the 16th!

Join the Chicago Chapter on Sunday September 18 at 1 PM as we open our new season. At our September meeting, we will read Ravenscroft’s Three Blind Mice (in early notation!), practice a scale pattern from Rooda’s dexterity exercises, play an Argentinean duet for soprano and alto, and explore Cavaccio’s Toccata for SATB, plus a five-part setting of the famous Fors Seulement. All the music for September is now available here. Meeting location information is found here.

Lisette Kielson returns to lead us for six meetings as Music Director of the chapter. This season she plans to incorporate ensemble warmups, exercises on tuning and articulation, duets from all over the world, past and present, and recorder arrangements showcasing delights from the Renaissance, Baroque, and beyond.

We’ve had a wonderful season of meetings, concerts and special events, thanks to our chapter members and good friends. Our May meeting was one of the best in memory, with a special remembrance of long-time member Hildé Staniulis, followed by our Spring Concert. Special thanks to our good friend and composer, Glen Shannon, who joined us in May and provided a new suite in memory of Hildé, the “Petite Sweet Flute Suite” (now available here).

Please keep in touch with us on Facebook and on this website. Details about next season, starting on September 18, will be posted here.

Enjoy these images from our past seasons!

All are invited to participate in the 2 PM concert, performing or listening. If you or your group would like to perform, contact us at chicago.recorders@gmail.com. Let us know ahead of time to be included in the printed program, but all will be welcome to perform in any case.

Long-time member of the Chicago chapter, Hilde Staniulis

This year, our concert will follow a special event at 1 PM, to remember a long-time friend and member of the Chicago chapter, Hilde Staniulis, who passed away in 2020. This event will feature the world premiere of a new recorder composition by Glen Shannon, who will be present to play with us!

Please mark May 15th on your calendar and come to our special Spring celebration!

And don’t forget to check out the Early Music Festival in Whitewater, WI, June 3rd – 5th! Many different class sessions and instructors to chose from! Three days of music and fun!

At 2 PM, our April chapter meeting will concentrate on a dress rehearsal of Petite Sweet Flute Suite by Glen Shannon in preparation for the world premiere performance in May. Glen plans to join us in playing his tribute to Hilde Staniulis!

Along with the rehearsal, we’ll explore two wonderfully characteristic duos by Sören Sieg, Umlanjana and Ubizo iwentlango.

During our first-hour playing at 1 PM, we will revisit some multi-part music we have enjoyed in the past but not played for several years. We will practice our skill at ensemble playing without a conductor; always a useful ability to have!

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 April 24th is available now on this website, here.

Feel free to join us starting at 1 PM on Sunday, April 24th! See About –> Meeting Information for location and directions.