Cobweb Orchestra

Groups

In addition to the seven regular rehearsal groups, there are also a number of other Cobweb offshoot groups.

Weekly Rehearsal Groups

The locations of the regular rehearsal groups are shown below. Clicking on a name on the map will jump straight to the details about the group.

Please note that most of the groups meet during school term-time, as determined by their local authority. A note of upcoming meeting dates should be included below the details of each group. If you are unsure then please contact the group leader to confirm.

Consett

This is the longest established of the regional groups and, most weeks, attracts between 40 and 50 players who will attempt just about anything from the orchestral repertoire. We have recently played Berlioz and Carl Orff as well as Mozart, Medelssohn, Bach, Haydn and contemporary works by composers associated with Cobwebs. This group does a lot of sight reading and plays complex works but still welcomes novices, and encourages the less experienced to sit alongside old hands for a bit of friendly guidance.

Leader: Andy Jackson
Forum: Consett Rehearsal Group

Venue: St. Patrick’s Church Hall, Consett.
Time: Thursdays at 7.15pm-9.15pm

2010 dates: January 7th to April 1st - yes, really (half term February 18th)

Although it is on Victoria Road, the car park is on Gibson Street and satnavs would use the following postcode: DH8 5LB.

The car park is adjacent to the Church Hall.

Directions:

Once you reach the crossroads with traffic lights at the heart of Consett with Weatherspoons on one side and the Braes pub opposite, take the road which takes you in between the two pubs (Braes on the right, Weatherspoons on the right). Go straight ahead; go past the bus station on the left and you’ll reach a set of traffic lights with a bookies on the left-hand side. Take this left. Very soon afterwards, take a right turn which swoops round to the car park. If you go past the Trades Night club, you’ve gone too far. The Church Hall is on your left.

Newbiggin

Derek Hobbs started this group in 1999, and David Hutton took it over at the start of 2008 to lead an established, flourishing group of enthusiastic players. The hall at the Sports Centre, our current venue, is pleasantly spacious for the weekly group and also able to handle the full-sized orchestra we have had for study days. Like the other groups, we have players of a wide range of abilities and welcome new players on any suitable instrument (though offers of a gamelan might not be so easily accommodated (:-).

Leader: David Hutton
Forum: Newbiggin Rehearsal Group

Venue: Newbiggin Sports and Leisure Centre, near Ashington, Northumberland [ Map ]
Time: Tuesdays at 7.30pm

Tebay

Leader: Noel Bertram
Forum: Tebay Rehearsal Group

Rehearsals: Tuesdays at 7.30pm in Tebay Methodist Church Hall, Tebay, Penrith. CA10 3XG [ Map ]

Teesside

The Middlesbrough group meets at Middlesbrough Town Hall every Monday night during term time, from 7.30 - 9.30pm. Like all of the Cobweb groups, we are a friendly bunch, welcoming players regardless of age, ability or instrument- no audition is necessary. We play a range of music to cater for different ability levels, which this term has included works by Telemann, Fauré and Handel. Next term's programme will feature music by composers including Schubert and Mozart.

Leader: Clare Barker
Forum: Teesside Rehearsal Group

Rehearsals: Mondays at 7.30pm during school term time in the Crypt of Middlesbrough Town Hall, Middlesbrough. TS1 1EL [ Map ]

Dalston

The Dalston Cobweb Group has been running since February 2008. A small nucleus of Cobweb players in North Cumbria who travelled many miles to Cobweb events now have their own regular evening group and have been joined by an encouragingly large number of new local players and Cobweb converts. This friendly group welcomes players of all abilities to play a wide-ranging reportoire.

Leader: Peter Wood
Forum: Dalston Rehearsal Group

Rehearsals: Our normal rehearsal nights are 2nd, 4th, (and 5th if there is one) Mondays during school terms at 7.30pm in Dalston Victory Hall, Dalston, Carlisle. CA5 7QB [ Map ]

York

Leader: Catherine Holbrook
Forum: York Rehearsal Group

Rehearsals: Thursdays at 7:30pm (during school term-time) in Methodist Church Hall, New Earswick, YO32 4AQ [ Map ]

Gateshead

This is the newest group and the only one which meets in the daytime. We usually make up a chamber orchestra of about 25 players with all instruments represented and tend to concentrate on the baroque and classical repertoire, but we also occasionally play 20th century and contemprary music, including film scores.

Leader: Andy Jackson
Forum: Gateshead Rehearsal Group

Venue: The Sage Gateshead
Time: Wednesdays at 1.00-3.00pm

2010 dates: January 13th to March 24th (half term February 17th)

Parking: Members of the group can apply at the Sage Gateshead box office for an electronic pass to the upper car park which allows them to park for £1.50 per visit.

Composers and Arrangers Group

Forum: Composers and Arrangers

Open to anyone, as are all Cobweb Orchestra activities, the Composers And Arrangers group offers people a forum to discuss their work and aspirations. We usually concentrate on one theme per meeting connected with the many aspects of composing and arranging, such as writing for strings or arranging a baroque piece for a different orchestral make-up. People attending do not need to be instrumentalists, nor even to write music, though most of us do.

