As 2016 comes galloping to it’s close, I thought I should catch up with myself and remember some of the exciting events this Autumn; As well as the Saffron Hall concert (see previous blog post) a further FIVE concerts have kept me busy, and to record them here is to thank those who hosted and supported these really lovely events.
In September I visited the superb Edge Grove school, to run workshops over four days, around Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Vivaldi entwined words into the score and introduced his seasons with sonnets. Using my new adaptations of those, I got the children painting to the music, different seasons for different classes. The week ended with a complete live performance with Baroque string orchestra, Realm of Music, and me dressed as Vivaldi! You can see the children’s art behind us! Thanks to Claire Tomsett, head of music, for a really warm welcome, and hosting such a lovely week.
Later in September I was at Hertford Theatre with Alexander Ardakov, for a school-day presentation of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. This was part of the Hertford Children’s Book Festival, a small but truly outstanding festival, superbly run and always fun to be part of. It’s a model festival, and Freya North and Maureen Pegg are just completely brilliant. THANK YOU for letting us make music, art and story!
Soon after, another school – this time Dean Close in Cheltenham. Two wonderful days, running painting to music workshops – including a thrilling concert with the wonderful Carducci Quartet, who played string quartet extracts by Ravel, Dvorak, Haydn, Moeran and Piazzolla. Thanks to the Carduccis and to Rachel Bowen for a really worthwhile visit!
Then there was a trip to Bourneville, Birmingham for the Busy Mum’s Network festival day. The Barber Institute of Fine Arts has a wonderful concert hall, truly exquisite, and I was lucky to be joined by three local musicians, James, Russell and Mark, for a performance of Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals. There were two performances, both sold out, and children were invited to draw along during the performance. It was a crazy, full on and thrilling day. Thanks to Sarah Mullen for her very warm welcome and brilliant organisation!
Lastly, November brought with it the annual de Havilland Philharmonic concert, with Robin Browning conducting this year’s theme: A Midsummer Night’s Dream. As with an earlier incarnation with Robin’s Southampton Orchestra són, the concert included music by both Purcell and Mendelssohn. It was the latter who had the lion’s share, of course, with an extended suite, story woven in and out of the extracts, and paintings galore. There were two performances, an exhausting day, but with both sold out the atmosphere was properly magical. Dressed as Puck, courtesy of costume designer Antonio Reche-Martinez’s talents, I had a wonderful time, and in supporting Side by Side with Refugees as our chosen charity (see here: https://www.facebook.com/SidebySiderefugees/?fref=ts) , the raffled pictures raised over £1,400. So a terrific day in many ways.
Huge thanks to Robin and the brilliant de Havilland Philharmonic… and everyone at the Weston Auditorium, UH Arts, St Alban’s Children’s Book Group, and the University of Hertfordshire – it’s always a highlight of my year.
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