You are here: Home > News > Newsletter archive > Oct 2011You are not logged in.

Newsletter for October 2011

Welcome EVERYONE to the GOLD SEASON

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 …

Welcome to this our 50th anniversary season. There’s a great deal to look forward to but first a look back to events since the last newsletter.

At the auditions for the Bob Harding Bursary we had a very good field of 3 candidates who each put the Symphony Orchestra through its paces to the great enjoyment of the orchestra, the Friends and the young conductors who all let us know what a great evening it was for them.  The selection panel, faced with a difficult choice with such talented musicians, proposed Rob Hodge to be next holder of this award.  He will be conducting the overture in the December concert but you may well see him on Saturday – see below

At the AGM another small deficit was recorded which was disappointing after all the work put in to reduce it but understandable in these difficult times.  Aside from a variety of cost-cutting measures the Society benefited greatly from the generosity of donors and sponsors to whom we are most grateful.  The committee was re-elected, including Jonathan Scott (HSO & HCO 1st violin) who had been co-opted during the previous season as Webmaster and Making Music contact.  We are very pleased to welcome him onto the committee.

I also announced that this would be my last season as Chairman.  This is my second stint (of 15 years) and I feel it is time for a change for the Society and for me.  I have no intention of disappearing from the scene and shall continue to support my successor in all endeavours on behalf of the Orchestras.

The Hayling Island concert was a rousing send-off for Sam Draper after his two years with us.  He has thoroughly enjoyed his time with us and he leaves with our very best wishes for his career.  We shall keep in touch and pass on his news.

So back to our celebrations.  We are honoured that the Rt Hon David Willetts MP for Havant has agreed to be our President and the Mayors of Havant and Fareham to be our Patrons during this extended anniversary celebration.  They will attend some of our concerts between now and December 2012 which is the final scheduled concert for our Founder/Musical Director with the Symphony Orchestra.  He will still be at the helm of the Chamber Orchestra and, knowing Peter, will still make a considerable, though reduced, input into the Society.

All this is a long way off and the search for a successor is under way so meanwhile, let’s enjoy the Chamber Orchestra’s opening concert of splendid music, with Peter very much in command.

See you there – along with lots and lots of your friends and relations…

Tony Gutteridge
(023 9247 4681 or acg@waitrose.com)

Things to do at Ferneham Hall on Saturday 15th October

Collect your Programme Book – Remember your Voucher and your Season Ticket

Pre-concert talk 6.30pm – Angela Blackwell introducing Britten’s Simple Symphony
– in the Auditorium.

Upbeat 6.30pm – a workshop on Mozart Symphony No 40
– in the Meon Room. 
Please alert GCSE Music teachers and students - it’s a set work!
[Specifically, the first movement is a set work for the Edexcel music GCSE].

Listen to the Pre-concert music
– at 7.00pm in the Octagon Lounge. 

Renew / purchase / collect Season Tickets …
AND Reserve Tickets for the DECEMBER CONCERT

– in the Meon Room from 7.00pm.

PLUS  all the usual side-lines -

  • CDs, Books and Jewellery for sale
  • Talk to The Friends
  • Make new friends;

DO NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!!!
Buy your jewellery presents for Christmas NOW!!
It will be your only chance!!!

Saturday’s Programme

Overture ‘Lucio Silla’  J C Bach 
Pavane  Fauré 
Simple Symphony  Britten 
Violin Concerto in C 
Soloist:  Anna-Liisa Bezrodny 
Haydn 
Symphony No 40  Mozart 

For more details, see the 15 Oct 2011 concert page.

The Conductor’s Notes…

Due to late circumstances beyond OUR control, we have to announce an adjustment to the programme for Saturday’s opening concert by the Chamber Orchestra.  Our soloist, Anna-Liisa Bezrodny – due to circumstances beyond HER control – has requested that she should only play the Haydn C major Violin Concerto and not Dvořák’s Romance for solo violin and orchestra as well.  Accordingly we have agreed to her request and have substituted a replacement orchestral work and re-arranged the order of the programme. 

(Fortunately the Programme Book had not gone to press when we heard from Anna-Liisa so the changed order and programme note have been included.)

The new work is appropriately an Overture, scored for the same instrumental forces as the Dvořák, by that highly significant member of the Bach family, Johann Christian.  Cognoscenti of JCB will recognise this three-movement sinfonia as being Symphony in B flat, Opus 18 No 2, published within a set of six symphonies in the early 1780s.  However it first saw life as the Overture to Bach’s opera ’Lucio Silla’ first performed with little apparent success in Mannheim a decade earlier.  Mozart, who was a great fan of JCB, examined the score in 1777 and in correspondence makes it clear his high opinion of the opera.  He went even further and composed a ‘Lucio Silla’ of his own to the same libretto.  Whatever the merits or otherwise of JCB’s opera, the sparkling little Overture deserves to survive and provides us with a very positive start to the concert and the season.  The remainder of the programme follows the route set out in the brochures – Fauré, Britten, Haydn, then the interval and finally Mozart.  In the latter’s G minor Symphony we shall perform the later version with clarinets added by the composer.

