The Autumn Recorder Orchestra Weekend

5th - 6th October 2024

Aston Village Hall

9 New Park Lane, Aston, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG2 7ED 

AROW 2024 is now fully booked. If you’d like to join the waiting list for a place if we have a cancellation please scroll to the bottom of the page and complete the form.

AROW is a weekend entirely devoted to playing in a recorder orchestra.  In all eight sessions you have the chance to experience the thrilling sound of a large band of recorders. One of the sessions will be devoted to an Eight Foot Orchestra where everyone can enjoy the lush tonalities of massed low recorders (treble/tenor and lower).

Due to rising costs this year’s event will follow a different format to previous courses, but AROW will resume as a residential course in 2025.

For 2024 the course will comprise two consecutive playing days, held at Aston Village Hall, near Stevenage in Hertfordshire. Attendees are responsible for booking their own accommodation nearby (you can, of course, travel from home if you live close by).

Registration begins at 9.15 on Saturday and the first playing session is at 10.00. The course ends at 5.00 on Sunday.

Who are the tutors?

All three of our tutors have a great interest in recorder orchestras. Between them they have impressive experience of conducting such bands, as well as composing and arranging for them. The tutors are as follows (in the interests of space, the comments omit their other recorder skills, such as playing)…

Helen Hooker. Helen is one of the UK’s most active recorder players and has conducted all but two branches of the Society of Recorder Players. She is Musical Director of the Thames Valley Recorder Orchestra, the Hampshire Recorder Sinfonia and the eight foot band – Mellow Tones Recorder Orchestra. Helen also conducts on several recorder orchestra courses. Her keen ear misses nothing, and she makes required changes with boundless good humour.

Ann Marshall. Ann’s conducting experience ranges from conducting on large recorder courses to events aimed at players of modest technical ability. As a prolific composer and arranger, she is ideally placed to provide music that is perfectly suited to the players in front of her. Ann specialises in working at the easier end of the recorder-playing spectrum.

Photos from previous courses - click on each the arrows to make the slide show move to the next image.

What will the music be like?

The three tutors will liaise closely, to ensure that the music represents a wide range of time periods and idioms. The music will be suitable for most SRP players, and stronger U3A players. However, it is not music for beginners or near-beginners and, like all orchestral music, it requires an ability to rarely get lost. If your much-preferred instrument is the descant, you will need to be a genuinely good player.

We again intend to have one session each of 'Eight-Foot Orchestra' (tenors and bigger only). The final session on the Saturday of AROW has become a highlight, frequently featuring a large scale work, specially composed or arranged for the course.

Timetable

We’ve yet to finalise the music we’ll be playing at the 2024 course but you’re welcome to take a look at the outline timetable to get a sense of event. Please bear in mind that the format of this year’s course is temporarily different to that of previous ones, but with a full timetable on both days there will be very nearly as much playing time as at previous courses.

Which instruments are needed?

It is likely that all pieces will require descant down to contrabass, and some will require sopranino and/or subcontrabass. Whatever the instrumentation, you can be assured of a wonderful sound in every session!

Our new venue

Our new temporary venue is Aston Village Hall, just four miles from Stevenage, Hertfordshire. The hall has plenty of space for our orchestra and a kitchen from which we’ll be serving drinks during the breaks. There is ample car parking and the hall is right on the edge of Aston Village, so if you wish to escape into the countryside to stretch your legs at lunchtime you can do so.

Attendees should select and book their own accommodation (or travel from home if you prefer). There are several chain hotels (Holiday Inn, Premier Inn, Travelodge) within easy reach of Aston, as well as other independent hotels, guest houses and AirBnBs so you are bound to find something within your budget nearby. You will need to bring a packed lunch with you each day as the village doesn’t currently have a shop. Tea, coffee and soft drinks will be available at breaks, along with biscuits and/or cakes for those who fancy a sweet treat!

AROW and Covid-19

Although the state of play with Covid-19 has improved in recent years, there is no way of knowing what will happen between now and October 2024. Please rest assured, if you book a place on the course and it has to be cancelled because restrictions are placed upon us you will receive a full refund.

Course fees

Places on the course are £50, which includes all tuition and teas/coffees.

Booking

AROW 2024 is now fully booked but you can join the waiting list by completing your name and email address here:

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