This is an edited version of the Havant Orchestras newsletter which is provided in printed form (or e-mailed in PDF format, if requested) to players and Friends of the Orchestras.

From the Chairman ...

The last concert in the season is full of good tunes, colour and lively rhythms including Elgar’s first Wand of Youth Suite.  Those of you at HSO’s concert in March 2008 (the premiere of Maurice Blower’s Symphony) must remember that the concert also included a superb performance of Elgar’s second Wand of Youth Suite.  If you missed it or would like to hear it again, we made a CD of the performance, the Symphony and Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture.  Copies will be on sale at the CD table on Saturday or from Sandra, price £7.00.

You will need longer memories to go back to 1991 when we last played the Kalinnikov symphony.  It went down very well then and I am sure it will again this time.  And of course from the same period the wonderful Violin Concerto of Tchaikovsky completes the programme albeit with a change of soloist.  Unfortunately Anna Liisa Bezrodny is not available but another Making Music Award winner, Mathieu van Bellen is able to take her place and his biography will be available at the concert

Havant Chamber Orchestra’s concert on 12th June to mark the 40th anniversary of Gosport and Fareham Music Society was beautifully played, very well received and a delightful occasion while on the following day the Friends enjoyed a splendid garden party hosted by Margaret and Geoff Prout.  Lovely garden, excellent tea and cakes, great company all accompanied by the beautiful playing of Becky Hill (our lead viola) and friends.  The event raised almost £350 for the Orchestras.  Many thanks to Margaret and Geoff, to Becky’s quartet and to all who contributed in one way or another.

With the end of the season we are looking forward to the next.  As you will have seen by now in the new Brochure which includes all next season’s concerts not just those at Ferneham Hall.  We have a wonderful programme beginning at Hayling Island on 25 September (with a programme chosen and conducted by Sam Draper, our Bob Harding Bursary Holder) and including our welcome return to Oaklands School in December so please buy all your tickets soon.

However, before the concert season begins, the Society’s AGM takes place on 10 September and all members, which includes season-ticket holders, are invited.  Our committee has worked hard throughout the year and has successfully met many challenges - not least the absence through sickness of three key figures at our March concert to which they all rose admirably.

We would very much welcome newcomers to the committee.  Whatever your skills and abilities I’m sure you will be able to make a useful contribution to our work.  Have a word with me or any other committee member – we are all listed on Page 42 of the Programme Book - if you are interested.

After the concert the bar will be open so please come and relax, chat with your friends and tell us what you think about the concert.  I look forward to seeing you there and in case I don’t, I wish you all a good summer break and then to another splendid season of music.

Tony Gutteridge

Ferneham Hall, 3 July

6.30	Pre-concert talk – David Goodall talking about Kalinnikov’s 1st Symphony in the auditorium – all welcome
and	Upbeat Club in the Meon Area
7.00	Interlude in the Octagon Lounge (details not yet available)
plus	In the Meon Room – Collect/order your concert tickets investigate ‘The Friends’ at their Table; purchase Sheet Music, Books & CDs
7.30	The Concert Wand of Youth Suite No 1  Elgar  Violin Concerto  Soloist  Mathieu van Bellen  Tchaikovsky  Symphony No 1  Kalinnikov
9.30	approx end of concert AND The BAR will be OPEN for an End of Season Celebration then have a safe journey home

The Conductor’s End Of Season Observations!

written 22 June …

Many composers have produced their finest works when fighting against life’s negatives - Mozart and poverty; Beethoven and deafness; Chopin and constant frail health; Prokofiev and the Soviet Establishment and so on.  Other composers like Arriaga and Kalinnikov never came out on the winning side because their lives were tragically cut short before they were able to realise their full potential - the former dying in 1826 at the tender age of 19; the latter struggling to reach his 35th year burdened by ill-health and extreme poverty.

