Experience the pure joy of playing music with others.
Take part in our fantastic community music groups
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New! Crawley Music Collective
No music reading skills required and open to all ages and abilities! Play an instrument? Or GarageBand more your thing? Either way, join us to explore and experiment with all kinds of music alongside our friendlyteam of professional musicians.
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Community Orchestra
Our fantastic Community Orchestra is a truly inclusive musical environment attracting players of all ages and abilities. Run by our team of friendly professional musicians, enjoy afternoons of brilliance and laughter as we learn great orchestral tunes together.
Crawley Music Collective
No music reading skills required!
Open to all ages and abilities!
Play an instrument? Or is GarageBand more your thing? Either way, give Crawley Music Collective a go.
Dates
All sessions take place at
Crawley College, RH10 1NR
Sunday 19th May: 2 - 5pm
Sunday 26th May: 2 - 5pm
Saturday 1st June : 2 - 5pm
Sunday 9th June May: 2 - 5pm
Wednesday 26th June: 6 - 9.30pm
Sessions are £5 each
Bursaries are available on request.
Meet some of our lovely tutors
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Sarah Carvalho-Dubost
CELLO
Do you play any other instruments and if so, what?
I used to play the piano and the clarinet. I would love to play my clarinet in the community orchestra one day! Although I would need to do it a few times as I really cannot remember how to play it anymore!
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Paul Griffiths
Paul Griffiths, an internationally renowned music educationalist and musician with 25+ years’ experience. He’s worked with the majority of the preeminent London/UK-based Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, conservatoires, and international festivals.
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Martijn van Galen
BRASS
When he’s not helping all the brass out at Community Orchestra, Martijn is also Head of Music at Oriel High School in Crawley.
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Nick Hill
Nick is a multifaceted professional with a background in film and TV composition, music production, performance and education. With a wealth of experience, Nick is a music production expert utilising the latest state-of-the-art technology during the composition process.
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Adam Barker
VIOLIN
What are your some of your favourite things to do when you’re not leading our Community Orchestra?
I live between the Downs and the sea in an old house with a roof that always needs mending. When I’m not leading the Community Orchestra, I like to play my violin, dig the garden, swim in the sea, and go for family walks with our whippet, Archie.
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Anna Cooper
VIOLA, VIOLIN, ACCORDIAN, BANJO, PIANO…
At what age did you first start playing an instrument and how did you choose what to play?
There’s a photo of two-year-old me propped up by cushions with my doll, at the piano. I don’t think I had a choice when I started - the 50 year old me chose the viola and the accordion!
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Toril Azzalini-Machecler
PERCUSSION
Toril is in his final year of studies at the Royal College of Music and has been twice finalist for the BBC Young Musician of the Year. And when he’s not doing all that, he’s our Community Orchestra percussion guru!
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Pavlos Carvalho
CELLO, DOUBLE BASE, GUITAR, BOUZOUKI…
How old were you when you began playing the cello?
Aged 6: I loved listening to my father play the cello every morning, and the vocal quality of the instrument. My dad offered me a small cello as a present, but wouldn’t let me play all day because he was teaching. Whilst I waited, I had a massive tantrum!
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Steve Dummer
CONDUCTOR, CLARINET
Everyone loved the Community Orchestra Christmas Concert you conducted last year, what’s your earliest Christmassy memory?
I think I saw Father Christmas delivering presents to my bedroom. It could have been him, a burglar, or even a dream…
“Just had the best afternoon sitting next to my 9-year-old boy for his first-ever proper orchestra rehearsal. He loved it! Thanks, Ensemble Reza for bringing all ages and abilities together!”
Michelle
Community Orchestra - Dates this term
Sunday 28th January: Rehearsal
3 - 5.15pm at Warden Park Secondary Academy
Sunday 25th February: Rehearsal
3 - 5.15pm at Warden Park Secondary Academy
Sunday 24th March: Rehearsal
3 - 5.15pm at Warden Park Secondary Academy
Sunday 21st April: Rehearsal
3 - 5.15pm at Warden Park Secondary Academy
Saturday 18th May: Concert
Orchard’s Shopping Centre (exact timings tbc)
Sunday 2nd June: Rehearsal
3 - 5.15pm at Warden Park Secondary Academy
Sunday 30th June rehearsal and concert - 1.45pm-3.15pm rehearsal and concert from 4-6pm at Warden Park Secondary Academy
We would love you to join us for every rehearsal, but appreciate this might not always be possible.
Our theme for this term is music and dance.
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Reza tutors
Ensemble Reza musicians and their professional colleagues support and play alongside every section of the orchestra including strings, wind, brass and percussion. The breadth of knowledge and skills they bring is an outstanding resource for an amateur orchestra.
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Monthly meet-ups
Reza’s Community Orchestra rehearses at Warden Park Secondary Academy, Cuckfield once a month on Sunday afternoons. A relaxing end to any weekend!
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Get into the groove
Whether you’ve just started learning or you’re picking up an instrument again for the first time in many years, our talented tutors will help you get the best out of your instrument.
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Connect through music
Our orchestra welcomes players young and old, so you can meet new people and make new friends - Reza’s Community Orchestra is an actively inclusive and friendly place!
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Try something new
Reza’s Community Orchestra actively encourages a have-a-go mentality. If you can’t read music yet, you can join our percussion section where you’ll learn how to count and you’ll get to play our wide variety of percussion instruments, now including our very own set of timpani!
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25 flutes, 16 cellos, 8 trumpets...
Reza’s Community Orchestra welcomes musicians of all ages and abilities. And if that means we have more instruments of one variety than most professional orchestras enjoy, then so be it!
“It is enormous fun playing together. The rehearsals have a great, informal and lively atmosphere. I love the inclusivity of the community orchestra, playing alongside youngsters and professionals.”
Orchestra Member
Meet Alison from the Reza Community Orchestra
Players explain why Community Orchestra is for everyone
Meet a budding violinist from the orchestra
Listen to some of our previous performances
All about… Violins and violas
Ensemble Reza’s Andrew Thurgood introduces us to the ‘upper strings’ of the orchestra - the violin and the viola.
Top tips! Violins and violas
Not played your violin in a while? Andrew, Reza violinist offers some advice to get you going!
All about… Cellos and Double Bass
Ensemble Reza’s Sarah and Pavlos introduce us to the ‘lower strings’ of the orchestra, the cello and the double bass.
Top tips!
Not played your cello in a while? Sarah, Reza cellist offers some advice to get you going!
All about… Wind instruments
Ensemble Reza introduces the wind family with Susana Dias and Tom Watmough
Top tips! Violins and violas
Not played your wind instrument in a while? Steve, Reza clarinetist offers some advice to get you going!
“The thing I like about the orchestra is that when you’re having a sad day, when you play the music it always gets you happy again.”
Connor, aged 8
All about… Trumpets
Ensemble Reza introduces the trumpet with Rob Wilson
All about… Lower Brass
Ensemble Reza introduces the trombone and other lower brass instruments with Barnaby Philpott
Top tips!
Not played your brass instrument in a while? Martijn, trumpeter offers some advice to get you going!
All about… Percussion
Community Orchestra percussion tutor, Toril Azzalini-Machecler introduces some percussion instruments
All about… More Percussion!
Community Orchestra percussion tutor, Toril Azzalini-Machecler introduces more percussion instruments!
“Just the incentive I needed to pick up my instrument again and get practicing!”
Orchestra member