Woodwinds In The Barn 2018
What a difference a year makes!
Last July's Woodwinds in the Barn event was foggy and dark and COLD. There were even space heaters in the barn to keep people's toes from freezing!
But this year, the day was spectacular: clear, sunny and a perfect temperature!
David Brynn said a few words about the farm and its mission of education and environmental responsibility. David is a Conservation Forester and Executive Director of Vermont Family Farms.
For Woodwinds in the Barn, we members of Full Circle get to play wonderful recorders from the collection of Lester and Monique Anderson, who lived for many years at the farm in Lincoln.
We played four of the Andersons' altos, two of their sopranos, and their sopranino (a tiny recorder that plays very high notes).
Two of the Andersons' altos are unique in that they're tuned to a lower pitch than most modern instruments, making them similar to recorders played in the sixteen and seventeen hundreds. The duet that Linda and Beth played on the two low-pitch altos would have sounded very familiar to the composer!
Beth and Linda with the Andersons' low-pitch altos
Audience members were intrigued by the Andersons' recorders.
Lester and Monique played with a Baroque music group before they moved to Vermont, so we chose several pieces from that era. Our program included music from Arcangelo Corelli and from two composers named Jean Baptiste Loeillet (one of London and the other of Ghent).
After the performance, we were all treated to pizza cooked in an outdoor wood-fired oven.
The beautiful "Middle Barn", built in the 1860s or so, was structurally damaged during a winter wind storm. The barn is now scheduled for a major preservation effort that will include shoring up, strengthening, replacing sills, and working on the foundation and drainage.
The other big barn on the property is about forty years older than the Middle Barn. There are several other old and picturesque outbuildings on the property.
The Andersons were co-founders of Vermont Family Forests. They also established the Colby Hill Ecological Project, which has now amassed over two decades of data about wildlife in the area.
The land is carefully managed with the environment in mind. Trees that fall in wind storms or under heavy snow are left on the forest floor to provide homes for animals and to nourish the soil. Open fields aren't hayed until grassland birds have completed their breeding cycles.
There are fruit trees, berry bushes, and a beautiful vegetable garden.
The entire property is beautiful!!
Surrounded by beauty, after music and laughter and food and conversation, we ended as we always do - with a Full Circle group hug!
Click here to view photos of the 2017 Woodwinds in The Barn.
Last July's Woodwinds in the Barn event was foggy and dark and COLD. There were even space heaters in the barn to keep people's toes from freezing!
 |
| 2017 |
But this year, the day was spectacular: clear, sunny and a perfect temperature!
 |
| 2018 |
We always look forward to the annual Woodwinds in the Middle Barn event. The setting is beautiful, our hosts are warm and welcoming, and the audience is always appreciative.
David Brynn said a few words about the farm and its mission of education and environmental responsibility. David is a Conservation Forester and Executive Director of Vermont Family Farms.
Dechen and Sandra welcomed everyone with wine, fruit, chips and delicious guacamole - and their lovely smiles!
For Woodwinds in the Barn, we members of Full Circle get to play wonderful recorders from the collection of Lester and Monique Anderson, who lived for many years at the farm in Lincoln.
We played four of the Andersons' altos, two of their sopranos, and their sopranino (a tiny recorder that plays very high notes).
 |
| Mary Ann with an alto Maeve with a soprano |
 |
| Susan playing the sopranino |
Two of the Andersons' altos are unique in that they're tuned to a lower pitch than most modern instruments, making them similar to recorders played in the sixteen and seventeen hundreds. The duet that Linda and Beth played on the two low-pitch altos would have sounded very familiar to the composer!
Beth and Linda with the Andersons' low-pitch altos
We also played many of our own recorders, and Mary Ann performed a piece of her own composition on one of her metal whistles (called "penny whistles" but worth so much more!).
Audience members were intrigued by the Andersons' recorders.
Lester and Monique played with a Baroque music group before they moved to Vermont, so we chose several pieces from that era. Our program included music from Arcangelo Corelli and from two composers named Jean Baptiste Loeillet (one of London and the other of Ghent).
After the performance, we were all treated to pizza cooked in an outdoor wood-fired oven.
The other big barn on the property is about forty years older than the Middle Barn. There are several other old and picturesque outbuildings on the property.
 |
| the Middle Barn seen from the back |
The Andersons were co-founders of Vermont Family Forests. They also established the Colby Hill Ecological Project, which has now amassed over two decades of data about wildlife in the area.
There are fruit trees, berry bushes, and a beautiful vegetable garden.
 |
| picking early blueberries |
The entire property is beautiful!!
Surrounded by beauty, after music and laughter and food and conversation, we ended as we always do - with a Full Circle group hug!
Click here to view photos of the 2017 Woodwinds in The Barn.
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