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Newsletter, January 2006


EGM, October 20th 2005

At an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Friends at Prestbury St Mary's Junior School on October 20th the following candidates were appointed:

as Honorary Chairman: Andrew Chapman

as Honorary Treasurer: Mrs Shirley Ridout

(Honorary Secretary is Ron Nourse, appointed in March 2005)

The meeting enthusiastically endorsed a vote of thanks to Peter Kerr, retiring Honorary Treasurer, who held the post for eleven years, having taken over at a difficult period in the life of the Orchestra and the Friends.

The Friends and the Orchestra are pleased that Shirley Ridout agreed to become Treasurer. Shirley and her husband John have been Friends of the Orchestra for many years.

The Secretary stressed that it is very important for members of the Orchestra to contribute to its substantial operating costs by making an annual payment of at least £40 to the Friends. If taxpayers also complete a Gift Aid form, just once, we are able to reclaim 28p in the £ from the Inland Revenue, thus turning £40 into £51.20. This applies to all payments made since the year 2000, whether by cash, cheque or Standing Order (our preferred method of payment.)

AGM of Friends set for March 9th 2006

The 2006 AGM of the Friends will take place on March 9th at Prestbury St Mary's Junior School, following the AGM of the Orchestra (at about 9.30pm).

Items for consideration at the AGM should be sent to the Honorary Secretary not later than February 23rd 2006. Address: Ron Nourse, Berry Brow, Bushcombe Lane, Woodmancote, Cheltenham, GL52 9QQ, email: ron@nourse.fsnet.co.uk

Charities supported by the Orchestra

One of a number of charities supported by the Orchestra through its concerts is the Farmers Overseas Action Group (FOAG). So who are they?

FOAG is an independent charity which started in 1982 with a small committee of Worcestershire farmers, but this has since extended to neighbouring counties and has developed a large associate membership. FOAG works to support small-scale agricultural, health and educational projects in Uganda to enable communities to improve their quality of life. Among their recent projects have been the provision of water and electrical power to hospitals, and the training of nurses and rehabilitation workers. For more details see: www.foag.org

Over the past three years our concerts have raised more than £3000 for FOAG.

The History of the Orchestra

Work has begun on writing a history of the Cheltenham Sunday Players/Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra since concerts began in 1969. Reminiscences, scandal, tittle-tattle, memorabilia, will be welcomed (contact Ron Nourse.)

Some surprising and interesting facts have already emerged, and as a gentle, undemanding test of readers' memories and/or powers of deduction, a short quiz follows. Even the "Old hands" among you will be surprised at some of the answers. No prizes; answers are to be found somewhere below!

Recent concerts 2005

October 15th at Tewkesbury Abbey

Roger Jones of the Gloucestershire Echo wrote:

"The CSO are a fine ensemble of musicians whose talents, it seems, are not just confined to performing. This concert included the first performance of the Concerto for Cello and Orchestra by Andrew Chapman, one of their leading lights.

Cellist Emma Denton rose magnificently to the challenges of the dramatic and varied solo part. The frenzied opening section created a sense of occasion, but later the excitement was replaced by a tranquil sighing interlude for strings. After a searching theme on the trumpet the bustle returned leading to a striking cadenza.

The reflective slow movement with its shimmering string and harp accompaniment and a quicksilver scherzo exerted a particular charm. In his ambitious third movement Chapman introduced jazz elements inspired by Thelonius Monk, but the combination of jazz with the classical idiom did not always jell. This was music of and for our age, and well deserving of further performances.

Tewkesbury Abbey's acoustics are not ideal for Mahler's sprawling Resurrection Symphony, yet the Orchestra turned in a compelling performance of this astonishing work. David Curtis steered his musicians effortlessly through the complexities of the funereal first movement and brought sardonic touches to the Scherzo. The finest moment occurred in the final movement with the entry of the Regency Singers performing unaccompanied Klopstock's Resurrection Ode. From then on the music grew in strength and fervour to culminate in a majestic close...a momentous performance."