Music, in many of these cases offered an oasis of peace if not contentment wherein the composers’ minds shut out afflictions and miraculously were often able to create works of optimism and hope despite the odds.  Listening to Kalinnikov’s 1st symphony (composed between 1894-5) there are no signs of stress, tension or morbid gloom such as you may discern in the music of Tchaikovsky - a composer with whom he is frequently linked.  The overt differences between the creative processes of the two seem transparent - Kalinnikov drawing inspiration from the folk culture of his country and never giving us a glimpse of his own hurts, whereas Tchaikovsky wallowed very successfully in emotionalism, expressing himself and reaching out to us in a totally different way.  Who knows what Kalinnikov might have gone on to achieve - like Tchaikovsky he was a master of memorable melodising; had the contrapuntal skill for symphonic argument; and was a brilliant and colourful orchestrator.  His fame is secure in Russia but elsewhere he remains largely unknown - you may wonder why after hearing this symphony.

Edward Elgar did us a great service when he rescued some pieces from a children’s play he wrote at the age of 12 and transformed them 38 years later into the two Wand of Youth Suites.  HSO first performed Suite 2 as recently as March 2008 (see also Tony G’s introduction above) whilst the 1st Suite, equally captivating, receives its initial playing by us on Saturday.  What fascinates in both suites is just how much of the real Elgar is already apparent in these miniatures.  The music itself may be a dolly-mix of Edwardian salon music and heroic aspiration but the essence of the great composer is never in doubt in this 1st suite from the exuberant Overture, through the gently sauntering Serenade; the pastiche Minuet; the whirling Sun Dance; the Fairy Pipers (two Clarinets) with its wonderful nobilmente second theme; the subdued Slumber Scene with its constant bass ostinato of three rising notes (A, D, G) - hence the reference to the home-made bass in Lance Dearsley’s note in your Programme Book; and on to the rapid cut and thrust of Fairies and Giants.

Should your thirst for memorable melody, intoxicating rhythms and bright orchestral textures not be assuaged by Elgar and Kalinnikov, then Sam Draper will charm you further with the evergreen Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with the brilliant young Mathieu van Bellen taking Anna Liisa Bezrodny’s place.

Peter Craddock

UPBEAT CLUB!

HELLO to all our young listeners!!!  Come and enjoy your very own pre-concert club in the Meon Area at 6.30pm on Saturday for some musical exploration.

I’ve been so busy recently - teaching, playing at the Garden Party and organising the Portsmouth Schools’ Music Festival that our meeting will be a surprise session.

Look at the programme HSO will be playing in the concert and guess what we’ll be doing and talking about at our meeting!  (I might even find a small prize for the best guess!)

I'm looking forward to seeing lots of new and familiar faces.

See you there!  Becky Hill

TICKETS – Many and Various!!!

If … you have already ordered your tickets for 2010-11 please collect them from ‘the table in the Meon Room’ on Saturday.

Or if … you still need to book, please deliver your booking form, cheque and stamped addressed envelope to the same place.

Margaret Packe and her helpers will be on hand to assist you with any questions you may have.

We (‘the management’) have been very pleased with the number of bookings so far for the two out-of-Fareham concerts but there are still plenty of tickets available for both.  If you are hesitant about the locations, there is a sketch map on the reverse of each ticket and you can always ask for further details from Tony or Sandra whose contact details are in the Programme Book.  It would be such a shame to miss these two exciting concerts as the venues are very easy to find.

A Message for … The Friends of the Orchestras

Dear Friends

I have written a letter to you all and it should be enclosed with the Newsletter.  If it is missing, please contact Sandra (023 9248 3228) as soon as possible and she will apologise and send you one immediately.

I look forward to seeing many of you on Saturday either during the Interval or after the concert at the End of Season gathering in the Bar.

Hope you enjoy the evening’s music.

Sincerely
Geoff
Geoffrey Porter, Friends’ Secretary

Thank you …

… to all those who have helped to make this season a success.

You all know who you are but there’s one person we must identify - our floral artist who never ceases to amaze and delight us all - Heather.

Formal Notice of AGM

The 42nd Annual General Meeting of Havant and District Orchestral Society
will take place on Friday 10 September 2010 at 7.00pm at St Faith's Church Hall, The Pallant, Havant

Agendas & Annual Financial Report are available from the Secretary in advance or at the hall on the night.  All Members of the Orchestral Society, Playing and Non-playing, which includes SEASON TICKET HOLDERS, are eligible and welcome to attend.

Refreshments will be served and the evening will conclude with a rehearsal to which all Non-playing members are invited.

Places are available on the Committee and nominations for election may be sent to the Chairman in advance (with the names of candidate, proposer and seconder) or submitted at the meeting.

