The U3A recorder group meets at Hallcroft Community Centre from 9.30am to 11.30am on the first and third Tuesday of the month. Tessa Hart is the recorder group coordinator while Carol Woodward is the current musical director. You can contact Tessa by pressing the link above.

The group has more than thirty members and averages about twenty five regular attenders playing instruments from the tiny sopranino to the big contra bass. Some of us also play with other musical groups, both on recorder (Society of Recorder Players, East Midlands Recorder Orchestra, Slurs and Trills quartet) and other instruments (Worksop U3A Swing Band and local Brass Bands). The standard of playing has increased hugely in the years since the group started. We can arrange for extra help on an individual basis for less experienced players or people who are new to the recorder.

We perform regularly at a variety of functions - in the past year we have played at the Grove in Retford - at the Star Festival and on Charter Day.  We also joined forces with Newark U3A group for a family and friends Christmas concert and we organised a playing day in May for three other U3A recorder groups. A big event was playing in Worksop Priory in July as part of Ryton Chorale’s summer concert. In addition to playing our own mainly folk pieces, we accompanied the choir in Dance to your Daddy, Down by the Sally Gardens and Simple Gifts. The audience was very complementary and we have some excellent recordings. 

Future events include a concert with a U3A choir from Sheffield in the church at Clumber Park on 3rd October, playing at the Star festival at The Grove on 28th November and two performances with the Newark U3A group at the  Christmas Tree festival in Newark parish church. 

A selection of photos and recordings are included below - please click on the links to listen. Our most recent recording was the very beautiful Orcadian Reflections, composed by Miriam Monaghan, a member of the highly successful recorder quartet, Pallisander.

Links

• Moonlight through the Trees
• Newark Christmas Tree Festival 2023
• Orcadian Reflections by Miriam Monaghan
• Playing Day
• The Gower Wassail
• Wild Mountain Thyme