The only counter-comment to the above came from conductor David Curtis, who said that his task of "steering his musicians" was far from effortless. That it appeared effortless was, from the Orchestra's viewpoint, more a reflection of his professional skills and physical stamina!

The Orchestra for the Mahler was perhaps the largest ever to appear in Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra "colours" - some 95 players. The Chorus based upon the Regency Singers was itself eighty-strong. Thanks are due to David Todd and to Deborah Griggs (Director of the Regency Singers) for recruiting the additional chorus members required.

There was a gratifyingly large audience of about 300.

October 29th at Pershore Abbey

This was the Orchestra's third concert in the Abbey in aid of the Farmers' Overseas Action Group (FOAG) and it again drew an audience of about 220, helping to raise well over £1000 for the charity's work in Uganda.

The audience greatly enjoyed a varied programme of music - Mozart's "Magic Flute" Overture, Copland's "Appalachian Spring" and Brahms' Third Symphony.

December 17th at Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham

This was another hugely successful concert in which the orchestra was joined by the Junior Choir and the Year 6 Choir of Leckhampton Primary School. The Junior Choir sang two Rutter carols with piano, and the Year 6 sang his "Mary's Lullaby" and "Donkey Carol" with the Orchestra. Two young flautists also took part in Johann Strauss II's "Cuckoo Polka."

The other highlight of the concert was a performance of Paul Patterson's concert piece "Little Red Riding Hood", to accompany a text based upon Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhyme. Dahl's version of the story is typically wicked and outrageous, culminating in Little Red Riding Hood making her final appearance in a wolf skin coat. Patterson's music matched the moods of the text, and was a showpiece for the large orchestra. The narrators were David Fishpool, well known in the area for his varied musical talents, playing the Storyteller and the Wolf, and Kate Bennett, as Grandma and later Little Red Riding Hood. Kate is well known in the county and beyond for her leading roles in opera and light opera, but this was her first foray into narration. She played her parts to the hilt, first as a very tipsy Grandma, then as a skittish Little Red Riding Hood who sallied forth into the audience, much to the delight of the many children present.

Paul Patterson, who attended the concert, was very complimentary about the Orchestra's performance, and he was pleased that the full orchestral version was used, featuring probably the largest collection of percussion instruments ever seen in Cheltenham. By contrast, he said, two recent performances by the LSO at the Barbican used his small orchestra version - "only one trombone" he said disgustedly.

The Orchestra is to perform his concert piece based upon Roald Dahl's "Three Little Pigs" at Christmas 2006 - another treat in store for players and audience alike.

Finally, a word about Ben Palmer, who recently took a rehearsal in David Curtis' absence. Ben greatly impressed the Orchestra with his musicianship, his technique and his ability to make the best use of time and resources. Ben will be conducting the Orchestra in the concert at Winchcombe on March 25th 2006.

Looking ahead to 2006

Full details of the nine concerts are to be found in the Orchestra's Programme of Concerts, just published. Copies can be obtained from members of the Orchestra and at concerts (or viewed here).

Note in particular the concerts at Tewkesbury Abbey on July 15th 2006 (Berlioz's "Grande Messe des Morts", as the final concert in the Cheltenham International Music Festival) and at Leonard Stanley Priory on November 11th 2006 (in aid of Minchinhampton Centre for the Elderly, where Douglas Smith is being cared for.)

Answers to the Quiz (above)

1 385 concerts
2. 73 venues
3. Leonard Stanley Priory
4. 28 times
5. Douglas Smith and Denis Mathews performed all of the six piano concertos composed by
Mozart in his annus mirabilis (1784).
6. Rossini's "Italian Girl in Algiers" (19 times)
7. Mozart's Piano Concerto #23 in A, K488 (22 times)
8. Schubert's Fifth Symphony (15 times)
9. Brecon and Worcester
10. Chedworth (and he later complained that no-one answered his cries for help. Well, ask yourself, would you have been brave enough to go and investigate?)