Hi everyone,
Hope you are all well. We’re still plugging along here at WCGS, and keeping busy figuring out what the future looks like, as are we all I’m sure. Thankfully, even though there are few concerts coming up, we still have things to look forward to.
Upcoming Salon: This Sunday April 26
Join me this Sunday the 26th, at 6:00 pm on Zoom, for our April Members Salon. We’ll be conducting things as usual, with the caveat that we’ll all be playing and critiquing from the comfort of our own homes. We had a great time last month at our first Zoom salon and I’m looking forward to doing it again Sunday!
In addition to our usual antics, I’ve posted a challenge piece in our Facebook group. Hop on there and download it, and give it a try this Sunday! We’ll compare/contrast different performances, and see what works.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/149817292?pwd=Mmk3R0VKRWliNXp3ZFJJeXJtb255UT09
Meeting ID: 149 817 292
Password: 625369
Our Zoom meeting went great thanks to some preparation we all took part in to help things run smoothly. Please follow the instructions below to ensure we all have the best experience possible.
1) Set up your laptop (preferably) or other webcam-enabled device (tablet or phone) in a quiet space in your home.
2) Plug in headphones or earbuds to ensure the sound quality is optimal (conferencing software will otherwise garble your audio as it’s trying to filter voice from background noise).
3) Download the Zoom videoconferencing app and install on your computer or device.
4) Once installed, create an account, and then test your mic and speaker connections in the Zoom app. On the computer app, click on the gear icon (Settings) in the upper right corner under your initials to access the Settings. In settings, click on Video in the menu on the left to preview your video feed. Make sure you have sufficient light on your front for the camera. Click on Audio to test and preview your mic and speakes/headphones.
5) If you plan to perform, while in the Audio settings, click on the advanced box in the bottom right. In the Advanced section, select DISABLE in the “Suppress Persistant Background Noise” and “Suppress Intermittent Background Noise” options. Echo cancellation should be left to “Auto.”Check the box at the top to “Show in meeting option to enable Original Sound from microphone.” Note: not all of these settings are available on other devices. Change what you can.
6) An email will be sent to you just prior to the meeting. Click the link to join.
7) Once joined, click the “Turn on Original Sound” button in the top left of the screen. This will use the unfiltered feed from your microphone, allowing for your most musical performance. If you’re not performing, this isn’t necessary.
8) Have fun! Any further instructions will be given in the meeting.
Note you can always create your own meeting to try out the system and familiarize yourself with what it can do. If you have any questions, please let me know and I’ll try to answer them for you.
Oh, and I wouldn’t plan on playing any duos, unless you really want to give it a chance. The latency issues will yield very mixed results.
We will continue to hold our monthly meetings on Zoom until it is deemed safe to meet again in person. Hopefully, that won’t be too long from now, but I still anticipate it will be several months.
Members Concert May 23
Although we’ve had to cancel our visiting artist concerts for the remainder of our season, we’re going forward with our Members Concert on May 23rd at 7:30. This year’s concert will be presented as a Facebook Premiere, and will be an assemblage of pre-recorded performances solicited from some of our members. Please set the time aside and be sure to tune in. We hope to entertain you, as always, and really appreciate your support and comments.
April Salon
As stated above, in the interest of social distancing and keeping all of our members healthy, Sunday’s salon will be held online in Zoom. All the directions you need are above. If you need additional help, please contact me at president@wilmingtonguitar.org.
**If you are coming to the salon, please arrive between 5:45 and 6:00. Join up and get your settings straight, and have fun chatting with everyone else.
*NOTE: The following salon will take place on May 31st, location TBD. Mark your calendars!
2019 Salon Schedule
April 26th (online)
May 31st
June 28th
July 26th
August 30th
September 27th
October 25th
November 22nd
December 13th
March Meeting Recap
We had a great turnout for our first online meeting, and some really great performances. Thanks everyone for showing up, even if you were just listening in with your video off (you know who you are, lol). Hope to see you all again this Sunday!
Robert Guerrero – Largo by J.S. Bach and Spider Dance by Andrew York
Scott Kuykendall – Willow by Andrew York
Debbie Mulrooney – Exercise 7 by Dionisio Aguado
Simon Varley – Registro (Preludio) from Suite Venezolana by Antonio Lauro
Ralph Dominica – Lesson Book 2 No.24 by Julio Sagreras and Waltz by Fernando Sor
Other Events
All live events are cancelled or have moved online. Stay home and stay healthy.
For more information on upcoming events, please visit our event calendar at https://wilmingtonguitar.org/calendar.
To submit an event, please Email our event calendar coordinator at events@wilmingtonguitar.org.
We’re at 2,292 likes on Facebook! Make sure you’re one of them, and help us break the 2,300 mark! https://www.facebook.com/wilmingtonguitar
Best,
Matthew Lavanish
President & Artistic Director – The Wilmington Classical Guitar Society