It was such a treat to attend the celebrations for Sir Neville Marriner’s Centenary from 15 April. Brilliantly devised by his family and by the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, this week-long ‘festival’ was a remarkable tribute to Neville, his achievements and his legacy. I attended two of the three concerts that week,
I am very much looking forward to my concert this year with the Radcliffe Orchestra which will take place in the Tingewick Hall at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford on Saturday, 9 March at 7.30pm. The programme will begin with Weber’s Overture to Der Freischütz, a brilliant opener to introduce Grieg’s Piano Concerto featuring pianist
I have been a member of the Royal Society of Musicians of Great Britain since 1996 and have been proud to be a part of the UK’s oldest music charity over the years. It is a remarkable organisation that provides vital financial assistance, advice and guidance to those professionally active in the wrold of music
I was so pleased to be asked by Michael Bochmann to play a recital for his Lenthall Concerts series in Burford. The recital on 11 October, proved to be a most rewarding project in combining a full programme with pianist Charles Matthews and a workshop and performance by the Grendilla Double Reed Ensemble directed by
It was a great moment in August when we gathered in St Edmund Hall, Oxford for this year’s Kammermusik Workshop after a four-year pause due to the pandemic. Our visit to Santa Fe in July/August 2019 seemed an age ago as we caught up with our friends Will and Daren, Janet and William, Keith and
I hugely enjoyed my return to the York Wind Chamber Music Course in August this year. Not quite as blisterlingly hot as in 2022, the venue and campus at York University was a perfect one for a week’s coaching, playing and spending time with so many committed and interesting chamber musicians. Thanks to Richard Ingham,
Looking back over a busy summer of music-making, I have fond memories of my day at the Gloucester Double Reed Day held at Pate’s Grammar School, Cheltenham on 2 July. Brilliantly organised by Caron de Burgh and her amazing team, the day was packed with events including masterclasses for oboe and bassoon, chamber music and
It was a privilege to join the jury with Sarah Bruce and Christopher Glynn for the 2023 BIMC held at Bromsgrove School between 30 May and 3 June. From a large entry, 24 fine musicians came through to the final rounds in Bromsgrove and twelve excellent semifinalists were chosen: Raymond Brien (clarinet), Ezo Dem Sarici
Happy Birthday to Howarths of London! It was a truly memorable evening at the celebration dinner in the Landmark Hotel, Marylebone on 25 May. With so many friends there, it was great to have a chance to meet everyone involved at both the factory and the shop in Chiltern Street. Oboists from far and wide
It was great to take part in the British Double Reed Society’s Festival at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire on 17 May. There was an excellent attendance and I enjoyed looking in on the workshops by Melinda Maxwell, Emmet Byrne, Nikolaj Henriques and Margaret Cookhorn. The RBC concert featuring Emmet Byrne’s and Nikolaj Hendriques’ brilliant rendition of