Orchestra Stereotypes

Just a bit of end-of-week fun, folks!  

Orchestra Stereotypes, from the Trumpet Angst blog!

Bridge Week at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

 Bridge Week begins on Monday 3rd February 2014 - the week when our students embark on their own ambitious projects.  (For a start, they have their own radio station - Bridge Radio - http://radio.rcs.ac.uk/)

BUSINESS AS NORMAL IN THE LIBRARY!!

The Whittaker Library remains open the normal hours:-

Monday to Thursday, 9 am - 8.30 pm
Friday, 9 am - 5 pm
Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm.

We're here to offer support in sourcing information to help you get those Bridge Week projects under way!

Library Website: http://www.rcs.ac.uk/aboutus/libraryandit/

Composition Marathon at the Scottish Music Centre

Further details of this exciting annual event here:-

http://compositionmarathon.com/

Just Another Tune - Website about Popular Folksongs and Ballads

Interested in Traditional Music? 

Just Another Tune.com
We found this website the other day. It's by Jürgen Kloss, a trained folklorist (M.A, University of Bonn 1991).  You might find it useful for tracing the history of some popular folk-songs and ballads.

Celtic Revival in Scotland - Call for Papers

Call for papers - The Celtic Revival in Scotland (1860-1930)

1-3 May 2014, Edinburgh

This interdisciplinary conference (1-3 May) will be organised by the University of Edinburgh’s department of Celtic and Scottish Studies and part-hosted by the National Galleries of Scotland.

The department of Celtic and Scottish Studies is now accepting paper proposals for their upcoming conference, The Celtic Revival in Scotland (1860-1930). Click here for details.

Gun at the Temples! Music Librarian Challenged to Write a jingle "On Air"

A bit taken aback, 'Whittaker' was challenged to improvise a jingle, on air, for the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Bridge Week.  Well, it rhymed.  Can't say more than that!  It was live on air, and pretty much about air, but we were allowed to use a computer to write the words down first ...

The students who went on the bridge

Declared that it felt like a fridge

The Cowcaddens chill

Gave them all quite a thrill

And no sign of the whine of a midge.

To be honest, 'Whittaker' writes better musical limericks than that.  No instrumentalist is safe .... check them out here!

Ron Shaw's Scots Cello Book - new score in Whittaker Library

Head of Scottish Music, Dr Josh Dickson, has presented the Whittaker Library with a copy of Ron Shaw's new cello book.

Visit Ron's own website, which includes details of his book, here.

Music Manuscripts - a RISM Trial for the Whittaker Library at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Valuable Music Manuscripts Accessible Online

Musicologists at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland will be interested to learn that a trial is available until 21st February, to RISM - Series A/II: Music Manuscripts after 1600. 

This resource can also be cross-searched with the other music resources via this link.  Further information is available here.

NB Staff and students of the Conservatoire are reminded that online resource trials are set up for on-site use, within the campus buildings.

Guardian Culture Professionals: Art Critics Only Matter if they Engage

You may have missed this, but it's worth sharing.  Click here.

Trial of RILM Retrospective - find very old AND very new articles about music

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland subscribes to RILM already, offering music staff and students the best online way of sourcing articles and other writings about music.  It's a quality product - readers are warmly encouraged to explore its coverage.  Registered staff and students can access it anywhere, on any online device, using their Conservatoire login details.

Try an extended database online, on Conservatoire premises!

Now, however, there's more on offer!  We have a trial until 21st February, of RILM Retrospective, which offers a hugely extended dataset going back to 1899.  The trial searches both RILM and Retrospective simultaneously, but - unlike our subscription to the modern database, the trial can only be accessed on Royal Conservatoire of Scotland premises.  (This is because the trial requires our IP address range, rather than using individual readers' logins.)

IMPORTANT

Boxes down the left side of the screen enable you to refine your search.  To succeed in finding older material, the "Full text" option must NOT be checked.

Like this:                                        

Not like this:

Stan Winston School of Character Arts

Staff and students at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland have a new online resource via the Whittaker Library: the library has taken out a subscription to the

Stan Winston School of Character Arts, online training with the worlds finest FX artists and technicians

Access is via username and password (which staff and students can get from the library), and the subscription only allows one login at a time, so please logout when you have finished!

Staff and students can also access this resource using library portals, and from the library website http://www.rcs.ac.uk/aboutus/libraryandit/databases.html

Hope this is useful, and enjoy!

Music Clout opportunity for Composers - Songs needed for Drama Film

 LAST CALL! Are you a composer ?

This opportunity was tweeted by Music Clout today.  Further details on Music Clout website - click here.  Deadline 29 January 2014. 

