Liz Sharma

All my good intentions tend to slip away – I’m so busy writing music, playing, preparing scores for publication or performance, & just generally living that I’m VERY bad at keeping my website up to date. Anyway – here’s a list of 2018 events :-
January – Joined Capital Concert Brass Ensemble – playing tenor horn
Performed my ‘Proclaiming Joy’ at Ealing Chamber Music Club on soprano sax
Attended Shea Lolin’s woodwind orchestra day, playing baritone sax & they played
my ‘Ancient Stories’ & ‘Insects’.
February – London Composers’ Forum concert – Art of Song – My ‘Song for Eve’ performed –
I played oboe
March – LCF Women’s Day Concert at the Tea House Theatre – my ‘Just As’ for choir was
performed & I played my ‘Sequences’ on soprano sax.
April – I had composed the musical story – ‘Drip Drip Drop’ for Ealing Music Service to tour
around the Primary schools – to enable children to perform songs with an adult
instrumental ensemble – the first performance was April 30th.
May – More performances of Drip Drip Drop throughout the month. LCF Aspects of Piano
concert at St Mary Magdelene on 18th. I played my ‘Night Music’ on Alto sax, with
Zillah Myers on piano.
June – More performances of Drip Drip Drop, & my first gig with Capital Concert Brass.
July – Did loads of composing, but can’t remember what – Started ‘The Four Friends’ as next
year’s project for Ealing Primary schools. Arranged music for the Chamber Music
club end of season ‘all comers play -in’ which was loined by Capital Concert Brass.
August – Went to Dartington – played tenor horn, & alto & baritone saxes.
September – Went to the Clarinet & Saxophone Society Day at Nottingham University where
The Clarinet Ensemble of Great Britain gave the first performance of ‘There’s
Always Time’ which they commissioned from me.
October – East Kent Clarinet Choir hosted a playing day completely devoted to my music –
8 works played – during a day at Birchington on Sea.
I gave a presentation to the leaders of all London Music hubs about my Musical
stories.
November – 3 events with Capital Concert Brass linked with Remembrance Weekend.
Presentation to the teachers from the 9 schools in the Bournemouth
area performing my Zoo Tales next year.
On 30th my ‘Toccatta’ for piano duet will be performed at a LCF concert
At St Mary Magdelene – Central London.

Last weekend London Contemporary orchestra performed my ‘All at Sixes & Sevens’ concertante for double percussion in a programme of works by members of London Composers’ Forum.

I’m putting the finishing touches to the two works for Dorset Chamber Orchestra for next March, with Martin Clunes, but this only really involves a bit of re orchestration for practical reasons. The main work is ‘Buzzard or Kestrel’ a musical story by Richard Baker, which Martin will narrate, but Jane Brewster’s young string ensemble will join the orchestra to perform my ‘Water Birds’ as a sort of mini Concerto Grosso. Walter Brewster will  conduct.

I’ve just sent alternative ‘bassoon instead of cor anglais’ parts off to a trio in Germany who contacted me after performing some of my music, & wanting more, and I’ve sent some duets off to Miles Nipper for Wandering Winds, as well as my suite ‘Elsewhere Music’ which also involves a piano. This work was written some time ago for Jenny Lord & her trio, and is a set of 5 pieces based on scales & styles from around the world.

Soon I must finish checking & printing ‘Rainbow Island’ which is to be performed by 12 schools in Ealing at some time during the first half of 2016, as I have a meeting about it over Half Term.

I’ve orchestrated a set of unusual Carols from the British Isles for the Ealing Chamber Music Club’s Christmas play in, but haven’t thought of a catchy title yet.

At school recorder orchestra & singing assemblies are enthusiastic, & I’m about to start this year’s guitar club, and also introduce ukuleles. I’ve started arranging the recorder orchestra’s Christmas music too – though they are still working on other pieces.

I’ve had to put work on the Concerto Grosso for the Croatian Brass 5tet & wind orchestra on the back burner for the time being due to being a bit busy with all the things mentioned above.

I’m getting on quite well with the Concerto Grosso for Brass Quintet & symphonic Wind Band, which quintet members asked me to write when I went to Croatia. Why then do I feel slightly guilty? I really ought to be re-drafting ‘Buzzard or Kestrel’ for next March’s gig with the Dorset orchestra & Martin Clunes, or making sure everything is ready for the next schools project, or deciding what to arrange for the Christmas Ealing Chamber Music Club play – in. There are a few other smaller jobs in the pipeline too. It’s good to have plenty to do, but I haven’t quite got into my stride after the Summer yet.
I received my sample MP3 disc of my other Concerto Grosso from Studio Music last week played by an army concert band. The sheet music should be out soon.

I have made yet another resolution to keep my website up to date, as it is so long since I wrote a blog, I don’t know where, or even when to start. This year has been phenominally busy, so I’ll just make a list:-

March 2015 – My usual visit to Dorchester for the orchestral version of Dave the Musical Caveman,Dorset Chamber orchestra with narrator Martin Clunes.   This year I re wrote it to include young recorder players from Cerne Abbbas school.

‘Rainbow Island’ with adult orchestra of my ECMC, ESO, & other orchestral friends and all the children of Berrymede Junior School. There are loads of great pictures, which I’lll attempt to put in my gallery.

April The memorial concert at Ealing Chamber Music Club for Anthea Sharma, founder member, who died in September last year. At the end on an evening of chamber music, we formed an orchestra & performed my ‘Elegy’, which I wrote for the occasion.

May & June was spent writing and/or arranging music for large brass ensembles for English Brass Academy(under the direction of Paul Archibald) courses in Kuwait & Croatia. Also preparing the vast Berrymede recorder orchestra & guitar club, & kids in general for our Berrymede Talent Festival to be held in early July. I finished the arrangement for the Ealing Chamber Music Club’s Summer Sing/Play along Abba medley. & performed my ‘Seeking Zamfir’ & ‘Two Turkish Dances’ with a string trio at an Ealing Chamber Music Club concert.

July  Berrymede talent Fest –  A whole week of performance events involving all 400 children.

London Composers’ Forum concert in Central London, in which John Holland, Owen Phillips & I performed my ‘Reeds & Rhythm’ for soprano, & baritone saxes & drums.(See photo).

The big end of year Ealing Chamber Music Club extravaganza ending with everyone singiing & playing my arrangement of Abba songs. It was so enjoyable,(see ECMC website)

A week in Sibernik, Croatia, with English Brass Academy. They played 8 of my compositions/arrrangements in 3 concerts in spectacular venues. There are many pictures & recordings & a brilliant slideshow on facebook.(See picture of rehearsal)