WCGS Member Newsletter – August 2020

Dear Subscriber,

I hope you’re all doing well and continuing to stay safe and healthy! Not much going on, but our Zoom salon coming up this Sunday.

Upcoming Salon: This Sunday August 30
Join me this Sunday the 30th, at 6:00 pm on Zoom, for our August 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’ve been having great turnouts for our online Zoom salons and I’m looking forward to seeing you all again Sunday!

This months challenge piece, by request, was a little more difficult than previous iterations – XIII. Ukrainian Folk Song by Russian composer Nikita Koshkin. You may remember Koshkin for his more famous piece “The Usher Waltz.” Even if you haven’t had a chance to look at it yet, please do. It’s a great piece, and available in our Facebook Group.

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

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

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 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 newsletter will be sent to you the week prior to the meeting. Click the link to join. The link is also available in our Facebook members forum.
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.

**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 September 27th, location TBD. Mark your calendars!

2020 Salon Schedule
August 30th (online)
September 27th
October 25th
November 22nd
December 13th

July Meeting Recap
We had another great turnout at last month’s online meeting, and some great performances! Thanks everyone for showing up and participating. Hope to see you all again this Sunday.

Performers from July in performance order:
Viet Nguyen – Amando Sobre O Mar_Abreu Zequinha

Scott Kuykendall – ‘Ghiribizzo’ MS 43: No 4 in A Major by Niccolo Paganini and ‘Spider Dance’ from 8 Discernments by Andrew York

Simon Varley – Prelude from Prelude, Fugue and Allegro, BWV 998 by Johann Sebastian Bach

Robert Guerrero – ‘Walking’ from 8 Discernments by Andrew York and Prelude to Suite in Am by Robert de Viseé

John Nguyễn – Mazurka by Mystery Composer (John Nguyen) and Op.241, No.48 by Ferdinando Carulli

Ralph Dominica – Excerpt from Variations on Theme by Mozart, Op.9 by Fernando Sor

Carl Abramson – Carl played cleanup in his kitchen after his pot rack gave out and trashed the place during our Zoom salon :/

Other Events
8/29/20 – Dulcet Guitar Duo at Nemours Mansion in Wilmington 11:00am – 2:00pm. Enjoy half-priced admission and bring a picnic. See the Dulcet Guitar Duo Facebook page for more details.

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, please Email our event calendar coordinator at events@wilmingtonguitar.org.

We’re at 2,307 likes on Facebook! Make sure you’re one of them, and help us break the 2,500 mark! https://www.facebook.com/wilmingtonguitar

Best,
Matthew Lavanish
President & Artistic Director – The Wilmington Classical Guitar Society