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Formed in 1995, the Society continues and extends the activities of the former West Australian Recorder Guild. The Society aims to:

Society activities

You may like to join us! -- Fill in an application form for membership and send it to the Treasurer. Two versions of the application form are available. Click on the one that you prefer:
  1. A web page to print out, fill in and post to the Treasurer with your cheque of money order.
  2. An rft (rich text format) file to open, type in your details and send off. Most word processing programs can open rft files.

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Contacts for further information

Treasurer/Membership Secretary:  Judi Haederle, phone 9245 5926

Librarian: Barrie Baker, phone 9271 5184

Our mail address: PO Box 879 CLAREMONT WA  6910

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Teachers -- recorder and early music

Helen Baker - Ferndale; flute; contact for the WA Flute Society (on committee); phone 9351 9479 mobile 0411 691 749

Irene Batini - Willetton; piano, recorders, theory; Member of the Institute of Music Teachers; Accredited Teaching Member of the West Australian Music Teachers Association; phone 9457 1952

Chris Da Silva - Wembley; piano; phone and fax 9381 2724

Duncan Gardiner - Gosnells; guitar, violin; phone 9398 2576

Elizabeth Kelly - East Fremantle; piano, recorder; Member of the Institute of Music Teachers (Australia-wide); Accredited Teacher of Music (Western Australian Music Teachers' Association); phone 9339 4178 or 0408 394 877

Monica McTaggart- Shenton Park; recorders, piano, brass; phone 9382 3318

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Forthcoming Society Events

This year's long weekend workshop will be at the Kobeelya Conference Centre, from 25 to 28 September next. . see below for details and booking form. Robyn Mellor will be the Camp Director and Principal Tutor.

REMSWA Camp in Katanning - Fri. - Mon. 25/9 - 28/9/2009

This weekend is for playing, learning and socialising. This year is going to be extra special - the 25th anniversary of the founding of the WA Recorder Guild which later became REMSWA and a year to concentrate on three early music luminaries: Purcell, Handel and Haydn. In view of the significant choral output of all three, but especially Handel and Purcell, we have invited John Beaverstock to take our inaugural Choral Group which will rehearse at group tutorial times like the instrumentalist and link up with the strings for works like Purcell's great anthems for the Chapel Royal which involve choir and strings.

Stephanie Eldridge will again be helping the strings with baroque technique and style

Three of our recorder tutors, Jordi Corall, Robyn Mellor and Glyn Marillier, will rotate between the intermediate and more advanced recorder player groups and Welvin Potter will once more assist with those just starting out on the instrument.

Our Director and Principal Tutor for recorderswill be Robyn Mellor.


 

Robyn is a leading Australian recorder player and teacher. She has given workshops for adult recorder societies all over Australia and New Zealand. Robyn gained a bachelor's degree in music education from the University of WA and later studied recorder performance in Holland under Leo Meilink and Michael Barker. She has been Musical Director of the Canberra Recorder and Early Music Society and Artistic Co-ordinator of Music for Everyone, a Canberra community performing arts organisation providing programs for adults and children.

Other recorder tutors are expected to be Glyn Marillier, Jordi Corall and Monica McTaggart, with Stephanie Eldridge directing the strings and John Beaverstock as Choral Tutor.Ê More tutors may be added when confirmed.Ê

Payment: The cost of the Camp will be slightly higher than in previous years - see the application form - the costs of tutors and accomodation have risen.

Membership of the Society earns you a discount. If you are not a financial member of the Society, you are invited to pay for a 2009 subscription when enrolling for the camp, giving you a $30 discount. Everyone is also invited to pay their 2010 subscription when enrolling - this keeps us afloat (financially) at the beginning of the year, and saves writing another cheque in January 2010!

Just before the camp, the Secretary will send each applicant a letter confirming their application and giving extra details of the camp -- how to get there, what to bring.

The program: Over the three days, there will be mass playing each morning (with all camp participants in a large orchestra), five morning and late afternoon tutorial sessions, and special options groups early in the afternoons. On Saturday evening there will be a gala dinner with music provided by volunteer groups.

On Sunday evening there will be a tutors' concert, and on Monday we will have a students' concert followed by lunch before we leave.

The main tutorial groups are arranged to suit different abilities and instruments, from beginners in recorders to advanced recorder groups, and strings and choral groups.

The afternoon options: You make your choice of these. Topics may include sessions on special topics by our principal tutors, as well as sessions by local tutors.

Keyboards: One or more Society members will be bringing their harpsichords or other keyboard instruments. If you can bring a keyboard, please let Glyn know.

Other instrumentalists: Please bring a music stand (and your instruments!) and any special music you might like to play in a group.

