Friends of Shropshire Music Trust

Issue 61 - August 2010

The prospects concerning the funding of the Arts in this country are always a matter of concern for those involved in the furthering of artistic enterprises. This is especially relevant at a time when a new government is attempting to restrict expenditure in order to solve the problems of national debt. However, as stated in my last News letter, the Trustees, following the information supplied by their Treasurer, have given instructions to Kate Hogwood to continue with the planning of next season’s programme.

This programme is not quite complete but most of it has been finalised. The first concert will take place on September 12th, and will be given by the Wihan quartet. This performance will complete the Beethoven series of last season when the volcanic ash cloud prevented the players from leaving Prague. Later in the season the Wihan will deliver a series which will include Czech and late Romantic music; these will take place on Oct 8th, Nov 28th and Mar 4th. In a fourth session on May 2nd they will unite with the Carducci in a concert which will finish with a performance of the Mendelssohn Octet. In the period before Christmas, Benjamin Grosvenor (piano) will celebrate the Chopin and Liszt anniversaries; Richard Jenkinson will begin his Bach and Britten series and Ex Cathedra will return on Dec 7th to perform their much loved ‘Christmas by Candlelight’. In all, including lunch-time events, the final programme which you receive will contain the usual number of concerts.

The Committee of the Friends was elected unopposed at the A.G.M. on May 11th. Only two people, other than the existing committee members, were present. In the absence of any information to the contrary I must assume that this indicates your satisfaction with the present members. However, please do not assume that those of us who serve you assume that we are irreplaceable. Indeed our current treasurer Bill Lees indicated at the A.G.M. his wish to be replaced during his current period of tenure. We know it will be difficult to find anyone with an equal degree of commitment to the Friends. A new event has been organised for Friends to take place on the afternoon of Sunday Sept 5th at Concord College, with the kind permission of the Principal. Details will be found in the current posting.

Finally, I know what this organisation means to me; it gives me the opportunity to listen to music I love without having to travel far. I am grateful to all of you, who represent our core audience, and who appear to feel the same.

I hope to see you at many of the concerts.

Richard Panton

to be completed

This year has seen the Friends’ committee involved in a major restructuring of the SMT website.

In order to bring it in line with modern website practice, and to get rid of the huge amount of confusing duplication, Pat Jones and Pam Turner have been working with Bob Dargan (our webmaster) to produce a more user-friendly site, still carrying all the essential information, but linking all the different activities of the Trust to their own ‘pages’ so that visual overload will be a thing of the past. We hope it will be ‘live’ before the start of next season.

Indications are that we get many new Friends and ticket-buyers via the website, thus opening up our activities beyond local confines.

We are extremely grateful to Bob Dargan for continuing to update, and now reconfigure, the site, especially as he does so on a voluntary basis, and from Brighton!

These awards have been issued, recently, to individuals ‘In recognition of their outstanding contribution to the Community.’ We were delighted on learning that such awards had been presented to members of our Committee, Richard Panton and Dorothy Lees.

We tender our heartiest congratulations to them both as we appreciate so very much the invaluable support both have given to the ‘Friends’, the Trust and music generally.

In addition we have noted that an award has been made to Jeremy Schrecker, son of one of our members Dorie Schrecker Ditcham, for his Community Garden scheme in Meole Brace and we extend our congratulations to him.

Ed

It is now over 25 years since SMT was launched, and its continuing success and expansion are proof of its essential place in the musical life of Shropshire. Kate Hogwood and the Trustees are to be congratulated on their ability to engage world-class artists and ensembles despite the inevitable increases in fees and costs, and (during the last two seasons) an economic climate which has severely affected how councils, grant bodies and the general public spend their money. The Chairman of the Friends, Richard Panton, writes in each Newsletter on these problems, and that of the impact which might be expected from the recent arrival on the musical scene of Shrewsbury’s new theatre. We still await a considered verdict on that, but so far the Trustees seem capable of maintaining the usual high standard and audiences have been very supportive of the 2009-10 programme; six concerts by the Wihan Quartet, of all the Beethoven quartets, might have proved a risk, but in the event the response has been warmingly enthusiastic – both in terms of audience numbers and comment. Clearly a season’s programme encompassing solo instrumentalists to chamber orchestras, ethereal capella choral music to gypsy vigour, world music to opera has been varied enough to cover most musical tastes.

The three editions of the Newsletter each season can home in on current concerts, audiences, events, concerns, viewpoints and Committee activity, and it is hoped that Friends do feel that they are kept up to date with what is arranged and in the pipeline. Thanks as ever to Joan Hughes, Bill Lees and David Holdsworth for working on copy and seeing to distribution.

Pamela Turner (Hon Secretary)

This August Newsletter gives us an opportunity to reflect on the past and try to anticipate the future. With regard to financial affairs, the ‘Friends’ continue to give most generous support to the Trust which is so welcome. It is interesting to note that over the past 20 years the total amount donated is £62,500. from a humble beginning of £500 in 1990 to £4,000 in 2010.

Several Friends have made contributions over and above their annual membership fee (all have intimated their desire to remain anonymous) – we wish to express our sincere thanks – ‘they know who they are.’

Our committee have discussed whether the minimum fee for membership should be increased, but we are reluctant so to do – instead we consider that we should try and increase our membership and encourage more concert goers. This is our objective for 2010-2011.

Bill Lees (Hon Treasurer)

This was given out at the penultimate Wihan concert and elicited 50 returns. Printed below are some of the many comments received:

"Excellent series"

"Superb performances!"

"Precious nourishment! Keep delighting"

"Marvellous to hear the whole cycle"

"Such a joy to hear the complete Beethoven Quartets live"

"Just feel so privileged to hear such wonderful music in and around Shrewsbury"

Thank you to those who took the time to complete the form. We hope that the forthcoming series will reach the same high standard of excellence.

Pat Jones