This is an edited version of the Havant Orchestras newsletter which is provided in printed form to players and Friends of the Orchestra.

From the Chairman ...

Here we are at the start of our 2009-2010 Season at Ferneham Hall and a very warm welcome to you all - especially new Season Ticket Holders.

As usual after the last concert in July we held auditions for the Bob Harding Bursary for Young Conductors and had three good candidates to choose from. The successful candidate was Sam Draper from the Royal College of Music.  Traditionally the outgoing Bursary Holder conducts the Hayling Island concert in September but Jessica Cottis was fortunate enough to obtain a placement with the BBC Scottish Orchestra so we needed someone to take her place.  After much deliberation we decided to ask Sam to take over and those who came to the concert will be able to confirm that he produced an extremely exciting performance from the Orchestra which was greeted most enthusiastically by the audience.  Congratulations Sam and we look forward to your year with us.

As I was unable to attend, the AGM in September was chaired by our President Pauline Buzzing for which I am very grateful.  Her report appears below.  Given the times we find ourselves in it is not surprising that the financial situation is not as we would wish.  The Committee has already discussed money-saving and money-raising ideas and I am sure that we shall weather this storm as we have others before but I take this opportunity to ask you all to help in any way you can.  Here are a few suggestions:

• Buy a season ticket – great value and if you cannot attend a concert pass it to a friend
• Buy a season ticket for a friend
• Sponsor some aspect of our activities – a soloist, hiring of music, hiring and tuning of piano etc using Giftaid to enhance the value of your donation at no cost to yourself
• Become a Friend of the Havant Orchestras (more on this in our next Newsletter)

But above all –

• Tell people about our concerts, put up posters, spread the word!

And just look at the treats in store this season starting with a delightful programme and a wonderful soloist in this first Chamber Orchestra concert.

Oh – and don’t forget – bring your children or grandchildren for £1 each (cheaper than a babysitter) and they can also enjoy Becky Hill’s entertaining Upbeat session at every concert – see below.

Looking forward to seeing you all there.

Tony Gutteridge

Ferneham Hall, Saturday 10 October

PLEASE make sure you bring your PROGRAMME VOUCHER (attached to your Season Ticket) with you to claim your new PROGRAMME BOOK on Saturday

Booking for This Season

Margaret Packe will be at her usual spot in the Meon Area on Saturday - before the concert and in the interval - to distribute any undelivered Season Tickets and to receive booking forms for new Season Tickets.

Notes from the Conductor ...

All of a sudden Autumn is with us and rehearsals for both Havant Orchestras are in full swing - thank goodness!  Since the Bursary Auditions on 10th July whilst the players have been enjoying a well-earned rest, Sandra and I have been busy with setting up the fabric for the new season - so much administrative slog and so many loose ends to tie up.  We did manage a week’s breather in Buxton enjoying some live music at the Opera House - a couple of operas and an unusual programme for wind ensemble which featured an arrangement of Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder.  It’s quite obvious from the title that this work is concerned with death but on this occasion we had musical murder as well.  I was glad to get back home and put on a CD of the real thing - akin to taking a ‘musical aspirin’!  I shall endeavour to make sure that no such mayhem haunts any of our concerts this season.

What a feast of lovely music we can all look forward to in Saturday’s first concert of the season.  Dvořák’s pastoral Czech Suite enshrines his nationalistic instincts with melodies and dances from his native land set in bright, glowing orchestral colours.  Different combinations of wind and brass are used for each movement in turn and only in the final Furiant do they all come together and the trumpet and timpani are introduced.  Look out for an unusual instrument in the 4th movement Romanze.  The original score specifies cor anglais to play the leading melodic role but a footnote tells us that a basset horn can be used in its place.  It will be in our performance - played by Gordon Egerton (2nd clarinet) who has one which rarely gets an outing!

