Players Resouces & Links
Compiled by Douglas Butler
Rusty Violin Exercises
We are indebted to Douglas Butler for compiling a comprehensive list of violin exercises and downloads of music & accompaniment for the benefit of the Rusty Strings of Oundle.
Residential & Day Courses
| WHEN | WHAT |
| Year round | Benslow Music Courses, Hitchin – throughout the year Courses for all groups and all standards. |
| January | Mid-Winter Strings Jacqueline du Pré Building, St Hilda’s College, Oxford |
| Twice a year | ‘Blow the Dust off’ Orchestra and Recorder day 10am-6pm Albert Hall, Nottingham |
| Year round | Classical Music Courses – various Knuston Hall, Irchester, Wellingborough NN29 7EU |
| February | CBSO String Play-along Day An opportunity to play amongst members of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra |
| April | Easter Orchestral Week – for keen adult amateur musicians. Ellesmere College, Shropshire [Grade 8 required] |
| May / June | Pennine Spring Music – Join on either a residential or a day-to-day basis, Hebden Bridge |
| August | ELLSO: Summer School (strings) – The East London Late Starters Orchestra hosts a week-long residential String Summer School at Uppingham School |
| August | Sherborne Summer School of Music – Summer School music courses, Sherborne, Dorset |
| August | Nantwen Chamber Music Summer School – Chamber music school, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park |
| August | CSSM: Summer School of Music – a flexible musical week held at Uppingham School |
| August | Music for People: Summer School – the UK’s most comprehensive summer music school, Giggleswick School, Settle |
| August | NLMS: Music Summer School – a music summer school for adult amateur players and singers, Uppingham School, Rutland |
| August | Wind Ensemble Retreats – Three courses at Rydal Hal, Ambleside, Cumbria |
| August | The Summer School of the Workers’ Music Assoc (WMA) Ingestre Hall, Staffordshire |
| August | The Rehearsal Orchestra: Edinburgh Residential Course Edinburgh |
| August | Music for Everyone Summer school, Trent College, Long Eaton |
| August | Dartington International School & Festival Week 3 Dartington, Totnes, Devon |
| August | Port Sunlight Orchestral Weekend at Chester University |
LOCAL AMATEUR GROUPS
ORGANISATIONS WITH SYMPATHETIC AIMS
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- UK Amateur Orchestras – we are not alone!!
- Orchestras Live – support for amateur orchestras
- The Rusty Players’ Orchestras – Orchestras based in Birmingham, Carmarthen and Barry Island
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- Downland Ensemble – a community orchestra in Pulborough, Sussex
- The Really Terrible Orchestra – inspired by Alexander McCall Smith, Edinburgh
- Blow the Dust off your Instrument – Nottingham (Music for Everyone)
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- The COBWEB ORCHESTRA – 8 groups in North of England
- Do Come and Play Orchestra (DA CAPO) – Padworth, West Berkshire
- East London Late-Starters Orchestras (ELLSO) – Pheonix School, near Stratford
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- SILLARS Orchestra, Norwich
- Yorkshire Late-Starters Strings (YLSS) – Allerton High School, Leeds
- The Jan Modelski Community Orchestra – Chester
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- The Hindhead Symphony Orchestra – Hindhead Music Centre, Hindhead, Surrey
- The Exeter Harmony Orchestra – Music Dept, Exeter School
- Peterborough Community Orchestra – formed January 2018
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- The Seriously Awful Sinfonia – Camelford, Cornwall
- Ellesmere Sinfonia – Shropshire
- The Colwell Arts Orchestra – Gloucester. Contact Richard Ling:01453 330300
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- Enfield Community Orchestra – amateur orchestra for all levels, London
- Kingston 3rd Age Orchestra – Kingston-upon-Thames
- The Eclectic String Band – Cirencester
in USA:
- New York Late-Starters String Orchestra (NYLSO) – Manhattan, NY (Elena Rahona)
- Terrible Adult Chamber Orchestra, Palo Alto – California, USA
- Pretty Shaky String Band – East Lansing, Michigan USA
SUPPLIERS / MUSIC SUPPORT
| WHO | WHAT |
| Making Music | Support for amateur music makers, music exchange |
| Peterborough Music Making | Localised support group |
| CatS Music Instrument Repairs | 68 West St, Oundle Clive Oakes: 01832 274244 |
| Stamford Strings | 3 St Leonards St, Olive Branch Yard, Stamford Libby Summers – 07818 286538 – 01780 764339 |
| Simon Watkin Violins | 2 North Street, Coates, Peterborough: 01733 840235 |
| East Midland Music Ltd | Rectory Farm, Warmington: Email – Facebook page |
| Stamford Music Shop | 11 St Mary’s Hill, Stamford PE9 2DP: 01780 751275 |
| Gear 4 Music | Single 9-LED music stand light – 10-pack Collapsable Music Stands – Sturdy music stands |
| John Fletcher Rehearsal Files | Clarinet plays out your part (choral music only) |
| The String Zone | 192 High Street, Egham, TW20 9ED: 01784 473985 |
| TicketSource | Free ticketing platform – Contact |
SOURCES OF FREE MUSIC & PARTS
| WHO | WHAT |
| IMSLP | International Music Score Library Project – Petrucci Music Library |
| PMBS Music Printing | Booklet service from any IMSLP score – Full list if titles! |
| Free Scores | French site offering scores and parts for out-of-copyright music |
| Score Exchange | contact (Andrew Davis) – Selection for String Orchestra |
DIGITAL MUSIC SOLUTIONS
| WHO | WHAT |
| Newzik | Digital orchestral music |
| ForScore | Digital orchestral music |
| Blackbinder | Digital orchestral music (auto-scrolling) |
| nkoda | pdfs of scores and parts for thousands of pieces (subscription) |
| ISM Advice | How to make online music |
| Source Connect | High quality sound over the web |
| Part Play | Einer Kleine Nachtmusik (Steve Bingham) |
ORCHESTRAL PARTS FOR HIRE
| WHO | WHAT |
| Boosey & Hawkes | London – Orchestral (score/parts) – contact |
| Alto Publications | Classical hire |
| Absolute Music | Orchestral Hire Library – email contact – tel: 020 3005 4921 |
| IAML (UK & Ireland) | International Association of Music Libraries – join |
| Encore 21 | Search their database of all UK based hirers |
| Encore Music | Hull City Council – Orchestral sets catalogue |
| Light Music Soc | Library – Orchestral sets catalogue |
| Zinfonia | Search catalogue |
| Concord | Music Hire Library (Godstone, Surrey) – Catalogue |
| Christ’s College | Music Hire Library – 01223 334905 |
| Havant Orchestra | Music Hire Library |
| Aylesbury Symphony Orchestra | Music Hire Library |
| COUNTY LIBRARIES | |
| Notts/Leics/Rutland | Performing Arts Library (Nottingham) – catalogue |
| Kent CC | Music and Drama sets – Orchestral sets catalogue |
| Norfolk CC | Music hire |
| Leeds Music/Art | Search for orchestral parts – 01133 787014 |
| Manchester | Henry Watson Music library |
| Lincolnshire CC | Lincolnshire Music Service – 01522 552818/855 (Liz Taylor) |