Since the announcement that restrictions will not be lifted until July we have a new restart date of

26th July 2021

This is a sad little poem from our flautist Stuart.

 When I heard the news I could have cried
   'cause I've always tried
   To be as good as I can be
   So how am I suddenly
   Number One Public Enemy?
   When all that I do is play a tune
   On my flute which must now be mute
   Say scientist in the uni at Bute, USA.

   Who would have thought
   That I would be caught
    By researchers who sought
    To find the most dangerous instrument
    In these Covid 19 times.
    But there is no denying
    A violin wins hands down
    As there is no air
    Blowing around.

    So the thrill of my heart
    Even two meters apart
    Maybe more deadly,
    I cannot deny it.
    No matter how well I play it.

In May we started our monthly Newsletters which comprise of articles, poems, jokes and anything else that our members send in. This is a star from the May edition.

From Sarah

Alice’s Adventures with Minehead Community Orchestra
 
What if Alice were to sip
And find in shrinking she could slip
Down the bell of a trumpet and out of sight
To surprise MCO on a Wednesday night.
 
Would she find old notes inside
Too flat, too sharp, too long, too wide
Lying abandoned in this brassy maze
Yearning to be included in a four-bar phrase.
 
She’d chip and chop to make them staccato
Wobble them into a frenzied vibrato
Rasping or gasping she’d gather them all
And release them to bounce off the Exmoor Room wall.
What a joy it would bring to the Wagner or Mozart
If a trumpet was heard playing the first violin part
The conductor and players would clap and cheer
“A virtuoso trumpet is here!”
 
Wednesday arrives but something’s not right
It’s far too quiet for an orchestra night
So out Alice climbs and with a shout
Cries “Where is everyone? Are you all locked out?”
 
Fear not for none of this is true
There is no trumpet I promise you
For Alice is in Lockdown with the rest of the nation
Practising her bagpipes in self-isolation.

The MCO had a dramatic start to the year especially for our new players, having to find our way through the Old Hospital with torches as the main door had not been unlocked!

A very warm welcome to our four recently new players Andrew on Bass Clarinet, Stuart on flute, Mary on violin and Vivienne on cello. We promise an easier entrance in future and hope you will enjoy playing with us.

The MCO are grateful to Gerry for donating several sets of music for us to play this coming season.

We are all looking forward to a great year of music in 2020.