Hello Friends,

Well, it's our very first Newsletter! I'm delighted you have joined us. I hope these emails will provide a monthly reminder for you to seek out opportunities to join in making music wherever you live in the Bay Area. 

I hadn't planned on getting a newsletter out so soon but the listings keep coming in and I didn't want you to miss any of the terrific events that are happening this month! You'll also see some future events that people may want to get onto their schedules right now. 

Don't forget we are updating the website as listings come in, so it's worth checking back in from time to time. You will find more ongoing ensembles listed on the website -- we're growing that list too -- but the newsletter is going to focus mostly on upcoming special events, auditions, and date-sensitive opportunities.

Please forward this email to people who might want to join the list or might want us to list their ensemble or opportunity. The immediate response from the website launch has been really positive and I suspect we will rapidly expand to add many interesting events for amateur musicians throughout our region - with your help!

See you in November,


Lolly Lewis
Founder, Amateur Music Network

JAM / OPEN MIC   ♦    SF    ♦    OCT. 13, 2016

DEE’S KEYS

Every Thursday, 4-8pm at Beaux, 2344 Market St. btw. Castro and 16th; open mic piano bar open to all singers. All genres: show tunes, standards, pop, etc. I have hundreds of songs on site and can transpose for most ranges. Very laid back, non-pressured, friendly venue.

Age: 21 and older

TO FIND OUT MORE: www.deespencer.com

ORCHESTRA READING    ♦    EAST BAY    ♦    OCT. 15

AWESÖME ORCHESTRA

Part performance, part open rehearsal, they’re open to all musicians and all audiences. Awesöme Orchestra plays everything from Stravinsky to Star Wars, in fun spaces all over the Bay.

Awesöme Orchestra Collective brings together Bay Area music-lovers for orchestral adventures. We hold drop-in reading sessions that are open to all musicians, and free for everybody. JOIN THE PLAYERS LIST to receive info on all events (next session is OCTOBER 15).

Almost anyone can enjoy the unique collective energy of an orchestra. Yet the experience of attending a typical symphony concerts feels unreachable for many people. Whether it’s the price, the formality, or the repertoire, there are many barriers to entry for audiences. Our free, open sessions aim to remove as many of those barriers as possible. They are free, fun, relaxed, and diversely programmed.

It can also be difficult for musicians to have an opportunity to play in an orchestra. There are many local musicians who want to join an orchestra, but lack the time for a regular rehearsal commitment, or feel too intimidated to audition for even a community orchestra. Our open sessions create a welcoming environment for all musicians.

We strive for accessibility, community, and excellence in all that we do. We believe music sounds better when everybody is having a good time.

TO FIND OUT MORE: www.awesomeorchestra.org

CHORAL JAM / OPEN MIC   ♦    SF    ♦    OCT. 18, 2016

FUNTIMECHOIR!

FunTimeChoir! is a drop in, no-commitment choir that meets on Tuesdays twice a month to hang out, drink a beer, and sing. Here’s how it works: You show up, get a lyric sheet, and become a part of the choir. You will join a group of highs, mids, or lows, and by the end of the night, master three-part harmonies for a pop song. Every session will have a recording at the end so an audio clip can be shared with friends, family, and fans. The next FunTimeChoir! rehearsal will be 7pm on October 18. We’ll be singing Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus.

Age: 18 and over.

TO FIND OUT MORE: https://www.facebook.com/FunTimeChoir/

CHAMBER MUSIC READING    ♦    EAST BAY ♦    OCT. 21, 2016

CHAMBER MUSIC SIGHT-READING PARTY

Adult chamber musicians of every level are invited to join us at Crowden Music Center for a chamber music sight-reading party!

Celebrate your love of chamber music with like-minded people, and just generally have a great time. We’ll provide music and snacks. Preformed groups are welcome! The party takes place on Friday, October 21, 7–10pm at Crowden, and costs $25. Sign-up deadline is Friday, October 14.

How it works: You will be placed in a group based on your self-assessed skill level from this rating guide (http://www.acmp.net/ratings). Novice and Intermediates will have a piece or pieces assigned to them. Advanced, Expert, and Pro players will have a variety of pieces available to them to play. If you have a group of people that you want to play with, let me know and that can be arranged. If you have a piece of music that you would like to read, let me know, and I will see if that can be accommodated.