Soloist in the Mozart Piano Concerto is Mark Bebbington who made such a wonderful poetic impression when he played Beethoven’s 4th Concerto with us last February that we were very keen to use him again.  Mark is having great success with several recently issued CDs, all of them receiving glowing reviews from the critics.  Mozart’s 22nd Concerto is one we have not played before - I don’t know why because it is a wonderful work which, in addition to its pianistic qualities, contains some important and colourful writing for wind instruments.  (Instead of the usual pair of oboes Mozart uses the darker autumnal hues of the clarinets.)

Schubert’s youthful and spirited 3rd Symphony takes up the second half of the concert and I daresay the players will be having a bet on how fast I take the finale!

Peter Craddock

From the President

As Tony has mentioned, I chaired the AGM.  Although a formal meeting, there was a very relaxed atmosphere which marked the return to ‘work’ for the players.  I was very pleased to hear the Musical Director report on highlights of the past season in very complimentary terms but he warned players about complacency!

Although there were no nominations for new members to the Committee, all existing members were re-elected (somewhat to the relief of the assembled company, I believe).

The Treasurer's report was not so cheerful as the MD’s and contained the disturbing news that rising costs and a drop in audience numbers meant we had made a loss on the season.  Everyone was asked to do as much as possible to encourage more people to come to concerts and they heeded the Publicity Officer’s gentle encouragement to take a supply of new brochures to give to their friends.

The committee and the many helpers who support our work voluntarily were thanked for their efforts and a particular thank you was extended to Beryl Harding, who has stepped down from her role as Secretary of the Friends of the Orchestras.  Beryl's work is well known and has been going on for many years.  She deserves a bit of a rest and we are relieved that she is only taking a back seat and not disappearing altogether.

The business of the meeting was completed in just one hour and after refreshments there was a rehearsal of the music for the Hayling Island concert to which all non-playing members were invited to listen.

Pauline Buzzing

The Friends of the Orchestras

Beryl Harding has been Secretary of this generous group of supporters since the name was changed from ‘Patrons’.  However she has decided that after 28+ years in the hot seat it is time to sit back and enjoy the music.  We are immensely grateful to Beryl for her enthusiasm and help over the years and are very pleased that she has agreed to remain on the Committee but as a ‘minister without portfolio’.

This leaves a big gap in our organisation and I understand that the Chairman will be writing at greater length in the next Newsletter so suffice it to say a VERY BIG thank you to Beryl for everything; please enjoy the Orchestras’ music-making and relax!

Sandra Craddock, Administrator

UPBEAT CLUB!

Upbeat has had a face lift and a change of direction!

From Saturday, there will be a meeting before every concert at Ferneham Hall for all young attenders in the Meon Hall (between the foyer and the auditorium) while older members of the audience have their own meeting in the auditorium.

Becky Hill, our Education Officer and an inspirational and enthusiastic music teacher, not to mention Principal Viola in both the Orchestras, is planning exciting activities for the season and especially for Saturday when she will introduce Gordon Egerton, whose unusual musical instrument will be heard in the concert (see Conductor’s Notes).  Not only will he explain this instrument but he will also bring a selection of clarinets and there will probably be time for trial runs.

There is no joining fee for the Club just bring your youngsters along at 6.30pm on Saturday.  (Becky and Gordon are both teachers and have Child Protection accreditation.)

As another part of her ‘job description’ with the Orchestras, Becky is developing Workshop Sessions on a wide variety of musically orientated subjects which will be available initially to Junior and Secondary schools in the boroughs of Havant and Fareham.  If you are a teacher in, or have a child at, a school in these areas and would like more information or to talk to Becky please contact her by mobile: 07966 216 887 or e-mail: becky.hill@rocketmail.com.

Pre-Concert Interlude

Saturday’s Pre-Concert Interlude will be played by the Portsmouth High School for Girls’ Flute Ensemble – including Holly Kettle, Grace Gladston, and Alana Grady who delighted listeners a year ago.  They are coached by Cathy Nicholson and their programme will include music by Dvořák and Rimsky-Korsakov.

More information about the players and details of the music on Saturday.