To try out our work we invite Cobweb players to come along to some sessions (free) and play our pieces, and so we call such orchestral groups the Guinea Pig Orchestra. They are a very valuable resource for us, and usually make valuable contributions to our work. Not only do GPO players proof-read the parts (or should that be proof-play them?) but they also give us feedback on how suitable the parts and the pieces are for their instrument, and so on. How many composers and arrangers are lucky enough to have such a helpful resource available? You don't need to conduct your work if you don't want to, though. Several of us have learnt something of that too and will be willing to help out if you want just to listen or play.

Feedback also comes from the other composers and arrangers, both at meetings and by email, and our discussions always offer something new to learn about the craft and skills of writing music, in a friendly atmosphere of those trying to improve themselves and enjoy their writing.
David Hutton

I decided to join the Composers and Arrangers Group because I was curious and thought it might be a bit of fun. I have no previous experience of this sort, unless you count Grade 5 music theory which I took at school about 35 years ago!

So, I went along to the first session in Stanhope to see what it was all about. I was very relaxed about it all, because I was really quite sure I couldn't do it!

Our first assignment from Andy was to 'arrange' a tune about one minute long. I chose a famous tune from some film music and harmonised it into 4 parts. I surprised myself that I managed to pull it off.

I have since found myself quite obsessed with my new hobby, and am to be found tinkering away at the computer at all hours. Not only does the C&A group have the support of the GPO during the formative stages of our works, it is also a real privilege to sometimes have our work played by the Cobweb Orchestra in concerts.

The C&A group members are very supportive and helpful to one another, often with flurries of email contact. Anyone thinking of doing some composing and arranging should really consider joining us. If I can do it, you can!
Helen Pyburn

As David and Helen have so eloquently explained who we are and what we do, I will just add that everybody is welcome, please feel free to attend as many or few times as you feel comfortable or able, be involved with all or none of the ‘projects’ we embark on, and bring anything you have arranged or composed for the GPO to try out.

We meet approximately every 2 months, frequently at Stanhope, but have been known to meet elsewhere, including The Sage, Gateshead.
Lizelle Kirby

For more information contact Lizelle Kirby Or Peter Fuller.

The Guinea Pig Orchestra

Forum: The Guinea Pig Orchestra

The GPO is a self-selecting, ad hoc group which convenes whenever Cobwebs are carrying out controlled musical experiments.

Typically, these may involve conductors who need to hone their baton skills, composers or arrangers who want to try out a new piece, or players from another group who want to collaborate, such as musicians from Caedmon folk.

The GPO is open to anyone of any ability, we never limit the numbers and it is an activity which is completely cost free.

For details of upcoming meetings, please see the events page.

Leader Training

Forum: Leader Training

Cobweb leaders, (in the sense of facilitators rather than front desk violinists), meet regularly to develop their skills and discuss their role in the orchestra's activities. This may include conducting weekly rehearsals or concerts, leading workshops or running study days. Leaders are paid professional rates for the work they do, but not for their training.

Most leaders started as players and decided that they would like to train to take on more responsibility within the organisation, but we also welcome leaders from outside the orchestra who are interested in our approach to orchestral playing and feel that they have something to offer.

If you think you might like to become a Cobweb Orchestra leader, please contact Andy Jackson to talk about it.

Baroque Group

Forum: Baroque Group

The Cobwebs Baroque Group started at a Ridley Hall weekend when I took along some Vivaldi in facsimile editions and asked a few people if they would like to play it. I was almost knocked over in the rush and discovered that I was not the only enthusiast for the baroque style. Afterwards some of them asked if we could do it again and the group has met roughly every four to six weeks ever since.

We play mostly from facsimiles (basically photocopies of the original editions). These come as part books of sets of works. So instead of parts for Vivaldi’s Spring, for example, you get a book with the first violin parts of all twelve of Vivaldi’s op8 concertos, another book with all the second violin parts and so on. They need a bit of getting used to but have several advantages over modern editions:

There is no anachronistic modern bowing, fingering or phrasing
You get exactly what the composer published
They are relatively inexpensive

We also use parts printed from free sheet music sites of which my favourites are:

We rehearse in various places – the Sage when we have use of the rehearsal rooms, Dipton Community Centre, even members’ homes.

All strings are welcome at all our rehearsals. We don’t mind having six ‘cellos and a couple of violins at a rehearsal (it’s good practice!) but if we are to give a public performance try to ensure a balanced ensemble (ideally four to six violins, two violas, two ‘cellos, one bass and keyboard). We let wind and brass players know when it is possible to include them, but the majority of the music is for strings. We have played pieces from Vivaldi’s op 3, op 4, op 8 and op 11, Bach’s string concertos, Handel’s op6, Corelli’s op 6, and works by A Scarlatti, J.C.Bach and others. It’s all great fun.

If you are interested watch out for dates and venues on the events page or contact Toby Lipman for further information.

Cabaret Ensemble

Forum: Cabaret Ensemble

The Cabaret Ensemble is an ad hoc group of between 10 and 15 players who provide sophisticated entertainment for occasions when the whole orchestra would be too big. Previous performances have included a Billie Holiday evening, music and poetry events, concerts in libraries and a programme based on the life and music of Count Josef Boruwlaski.

Please contact Andy Jackson for further information.

Cobfriends

Forum: Cobfriends

Please contact Lee Fairlie for information.

The Cobweb Orchestra