 

Kobeelya Conference Centre

Kobeelya Conference Centre

The Centre consists of a large heritage house with accommodation in small dormitories, and rooms for group music making, as well as adjacent classrooms and a large dining room. There are many rooms available for groups to play music in, as well as recreational facilities - pool, table tennis, tennis courts.

You have to bring your own sleeping bag or sheets and blankets. All meals are provided in the dining room, except for Friday evening, which is served in the main house.

Further information: If you wish to know more, please contact Glyn Marillier on 9315 3833.

Self-rating guide: To help the tutors put everyone in the best tutorial group, we ask participants to provide details of the instruments they play or their voice range, and their performance standard. A self-rating guide for recorder players is shown below to assist you.

Please use these guidelines to assess your own level as honestly as possible. If, by your assessment or that of a tutor, a placement error is made, we will correct it by transferring you to a different group.

For string players, use the self-rating list as a guide, but rate your ability on your chosen instrument, and use the suggested AMEB grades for the levels B, I, etc. Ignore the comments on other instruments of the same family.

For the choral group, see the application form for the information we need.
 
 

An informal group playing at a recent camp
Afternoon tea time at a recent camp

 

If you wish to attend this camp, read the self-rating guide below, and fill in an application form. Two versions of the application form (both of which have more details of the camp and costs) are available. Click on the one that you prefer:

  1. A web page to print out, fill in and post to the Treasurer with your cheque or money order.
  2. An rft (rich text format) file to open, type in your details and send off. Most word processing programs can open rft files.

Self-rating guide for the camp

Although we have all enjoyed the thrill of playing with more advanced players, and have taken pleasure in making music with those who are less experienced, both learning and enjoyment are enhanced by working within a group of people with similar abilities. We have five categories to rate abilities - see below.

Please use these guidelines to assess your own level as honestly as possible.

If, by your assessment or that of a tutor, a placement error is made, we will correct it by transferring you to a different group.

Beginner (B) - You are just starting out - strings, AMEB Grade 1.

Low Intermediate (LI - AMEB Grade 2) - You know most of the notes on one size of instrument and can keep up in an ensemble if:

Intermediate (I - AMEB Grade 3-4) - You are comfortable over the whole range of an instrument and can: sight read simple music without hesitation or prior practise,
  • master more difficult parts with practise,
  • carry a simple part alone, not getting lost.

    High Intermediate (HI - AMEB 6+) - You are fairly fluent on one instrument and competent on another of the same family. You can:

    Advanced (A) - You are fluent on all instruments in the family. You can:

    If you are not sure of how to rate yourself, seek the advice of a teacher or fellow player. If you would still like more guidance,call Glyn Marillier on 9315 3833.

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    Early music events in WA

    Festival Baroque Australia - 2009 Season

    The program for 2009 has been announced recently. Tickets for most events are available from BOCS or at Perth Concert Hall. For Festival brochures and further information, email baroquefestival@uwa.edu.au or phone 6488 4845. Concerts are incorporated in the lists below.

    Concerts coming up in 2009

    Concerts in 2010

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    News and Views

    Perth Recorder Orchestra!

    Jordi Corall has started a recorder orchestra here in Perth. The meetings/rehearsals are on Wednesdays, at 7:30 pm at the Mt Lawley Primary School, Third Avenue, Mt Lawley. All levels of players invited. Please bring your recorder(s) and a music stand. If you would like to join in, please register your interest with Jordi - 0409 223 363

    Back to Konnongorring - from Glyn Marillier

    Music Camp at St Michael's, Konnongorring Sat 3rd and Sun 4th Oct (St Francis Day!)

    Past and present members of the Perth Undergraduate Choral Society and the Chapel Choir will remember singing in the beautiful acoustic of Glyn Marillier's country retreat, St Michael's, Konnongorring (half way between Goomalling and Wongan Hills).

    PUCSters helped inaugurate it with a concert in 1990 and it a number have been asking to return for another weekend camp and concert for the locals (on the Sunday afternoon). There's also a tradition of having a Soirée a week after Katanning, so I'm hoping some of the participants from the previous weekend at Katanning will also be keen to attend as well.

    If we have the forces, I'd like to tackle my new work for choir and double instrumental ensemble written for my friends in Germany this year: Gais Harvest.

    There's no cost involved, apart from bringing your own food to share and whatever camping gear you favour. There's lots of space, shade trees and even an ablution facility about to be installed (at long last!).

    2009 is a special year for St Michael's too; it turned 80 this year! And the icing on the cake is the arrival of a beautiful French style two manual harpsichord - La Contessa Luisa Maria Vittoria di Lombardia made by Guido Bizzi. October 4th 2009 will be her debut performance in public.

    Please let me (Glyn) know if you want to come to Konnongorring - leave a message on 0427 201 220.

    Links to kindred organisations and other sites of possible interest

    Your interests may widen, or you may wish to play or hear early music when you travel to other States!

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