Play-the-Recorder Month


March is Play-the-Recorder Month
Play-the-Recorder Day will be held Saturday March 16, 2024

 

Recorder players from across North America celebrate March as Play-the-Recorder Month (PtRM). 2024 marks 32 years of celebrating Play-the-Recorder Month. Join the many ARS chapters, consorts and recorder orchestras who are being creative to plan ways to illustrate the versatility and beauty of this wonderful instrument.


PtRM and Play-the-Recorder Day grew out of a one-day worldwide event on April 1, 1989, during the 50th anniversary year of the American Recorder Society. Its success caused the ARS to declare an annual celebration starting with Play-the-Recorder Day on March 28, 1992. This single day was later expanded to monthlong activities plus a focus on one day, which is observed on the third Saturday in March.This is a great way to bring energy and excitement to the recorder community, and to gain new members. In 2024, it will be held on March 16.

For spreading the word and publicizing local PtRM events, the ARS has created helpful documents (PDFs):

The centerpiece of the month is the commissioned piece for Play-the-Recorder Day 2024, by Providence, Rhode Island-based composer Jamie Allen. The music is entitled een mentaliteit and was inspired by a late recorder icon. Frans Brüggen (1934-2014) was known for saying "Blokfluit spelen is een mentaliteit (Recorder-playing is a state of mind)." This year’s Play-the-Recorder piece is an homage to this great artist (photo at right), who would have turned 90 years old in 2024. ARS members will have received the piece with the Winter 2023 edition of the American Recorder Magazine, and they can log in and access the piece, along with other PtRM pieces, in our PtRM Music Library.

 

Jamie Allen is a composer and an avid recorder player, embracing everything from the medieval to the avant-garde. He has performed in diverse venues from brewpubs and churches to symphony halls, and has led recorder societies in Dallas, Rhode Island and online. He also performs regularly with the Boston Recorder Orchestra. Jamie is currently the Senior Director of Operations for the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra & Music School, after serving 15 years as the Education Director for the Dallas Symphony. He also serves as co-chair of the ARS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee. Many other pieces of Jamie's can be found in the ARS Online Libraries.

On Saturday March 16 2024, Play-the-Recorder Day, the ARS annual virtual Zoom event will be held at 2:00pm Eastern. Recorder players worldwide can bring their talents to share in an online en masse play-in hosted by the ARS. Jamie Allen will be interviewed about the piece and the inspiration behind it, with a live Q & A segment afterward. This gives participants an opportunity to engage with the composer, and it will be followed by a Zoom group play-in of the piece with a video by Miyo Aoki (below) performing and conducting.
 

Sign up for the PtRM 2024 Virtual Event


For Play-the-Recorder Month 2024, play-along tracks for each part of the PtRM piece are available here plus a 4-part accompaniment, for rehearsing on your own or with friends. The video below features recorder teacher/professional Miyo Aoki conducting and playing all the parts.



Here’s wishing you all Happy Play-the-Recorder Month. Afterward, let us know how you celebrated!

 

View past Play-the-Recorder Day Webinars:

Play-the-Recorder Day 2023
Play-the-Recorder Day 2022
Play-the-Recorder Day 2021