Steve Ridley piano & Alex Thorneloe bassoon

Concert programme

Introducing Italian terms, using basic rhythms and expressing moods through music.

Milda

Tarantella

Opening piece

Bozza

Sicilienne and Rondo

Intro Bassoon

Harry Potter theme

 

Theme

Rachmaninov

Vocalise

Intro Italian terms

Mozart

Rondo

Rondo, theme

Jacob

Afternoon of the dinosaur

Marching

Gershwin

Preludes

Inside Piano, perc

Saint-Saens

The Elephant

Intro Flash cards

The Zoo

 

Flash cards

Telemann

Sonata

Conduct

Saint-Saens

The Swan

Close eyes

The Simpsons or High School Musical

Workshops

Main Aims

  • To understand how different moods can be expressed through music.
  • To learn some basic Italian terms.
  • To learn how to read music using pictures and words for rhythms.
  • To work in a group situation and express ideas.
  • To be part of a live musical performance.

Workshop structure

  1. Warm up. Name / Rhythmic game in a circle with everyone.
  2. Link back to concert. What did you learn in the concert?
  3. Remind how music can express moods, how words can be used as rhythms and what Italian terms mean.
  4. Split into 2 groups, 15ish in each. Each group must pick some flashcards out of a bag and create their own piece
  5. Using instruments/percussion/voice create a performance using the flashcards your group has chosen.
  6. Perform pieces to each other. Plus Feedback, can they be improved / exaggerated?
  7. Explain and try structure of performance.

Follow Up 1

  • Listen to how music is used in cartoons / TV programmes / films. Watch your favourite film, e.g. Harry Potter. How is music used to express moods / enhance the story? Instrumentation / Dynamics / Tempo
  • Choose a story or create your own
  • Pick out certain moods within the story.
  • How and where would music be used? Is it background music?
  • Develop ideas using instruments, percussion and voice. Could be music you make up or music you already know.
  • Tell story using your music.

Follow Up 2

  • Create your own piece of music using flashcards
  • Make your own cards and follow the workshop structure to create your own piece.
  • Perform an improvised piece.

Follow Up 3

  • Use your own set of words to create rhythms. Choose a subject e.g. drinks. Think of some with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 syllables e.g. tea, coffee, lemonade, coca-cola and use to create your own piece of music or to help with difficult rhythms when learning an instrument.

Steve Ridley

Stephen is a much sought after freelance accompanist, chamber pianist and musical director based in Birmingham. He was an award-winning student and received the accompaniment prize in the Lies Askonas Competition in 2003 at the Royal College of Music. Since leaving college he has performed in venues such as the Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Purcell Room and at music societies and festivals throughout the UK. In addition he has recorded for BBC Radio 3 and TV. Locally, he has performed several times at Middlesbrough Theatre, and at Sowerby Music concerts in November 2004 & February 2006.

Recently he has been widening his experience as musical director of several professional shows. For example, he has toured the country and the West End with ‘High Society’ and Cole Porter’s ‘Anything Goes’. He has also been at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and Birmingham Hippodrome with Christmas productions.

Alex Thorneloe

Alex was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain during which time she was the principal bassoon player for two years. She graduated from the Royal College of Music (RCM) winning prestigious prizes. Since leaving RCM, Alex has embarked on a successful freelance career playing with major orchestras such as City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia and with opera companies. In 2009 she was invited to play for several weeks with the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra. She has performed in the major concert venues of the UK and Europe.

She dedicates much of her time to chamber music particularly her woodwind trio, ‘The Thorne Trio’. They give recitals around the country and are also heavily involved in the education work of the Wigmore Hall both as musicians and workshop leaders. The trio is also committed to performing for vulnerable adults and young people through their contribution to Live Music Now scheme and the Council for Music in Hospitals.


Full list of performers