Peter Craddock

The Pre-Concert Interlude

The Octagon Lounge at 7.00pm

Flute Trios played by a trio from Portsmouth High School for Girls

Music details on Saturday

UPBEAT CLUB!

All about Mozart’s 40th Symphony

at 6.30pm in the Meon Room

Becky Hill has another engagement on Saturday so she is very pleased that our new Bursary Holder, Robert Hodge, has agreed to take her place and explore Mozart’s Symphony No 40 as it’s a set work for GCSE music students.

Robert is a music teacher as well as a conductor and he will make the session interesting and interactive for all young musicians.

So do come along and meet Robert!


Rosemary is ‘retiring’

The first friendly face most of us see on arrival at Ferneham Hall is Rosemary Jones, at the Table in the Foyer, always smiling, unflappable and the fount of all answers.  However, after goodness knows how many years, first as Secretary and until Saturday as Front of House Manager, she has decided that she would like more time to enjoy the music and all the other ’goings-on’ at concerts.  So we say: ‘Thank you very much for your help for at least 20 years Rosemary and, if the Committee had not already made you an Honorary Vice-President, they would have done so at the AGM last month’.

Enjoy your ‘freedom to roam’!

Front of House Welcomers

There will be two additional ‘Friendly Faces’ with Rosemary on Saturday - Jane Blanken and Caroline Gould.

Jane has been a supporter for many years (in case the name is familiar, she is Rob’s mother).  Caroline is a member of HSO’s viola section so will only be out front for HCO concerts.  This means we need at least one, if not two more FoH Welcomers, please.  Offers of help will be greeted with enthusiasm and reassurance of advice from those who know the ropes.

Talk to Rosemary, Jane or Caroline in the INTERVAL, – they’ll be too busy with programmes, etc. before the concert!

CDs for this concert

Sourced by GE

J C Bach  Overture ‘Lucio Silla’
English SO / William Boughton
c/w Overtures 1 and 3 - 6 Op 18
Nimbus NI 5403  Full price

Fauré  Pavane
New Philhamonia Orch / David Willcocks
c/w Fauré and Duruflé Requiems
EMI 3799942  Mid-price

Britten  Simple Symphony
Northern Sinfonia / Steuart Bedford
c/w Temporal Vars. Charm of Lullabies etc.
Naxos 8.557205  Bargain price

Haydn  Violin Concerto No 1
Augustin Hadelich / Cologne CO / Muller-Brühl 
c/w Violin Concertos 3 and 4
Naxos 8.570483  Bargain price

Mozart  Symphony No 40 in G minor
English Chamber Orch / Barenboim
c/w Symphonies 32, 35, 36, 41
EMI Gemini 3509222  2 mid-priced discs

The Friends’ American Supper

It was a great disappointment that we had to cancel the planned American Supper for Saturday 8th October but, as only a few advance bookings had been made, it was the only option.

We would be very grateful for comments and suggestions from The Friends and from other supporters about the types of additional meetings / recitals / study days – or any other activities – that they would welcome so that future enthusiasts are not disappointed!

Please come and talk to me during the concert Interval at the Friends Table in the Meon Room or send me an e-mail.

Geoffrey Porter, Friends’ Secretary
geoff.porter@uwclub.net

The Newsletter by e-mail

Margaret Packe has noticed how many more-than-usual Season Ticket Holders have opted for the e-mail version.  This is really helpful and we thank you all for your assistance.  If you have any difficulty with the e-version, please do not hesitate to contact: sandra.craddock@ntlworld.com and (hopefully) assistance will soon be at hand.

If you are still ‘wavering on the brink’, please request a trial copy for December; from Sandra, as above.

Other Musical Events

[Event dates and times, performer names and venues are linked to a relevant web site where available]

Monday 10 October, 7.00pm
The Spring (Havant Arts Centre), Havant
The Brodowski String Quartet
Smetana and Beethoven

Pre-concert talk by Terry Barfoot

Tickets £15.00, with concs, at the door


Friday 28 October, 7.30pm
Chichester Cathedral
Chichester University Symphony Orchestra and Ascension Singers

4 Moravian Songs – Paton/Ward
Viola Concerto (UK premiere) – Thomas Schmidt-Kowalski
Planets Suite – Holst

Tickets £14, £10, £5 from 01243 813595


Saturday 12 November, 2.00pm
The Spring (Havant Arts Centre), Havant
The Elgar Society – ‘Elgar and Opera’

All Welcome – no charge


Wednesday 16 November, 7.30pm
University of Chichester, College Lane
Funtington Music Group
Piano Recital by Jonathan Plowright

Guests £10 contact 01243 378900


Wednesday 30 November, 7.15pm
The Mayflower, Southampton
Welsh National Opera
Katya Kabanova – Janáček

Tickets £39.50-£7.50 from 023 8071 1811

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.


Website kindly hosted by