WCGS Member Newsletter – April 2021

Greetings Subscriber!

Wow. Has it been a year of virtual salons already? Spring is springing, and guitars are twanging. I’m excited for everything this spring has to offer, not the least of which is the recording of our 9th annual Members Concert at the beginning of May. The show will be streamed in late May, but for one glorious day I, and I alone, will get to hear everyone perform in the church. Can’t wait, and can’t wait to share the fruits of our labours with you in the coming month.

Last Month’s News
We finally have some exciting news. The Wilmington Classical Guitar concert series, featuring some of the most amazing emerging artists in the classical guitar world, will return in the fall! While it’s still too early to really know what the coming year will bring, we’re planning on beginning in-person salons in September, and in-person concerts in October. No word yet on what the lineup will be, but I thought you would want to be the first to know. Can’t wait!

Upcoming Salon: This Sunday April 25
Join us this Sunday the 25th at 6:00 pm on Zoom for our next Members Salon. We’ll all be playing and critiquing from the comfort of our own homes, as we have been for a good time now, so please plan on joining us for some fun and good music! We’ve been having great turnouts for our online Zoom salons and I’m looking forward to seeing you all again Sunday.

This month’s challenge piece is “La Llorona,” an arrangement of a Mexican Folk Song for classical guitar. While it’s accessible to even a beginner, it poses it’s own challenges, not the least of which is making a repetitive song structure interesting bereft of the changing nature of the lyrical content otherwise present.

New challenges are posted as “announcements” in our Facebook Group, so be sure to click “See All” in the announcements section at the top of the “Discussions” feed when you log in.

Future and past challenge pieces will be available on our Facebook Group in the “Guides” section, so check back there for updates. You can even check off the pieces as you complete them!

Note that some Zoom settings have changed. I’ve updated the instructions below to reflect these changes. Make sure your Zoom client is up-to-date!

The following Zoom meeting link will remain the same every month, so feel free to add it to your calendar.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/149817292?pwd=Mmk3R0VKRWliNXp3ZFJJeXJtb255UT09

Meeting ID: 149 817 292
Password: 625369

Zoom Meeting Instructions
Our Zoom meetings have been going great thanks to some preparation we all take 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 speakers/headphones.
5) If you plan to perform or listen with the best quality, in the Audio settings, under the Music and Professional Audio make sure the “Show in meeting option to “Turn On Original Sound”” box is checked. I also like to check the boxes for “Disable echo cancellation” and “High fidelity music mode.” Note: not all of these settings are available on other devices. Change what you can.
6) Join via the link https://us04web.zoom.us/j/149817292?pwd=Mmk3R0VKRWliNXp3ZFJJeXJtb255UT09.
7) Once joined, click the “Turn on Original Sound” button in the top left of the screen. Once enabled, the button will turn blue and say “Turn off original sound.” “Original sound” 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.

Please keep your Zoom client up-to-date! They are constantly improving their platform, but you can only reap the benefits by ensuring your software is updated.

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.

**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 23, ONLINE. Mark your calendars!

2021 Salon Schedule
April 25 (online)
May 23 (online)
June 25 (online)
July 28 (online)
August 29 (online)
September 26 (in person!)

March Meeting Recap
Happy to see you all at our March meeting, and to hear many of you play. It was a small meeting, but the music was no less wonderful. Glad if you joined us.

Performers from March in performance order:
Ralph Dominica – Prelude from Cello Suite No.1, BWV 1007 by Johann Sebastian Bach
Robert Guerrero – Tango Argenté by Thierry Tisserand
Graham Williamson – The Canaries (Scottish lute piece from the Straloch Manuscript) arr. Matthew McAllister
John Nguyễn – Prelude No.6 by Manuel Ponce (March challenge piece) and Vals en Re by Francisco Tarrega
Simon Varley – Prelude No.1 and Prelude No.6 (March challenge piece) from 24 preludes by Manuel Ponce

Check out our Facebook group for some great insight into what’s happening online with classical guitar. There are all kinds of new things popping up, from festivals, masterclasses, competitions, concerts, and lectures.

To submit an event for our event calendar, please Email our event calendar coordinator at events@wilmingtonguitar.org.

We’re at 2,443 followers on Facebook! Make sure you’re one of them, and help us break the 2,500 mark! https://www.facebook.com/wilmingtonguitar

Best wishes, and stay safe,
Matthew Lavanish
President & Artistic Director – The Wilmington Classical Guitar Society