Brigitte Fassbaender Masterclass 25-28 August at the Schubertiade

Whittaker received leaflets about the Brigitte Fassbaender Masterclass, which takes place in at the Schubertiade in Schwarzenberg between 25-28 August 2014.  

Offentlicher Meisterkurs fur Liedgesang mit Brigitte Fassbaender

The website is in both German and English.  Details of the masterclass are under the 'News' heading.

Charles Dickens signed our Visitors Book! (Athenaeum, now Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)

"I guess it isn’t every day that you discover Charles Dickens’ signature on your visitors’ book. He opened the Glasgow Athenaeum (the predecessor of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) in December 1847, and consequently ‘signed in’ on the 28th of that month.", explains Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Archives Officer, Stuart Harris Logan.

First, we were the Athenaeum, when Charles Dickens delivered the opening address and signed our visitors' book. (Except we called it a Strangers Book - times change!) Now we're the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. We're no longer in the old Glasgow Athenaeum building, but have been in the new Renfrew Street building for 25 years. And Stuart Harris-Logan, our Archives Officer, found the Strangers Book, with Dickens' signature there for all to see. He's very happy to welcome any visitors to our archive facility to view this and other marvels - just email him (S.Harris-Logan@rcs.ac.uk).

Momentum Music Fund - as promoted on PRS for Music Foundation website

Whittaker noted this on the PRS for Music Foundation website - significant funding for emerging artists:-

"Momentum Music Fund

Momentum offers grants of £5k-£15k for artists and bands to break through to the next level of their career.

To find out if you, your band, or an act you represent, could be eligible for funding from Momentum read through the information below. You can also find links to the online application process.THE NEXT APPLICATION DEADLINE IS 24TH JANUARY 2014."

 And here's the link - click here

That Funky Musicology (YouTube)

You really must play this!  Whittaker would turn in his grave, but our thanks to Dr Kieran Fenby-Hulse for tweeting this link.  

(If you find cute singing youngsters a bit saccharine-sweet, our apologies - Karen liked it!)

That Funky Musicology

Flute Music!

The David Nicholson bequest of flute music is gradually being added to the Whittaker Library stock, a significant enhancement.  Search 'David Nicholson bequest' in our catalogue to see what's been catalogued  so far.

'Whittaker' was inspired to write another limerick.  (Forgive the liberties taken with names, chosen purely to make the verse rhyme!)

A batch of fresh scores for the flute
Encourages flautists to toot,
And you sure cannot beat
Such a foot-tapping treat
As a medley of Prelleur and Poot.

The Loss of a Great Master - Claudio Abbado

The Whittaker Library is sorry to note the passing of conductor Claudio Abbado, truly one of the great names of our time.

To remind yourself of his epic contribution to classical music over many years, here's a list of the recordings and other materials held in the Whittaker Library at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Time to read more?  Conductors in Conversation is the book for you.  Find it here.

• BBC News
• Classic FM News
• The Guardian News
• The Era of Claudio Abbado at the Berlin Philharmonic (Berliner Philharmoniker)

Finding Digital Sheet ("sheet") Music

NEWS!  Staff and students of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland can freely download music from Library Music Source using any wi-fi enabled device on Conservatoire Premises.  There's so much there, you'll have to take a look to see for yourself!

Here's the link:- 

• Library Music Source
• http://www.librarymusicsource.com/index.php

NB This great resource is only accessible by subscription.  The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland subscription can only be accessed on Conservatoire premises.  The subscription does not allow Conservatoire users to access it elsewhere.

This seems a good opportunity to mention other resources available on the internet.  Some of these are free, others have to be paid for:-

• IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library - Free Public Domain Sheet Music; an online database with a lot of historic collections, free to download.
• Sheet Music Direct: Download and Print Sheet Music for Piano, Choir, Guitar Tabs and More   
• OnlineSheetMusic.com    
• CD Sheet Music Online   
• Sheet Music Plus - For Piano, Guitar And Choral Music
• National Library of Scotland - Digital Gallery (hundreds of early Scottish music scores, free to access and download.)
• The Internet Archive at Archive.org  offers old music and old recordings, besides the more expected old books  - well worth a look!

Posting for PhD Students: Tara's Ten Tips for Rapid PhD Completion

You can read Tara's paper on her Academia.com page. 

If you haven't yet visited Academia.com, then this also gives you the opportunity to explore a valuable networking site for scholars and researchers.

Scotch Does Not Necessarily Mean Scottish

Find out what happens when a music librarian's alter ego - the musicologist - goes to town on an old Scots song collection - 

Thirty Favourite Scots Songs Untainted by the Caledonian Muse

Truly Fabulous - British Library Photostream on Flickr - Lovely Old Images

The British Library has uploaded lots of historic pictures which might be very useful indeed for stage and costume designers, or indeed as a source of images for a PowerPoint or Prezi presentation on a historical subject.

