Spring 2020 Small Ensembles

Join my ten-week class!

Ready to register? Do it!

Collaborate musically with fellow musicians. Read, play, perform music together.

The Small Ensemble Reading Intensive, aka SERI, is a weekly class for three or four of the same instrument* to rehearse and perform music together. When we play a song together and each musician plays a different part that harmonizes with or rhythmically blends with the others, that’s collaboration in action.

We concentrate on our own individual parts while simultaneously developing our listening skills. We hear what others are playing and how their parts fit together with our own. This requires good focus and concentration. The icing on top is that this process is wildly fun!

*There will be one class for clarinetists and another class for saxophonists.

five clarinets

Benefits:

  • Augment your listening skills
  • Expand your small ensemble playing techniques
  • Tune-up your intonation sense
  • Develop your sight-reading skills
  • Learn performance preparation
  • Develop leadership skills
  • Work as part of a team
  • Master complex time signatures and rhythmic patterns
  • Play music in many genres and keys

Ready to register? Do it!

sax quartet

You will receive:

  • A total of 15 hours of class time in (10) 90-minute weekly classes
  • Personal attention in the small class size
  • Sheet music for all parts that is yours to keep in different styles and genres
  • Positive and affirming coaching instruction
  • Support to meet musical challenges
  • Instruction on enhanced listening
  • Perform at the Spring Recital in April/May (Date TBD)

When you are a musician, it is great to be able to make music by yourself. However, the enjoyment intensifies when you get together and ‘jam’ with other players in a small ensemble.

Students will have some serious fun AND also be learning the skills of ensemble playing.

  • Ability to play one’s own part while also listening to the other parts.
  • Hearing how all the parts combine to make a harmonious whole.
  • Tuning your instrument to a tuner and tuning your instrument with other players.
four clarinetists performing at Folk Music recital 4-27-16

Playing in a small ensemble gives you ‘Big Ears’!

Don’t worry! It’s a good thing.  😉

Big Ears means being able to listen in a deeper way than you do in your daily life. Playing in a small ensemble develops one’s concentration, patience, teamwork, leadership, and social skills. And topping it all off is how much FUN it is to play music with others!

Clarinet SERI

The clarinet class is offered on Monday evenings from 4:30-6:00 pm at Grace Notes Music Studio beginning Feb. 10 and ending April 27.

  • Feb 10
  • Feb 24 (no class Feb 17. PPS closed)
  • Mar 2
  • Mar 9
  • Mar 16
  • Mar 30 (no class on Mar 24. PPS closed)
  • Apr 6
  • Apr 13
  • Apr 20
  • Apr 27
L-R: Marcus, Zach, Mary Ellen, Ally playing Dona Nobis Pacem
L-R: Marcus, Zach, Mary Ellen, Ally playing Dona Nobis Pacem

Saxophone SERI

The saxophone class is offered on Wednesday evenings from 4:30-6:00 pm beginning Feb. 12 and ending April 22.

  • Feb 12
  • Feb 19
  • Feb 26
  • Mar 4
  • Mar 11
  • Mar 18 (No class Mar 27. PPS closed.)
  • Apr 1
  • Apr 8
  • Apr 15
  • Apr 22

The fee is $300 per student. Register by Feb 7. The class size is at least three and at most six. Each ensemble will perform at the Spring Recital.

2 Dates for The Spring Recital!

Sunday April 26 – the Sax SERI class will perform at this one.

Sunday May 3 – the Clarinet SERI class will perform at this one.

Register

Clarinet Class $300

Saxophone Class $300

Each class will play some selection of the following music: 

  • TBD

Participants will have played saxophone or clarinet for at least one year and be able to play at least 6 major scales on their instruments. Those playing a doubling instrument will have played their first instrument for at least two years.