Contact Information

Secretary: Daryll Bailey   

Joint Musical Directors: Janet Seltzer and Julia Harding

Publicity: Ian Bennett

 

Macclesfield SRP was founded in 2013 by local instrumental teacher Jane Duff. We aim to enable recorder players to meet together and play a wide range of music of all periods in a warm and supportive atmosphere.

We are now directed by local instrumental teachers Julia Harding and Janet Selzer. Julia has extensive experience as leader of instrumental groups: she also directs Macclesfield Concert Band and the Newcastle Strings. Janet teaches recorder in local schools and also has adult students. 

You can hear the standard to which we aspire in the audio clips below.

We are always ready to welcome new members. Currently the Branch has around 15 active players, typically playing 4+ part music on descant, treble, tenor and bass recorders. 

Here we are in rehearsal with Sussex by the Sea and a movement from Suite for Recorders by Robin Milford. 

We recently celebrated our tenth anniversary with tea, cake, balloons and a playing session of pieces special to the Branch, including an arrangement of folksongs by a former member, the late Richard Foxcroft; Jane’s Waltz, dedicated to Jane Duff; and Ballade in Canon by Colin Touchin, who was remembered by some members as their teacher at Stockport Recorder College, and as conductor of the KEMS Macclesfield Symphony Orchestra. 

If you’re thinking of joining us, please contact Daryll Bailey, our secretary. More information can be found on our Prospective Members’ page. You are assured of a warm and friendly welcome.

 

Events

From almost our first year, members of the Branch have been involved in public performances.

We have performed from time to time at the National Trust’s Little Moreton Hall both at Christmas and to support events such as maypole dancing. In March 2020 we provided three contributions to Macclesfield’s concert for Contemporary Music for All when we played:

On 4 June 2022, we had the first slot in an evening of music at Christ Church in Macclesfield, which included settings of Elizabethan madrigals, four numbers from Peter Warlock’s “Capriol Suite”, the jazzy “Summer Blue” by Paul Richards, and an arrangement of the “Teddy Bears’ Picnic”.

Groups of us have also played programmes of music at the Macclesfield Silk Museum, during their 2022 and 2023 Heritage Days and most recently to support their Festive Special. Each programme was chosen to mirror the Museum’s theme for the day. We have taken audiences on walks through a musical garden, with a variety of birdsong (including William Byrd-song), offered them fireworks courtesy of Mr Handel, and worked our way through musical seasons (not just Vivaldi, but modern ones too). 

The concert group meets before each regular monthly meeting in order to create and maintain a performance repertoire.

Playing Days

We normally have a Playing Day (whole day) with a visiting conductor in the spring or early summer of each year. In 2023 our visitor was Mary Tyers from Durham. On 11 May 2024 we look forward to welcoming as our visiting conductor Alyson Lewin, a highly experienced recorder teacher, player, conductor and composer from South Staffordshire, who now works as a freelance instrumental teacher and publisher of early music.  

Subscriptions 2023 – 2024

SRP Full member rate £49 for the (academic) year

Household members £72.50 for the year

Student members £18.50 for the year

All visitors £5 per meeting.

These rates, covering local and national membership and subscription to “The Recorder Magazine”, have again been held at the same levels as last year.

Meeting dates

Meetings are from 2.00 to 4.30 pm, usually on the second Saturday of each month (not August), but see below.

We meet at Holy Trinity Church, Hurdsfield, SK10 2PX in the new Community Hub, next to the church building. The church is on the B5470 (Whaley Bridge) road, just up the hill from from Macclesfield’s main Tesco.
 
Our schedule of meetings in 2024 is:
 
  • 13 April
  • 11 May (Playing Day, all day)
  • 8 June
  • 13 July
  • 14 September
  • 12 October
  • 9 November
  • 7 December
 
 
 
 

 

Last updated 16 March 2024