These are breathtaking - take a few moments to sample what's on offer:-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/britishlibrary

Music Clout offers Advice on Overcoming Stagefright

Naturally, our performers learn to combat stage-fright - it's an essential skill if you're going to get on in the world of music or theatre. 

Overcoming Stage Fright

Nonetheless, these tips from Music Clout might be worth passing on to a pupil or less experienced performer - a good short summary on how to beat those nerves!

Entrepreneur Website offers Tips for Speakers

Whittaker knows that our actors already speak with authority, and our musicians perform with practised composure. 

 

Ten Body Language Tips Every Speaker Must Know

However, in the world of business and entrepreneurship, sometimes you need to present ideas, not words and music.  Maybe this posting on Entrepreneur might be useful in such situations!

Doric Dictionary

http://www.doricdictionary.com/

 'Whittaker' found this link en route to the office.  A Doric Dictionary looks just the kind of thing Scots actors and musicians might find useful - vocabulary from the North East of Scotland.

Musical Limericks Again: The Bassoon

A muso who played the bassoon
Was a woeful and sad-looking loon
He wanted to doze,
Had a sore blocked up nose, and could
NOT hear to play things in tune. 

BASSOON OR OBOE?

Until you can make a good reed,
You'll spend far more cash than you need;
But despite months of trying,
There is no denying -
It's a very tough challenge indeed.  

Social media - for tips on types of tweets try @Buffer recommendations

Want to know how to get more traffic to your tweets?

How the Founder of Buffer Tweets: The System and 5 types of Tweets to Keep your Followers Engaged

Irish Music Collections Online (We're all Celts together)

This Irish piping link might be of interest to our Scottish music degree students.  The tunes are not restricted to pipe music, and you  never know when there might be overlap in repertoires!

http://www.pipers.ie/IMCO/

And the homepage  of Na Píobairí Uilleann - http://www.pipers.ie/

Scottish Book Trust - Writing Fellowship in Paris - Very Desirable!!

Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship 2014

To find out more about this interesting and valuable opportunity, visit the Scottish Book Trust website:-

http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/writing/scottish-book-trust-training-awards/the-robert-louis-stevenson-fellowship-2014

Musica Scotica Ninth Annual Conference, 2014 in Aberdeen

Scottish music is celebrated and shared at the annual Musica Scotica conference.  The 2014 conference is in Aberdeen for the first time, and - another first - this time it takes place over two days, not just one.

In addition to the Musica Scotica website, you can also keep up to date on the conference details at the University of Aberdeen's own dedicated web-page, here.

The Nearest Place to Recycle Christmas Cards is M&S

'Whittaker' discovered that you can recycle your Christmas cards at M&S.  (It says so on their website! - and there's a box beside the checkout.)

An eco-friendly, non-musical, non-theatrical tip from the Whittaker Library...

Flute Donation - A Day in the Life of a Music Librarian

We have this fabulous, big donation of flute music.  First the music has to be catalogued.  To do that, we have to search for catalogue records then edit them to suit our purposes.

Spot the difference.  This represents a day in the life of a music librarian!

 

Cambridge Early Music Summer Schools 2014

Cambridge Early Music Summer Schools

 

Whittaker received a batch of leaflets in the post today. You'll find all the details on the Cambridge Early Music website, www.CambridgeEarlyMusic.org.

• 3-10 August, The Purcell Legacy : English Baroque Music, with The Parley of Instruments
• 10-16 August, Musica Transalpina: The Italian Influence on English Music in the Elizabethan Age, including Spem in Alium, with Philip Thorby and Friends

 

Guardian Culture Professionals Network

If you work amongst, or hope to join the culture professions, then the Guardian Culture Professionals Network is a useful way of getting news of interesting developments in your own or related fields.

'Whittaker' recently received their latest posting, which summarises the Network's most popular postings of 2013.  Retrospective postings do tend to smack of 'what we've done', rather than current events and trends, but this one is still valuable, if only to show you the kind of postings you could expect if you signed up to receive notifications.

So, here it is - the Guardian Culture Professionals Network 'best of 2013'. 
And looking ahead into 2014, here's their latest posting.

See what you think.

BBC2 iPlayer - Glasgow Big Night Out, then Stanley Baxter

New Year's Day 2014 brought two great programmes for Glasgow theatre lovers.  These are the BBC  iPlayer links, so you'll have to be quick before you miss them!

• Glasgow Big Night Out (the era of variety theatre)  
• The Many Faces of Stanley Baxter