Contact Information
Joint Musical Directors: Janet Seltzer and Julia Harding.
Publicity: Ian Bennett
Macclesfield SRP was founded in 2013 with the aim of enabling recorder players to meet together and play a wide range of music of all periods in a warm and supportive atmosphere.
We are 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.
Last year we 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.
In 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 also played programmes of music at the Macclesfield Silk Museum during their 2022 and 2023 Heritage Days, and then to support their pre-Christmas 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).
Our most recent concert coincided with a Treacle Market and took place in the historic 17th Century King Edward Street Chapel. We played a varied programme of ancient and modern music, mostly with a springtime theme. The concert group meets to rehearse before each regular monthly meeting in order to create and maintain its performance repertoire.
We’ll be back in the Silk Museum on the afternoon of 2 November 2024, and in the King Edward Street Chapel for the last Treacle Market before Christmas at 2pm on Sunday 24 November. Then on Sunday 1 December we’ll be providing some of the music for a Christmas Tree service at 2pm in Christ Church, Bridge Street, Macclesfield.
Playing Days
We hold 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, and this year we welcomed 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. With her we explored music from the Renaissance and earlier (some of it even lacked barlines!) as well as modern compositions including one by Alyson herself.
Subscriptions 2024 – 2025
SRP Full member rate £54.00 for the (academic) year
Household membership (where there is more than one player in the household) £77.50 for the year
Person under 30 years, or in full-time education £18.50 for the year
All visitors £5 per meeting.
These rates cover local and national membership and subscription to “The Recorder Magazine”.
Meeting dates
Meetings are from 2.00 to 4.30 pm, usually on the second Saturday of each month (not August), but see below.
- 12 October 2024
- 9 November
- 7 December
- 11 January 2025
- 8 February
- 8 March
- 12 April
- 3 May
- 14 June (Playing Day)
- 12 July