(Our AGMs usually last about 1 hour so there is plenty of time for the music!)

CD suggestions for the September Concert’s Music

Weber  Overture - Oberon
New Zealand SO/Wit
c/w 9 other Weber Overtures
Naxos 8.570 296  Bargain price

Dvořák  Piano Concerto
Polish National Radio SO / Wit
c/w Symphonic Poem ‘The Water Sprite’
Naxos 8.550 896  Bargain price

Brahms  Symphony No 1
LPO / Marin Alsop
c/w  Academic Festival Overture and Tragic Overture
Naxos 8.577 428  Bargain price

The Dvořák and Brahms recordings are recommended in the Penguin CD Guide.

This selection was made by Peter Craddock.  (GE will resume his usual role in October’s Newsletter.)

CDs, Books & Sheet Music FOR SALE

All New Stock!!!

Browse in The Meon Room before the concert, during the interval and afterwards as well!

10% of Sale Price to Orchestra Funds

If you are searching for a particular recording, a favourite or a special piece of music, leave the details, your name and phone number at the CD table and we will (hopefully) find it/them for you.

LET US FIND NEW HOMES FOR YOUR SPARE CDs …

… by donating them for resale.

The full sale price will be added to the funds.  All contributions gratefully accepted at the table in the Meon Room at concerts or phone Peter on 023 9248 3228.

September Hayling Concert

Hayling Island Community Centre
Saturday 25 September at 7.30pm

Havant Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Samuel Draper

Overture Oberon	Weber
Piano Concerto  Soloist  Konstantin Lapshin	Dvořák
Symphony No 1 in C minor	Brahms

Tickets:  £9.00;  Students - £3.00
Senior Cits & Orch Soc Members - £7.00
on sale at:  Ferneham Hall - 3 July & St Faith’s - 10 July;
in person from HICC; and HI Bookshop, Mengham and
by post from 1, Beacon Square, Emsworth, PO10 7HU (+sae) from mid July.  Cheques payable to HADOS, please

Other Musical Offerings

University of Chichester Chapel, College Lane

Sunday 4 July at 3.00pm,
Mark Bebbington, Piano and Coull String Quartet

String Quartet No 1  John Ireland
Piano Quintet  Ian Venables
Piano Quintet  Edward Elgar

Tickets: £18  from 0845 478 6365

Presented by British Music Radio

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St Peter & St Paul Church, Osborn Rd, Fareham

Saturday 10 July at 7.30pm
Fareham Philharmonic Choir

‘An evening of English and American Music’ in aid of the Mayor of Fareham’s Charities

Folk songs, Spirituals and Songs from the Shows

Tickets £8.50; £7.50 (conc); £2 (children under 16)
from Fareham Well 01329 318731 and at the door.

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St Mary’s Church, Portchester Castle

LUNCHTIME CONCERTS

Thursday 15 July at 1.00pm
Nell Wycherley, soprano and Karen Kingsley, piano

Thursday 22 July at 1.00pm
David Cain, organ

Thursday 29 July at 1.00pm
Stella Starr, piano; Jonathan Gilbert, clarinet;
Matthew Everett, trumpet and piano; Chris Beaumont, xylophone

Admission free, retiring collection

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Christ Church, Old Market Avenue, Chichester

18 July at 2.30pm
LOUIS HALSEY, conductor and lecturer

‘My Life in Choral Music’

Including illustrations from his own recordings

Tickets £8.00; students £4.00 from 01243 527425 and at the door.  Presented by Music on Sundays

Holidays in support of The Rowans Hospice

OBERAMMERGAU – PASSION PLAY
24 – 31 JULY 2010
8 days - by air, half board hotel accommodation and excursions including Salzburg.
Return coaching transfers locally

CRUISE on P&O’s 'AZURA'
17 - 29 October 2010
Canary Islands – Madeira – Lisbon - Spain
12 Nights from Southampton

For full details contact:
023 9238 2433, 01329 232915 or e-mail:portsdown.travel@Hotmail.co.uk

Tour prices include a contribution to the Hospice

We’ll be back in ‘business’ at Hayling Island on 25 September.  See you then!

Society Contact Details are at the back of the current Programme Book.

Contact information can also be found on the Contacts page within this web site.