CDs for THIS concert

Sourced by GE

Dvořák  Czech Suite
Detroit SO  /  Dorati  c/w Symphony No 9 and Prague Waltzes
Decca Eclipse 448245-2  Bargain  price

Mozart  Piano Concerto No 22 in E flat, K482
Jonathan Bliss/ Orpheus C O
c/w Concerto No 21 in C, K 467
EMI 575655-2217270-2 discs  Full price

Schubert  Symphony No 3 in D
RPO / Beecham
c/w Symphonies Nos 5 and 6
EMI 566984-2 Mid price

CDs FOR SALE

Including a special section of Music for this Season

Plus sheet music, opera videos books and miniature scores

Browse before the concert, during the interval and afterwards as well!

10% of Sale Price to Orchestra Funds

Bursary Holder updates

Samuel Draper has settled in with HSO and he made a fine job of the Hayling Island concert.  He will be conducting Night on the Bare Mountain in November and is very keen to attend as many rehearsals as possible.

Ludovic Morlot has been conducting the BBC Phil in Manchester and received very good reviews for a recent concert of Martinu’s Frescoes of Piera della Francesca , Elgar’s Cello Concerto and Saint Saëns’ Organ Concerto.  Maybe he’ll come further south in future??

Leo Hussain is now represented by Intermusica and his biography begins: Leo Hussain recently burst onto the European music scene, first with his appointment as Music Director at the Landestheater Salzburg from 2009, and then making a sensational debut at Théâtre de la Monnaie, Brussels, in a universally acclaimed new production of Ligeti’s Le Grand Macabre by Fura dels Baus.  He received standing ovations from the orchestra there and has subsequently been re-invited for several new productions and symphonic concerts. There’s more at: http://www.intermusica.co.uk.

Mark Wigglesworth is also on Intermusica’s books and undertook a major tour to New Zealand in July.

Daniel Cohen was spotted in the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra’s Prom concert on television and Jason Lai gave the voice-over commentaries on some of the Prom concerts on BBC TV.

(A full list of previous Bursary Holders will appear in a future Newsletter.)

Other Musical Offerings

Saturday 31 October 7.30

The Guildhall, Portsmouth
Portsmouth Choral Union, Royal Leamington Spa Bach Choir and Southern Pro Musica
Verdi - Requiem
Tickets £7 - £18 from the Guildhall 023 9282 4355

Saturday 31 October 7.30

St Peter’s Church, Petersfield
Renaissance Choir
English Choral Masters
Including Byrd, Elgar and Parry
Tickets: £10, conc’s £8; Students £2 at the door.

Saturday 28 November 7.30

Ferneham Hall, Fareham
Havant Symphony Orchestra
Francesca da Rimini – Tchaikovsky
Night on the Bare Mountain – Mussorgsky
Violin Concerto – Kabalevsky
Symphony in D minor – César Franck

Music in the Round

... is moving to The New Theatre Royal in the New Year.
Tickets from New Theatre Royal: 023 9264 9000
£13.50; £11 conc’s; Seasons: £54 (£44 concs).

CAVATINA – special offer from Turner Sims

Young people aged 8-22 can attend chamber music concerts at Turner Sims concert hall in Southampton absolutely free of charge.

For details download the CAVATINA form from www.turnersims.co.uk or ring 023 8059 5151

... and a similar one from Chichester Festival Theatre

This offer is for free tickets for under-26s and is called ‘A Night Less Ordinary’.

Details are at: www.cft.org.uk/u26, www.anightlessordinary.org.uk or call the Box Office on 01243 781312

AND FINALLY ...

The News has announced that there will be another ‘Guide Awards’ Evening in November.  The nominated individuals and groups that you can vote for in the various sections include many familiar local names – surprisingly including The Havant Orchestras!  Of course, you are at liberty to vote for your own choice and the details for on-line voting are: www.portsmouth.co.uk home page, scroll down to ‘Popular Links’ click bottom right entry: ‘Vote in ...2009’ and the closing date is Friday 16 October at midday.

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.