The fee for the evening is $25; your space will not be reserved until your fee is received. The sign-up deadline is Friday, October 14. Participants will be notified of details in the week before the workshop. Snacks will be available at the party! We can accept any and all instruments, but we can only accept three pianists at this time. Pianists must have a minimum of three years of chamber music experience. If you are part of a pre-formed group, then any instrumentation is acceptable. If we cannot place you in a group for any reason, your fee will be completely refunded.

Age:  18 and older

TO FIND OUT MORE: www.crowden.org/party-signup

ENSEMBLE (NO AUDITION)    ♦    EAST BAY

THE REALLY TERRIBLE STRING ORCHESTRA

Location: St. Clement’s Episcopal Church in Berkeley
(near the Claremont Hotel)
Rehearsals the last Sunday of every month year round: NEXT REHEARSAL OCTOBER 30.
Time: 6:30 – 9pm
Suggested Tax Deductible Donation – $20, no one turned away!
Bring a stand and your sense of humor – oh, and a string instrument!

Age restriction: This is for adult amateurs. However, if your child wants to play, they’re welcome!

TO FIND OUT MORE: www.rtso-sfbay.org

CHORAL WORKSHOP    ♦    EAST BAY    ♦    NOV. 17, 2016

CAL PERFORMANCES PRESENTS:
COMMUNITY SING WITH MELANIE DEMORE

A Song Can Hold You Up: Songs of Community and Connection

Melanie DeMore gives us the gift of connection with a combination of Spirituals, hymns, folk songs, civil rights and her own original community building songs. Join us to experience the art and joy of singing, part of Cal Performances’ Celebration of the Human Voice. Vocal activist, choral leader, and longtime Cal Performances master teaching artist, Melanie DeMore believes that “Everyone has a voice, everyone can sing,” and that singing is a beautiful way to bring people together. In her words, a community sing demonstrates “how connected we are, despite ourselves. There is power in raising our voices together, radiating our connection outwardly. We come together to grieve, to celebrate, to heal, to understand one another’s pains and joys… there is a human comfort in being connected and not isolated and alone.”

Free general admission event. Tickets are required and will be available after Oct 7 at www.calperformances.org

ALL AGES WELCOME

TO FIND OUT MORE: VISIT OUR WEBSITE

PERFORMANCE    ♦    EAST BAY    ♦    JAN. 20, 2017

VIREO

Be part of the final episode of Lisa Bielawa’s epic TV/internet opera VIREO!  Vireo is unprecedented in that it is being created expressly for episodic release via broadcast and online media, in partnership with LA-based TV station KCET. All twelve episodes of Vireo will be released on KCET in spring 2017. Find out more at http://operavireo.com

You will be part of the on-camera Audience for the final episode of the series, and you will play in a short musical sequence in the climactic scene.

All portable, acoustic instruments welcome, all ages welcome, all skill levels welcome!

Location: Historic 16th Street Train Station in West Oakland Friday, January 20, 2017 2 - 8 PM

REGISTRATION WILL OPEN NOVEMBER 1 - WATCH THIS SPACE!

WORKSHOP   ♦    SF    ♦    FEB. 4-5, 2017
DEL SOL CHAMBERFEST

ChamberFest is an exciting, intensive weekend chamber music workshop for adult non-professional string players. Held in the intimate setting of an Ashbury Heights residence in San Francisco, this dynamic program features two days of hands-on coaching by the Del Sol String Quartet.

Ensembles will receive two days of coaching on their choice of repertoire (plus a short work by our resident composer) with members of the Del Sol Quartet. (Suggestions will be made for other short contemporary works to explore during the weekend.) In addition to the extensive coaching, participants will enjoy great food & drink, an intimate concert by Del Sol, and two intriguing, pragmatic workshops. (Workshops have included topics on: ensemble, rhythm, intonation, the physical aspects of playing , contemporary repertoire and more.)

TO FIND OUT MORE: http://delsolquartet.com/chamberfest/