Newsletter

The Newsletter is published each year in late August and will be sent to all on our mailing list. It will also be published on this website.

 

Welcome to the 64th Season of the Richmondshire Subscription Concerts!

Best value is a subscription costing only £36 for all six concerts!

Single tickets are £12 each. (£1 for full time students)

Last season we had a record number of 235 subscribers and this has enabled us to offer a subscription which must be one of the finest value season tickets in the country! It works out at only £6 for each concert performed by nationally and internationally renowned professional musicians. We very much hope that you will continue to subscribe, enabling us to afford the best possible musicians for our concerts! You can help even more by adding a little to your subscription to become a Friend of the RSC. Last year we had 71 Friends whose generosity in sponsoring the first concert of the new season has enabled us to have a large ensemble of eight string players.

Last year all the concerts were held in the Zetland Christian Centre and this proved to be very popular. The venue is comfortable, has good sight lines and fine acoustics and has nearby free parking. It is also of a suitable size to allow us to advertise the concerts to a wider audience. For our most popular concert (Red Priest) we attracted over 90 single ticket holders which gave a significant boost to our finances. Many improvements have been made in this venue over the last three years; new decoration, new heating and improved lighting and it is now a very suitable venue for our concerts. The management have told us recently of a change in name for the venue and in future it will be called the Influence Church.

Season 2010-11

The two most popular concerts of the season were the Brodsky Quartet and Red Priest. It was a treat to hear such experienced, world class players and compare them to some of the younger musicians that are making such an impression with our audience. Red Priest are simply unique and provided us with a stunning entertainment backed up with first rate playing of exciting music. For the first time we hired a Steinway grand piano for our recital by Sarah Beth Briggs realising that our own piano, whilst being an exceptionally good ensemble instrument, had limitations for a solo recital. It was generally agreed that this extra expense was worthwhile and Sarah gave an outstanding performance. The season as a whole was one of the most satisfying of recent years with some exceptional playing from younger musicians in the last three concerts. Victoria Sayles gave a wonderfully satisfying violin recital, changing her style to suit the varying demands of composers such as Handel, Ravel and Elgar. Some subscribers were put off by the largely 20th Century programme of the Gallimaufry Wind Quintet but this was a very fine concert indeed. With spoken introductions to all the works, we were led through some of the finest works in the wind repertoire. Perhaps one of the unexpected highlights of the season was the superb playing of the young Barbirolli Quartet finishing with a very fine, powerful performance of the Brahms Op.51 quartet.

Season 2011-12

The opening concert in October promises to be a real treat and the highlight will be the eight strings of the Erringden Ensemble playing Mendelssohn’s sublime Octet. Formed in 2009 this flexible ensemble includes some of the country’s finest players. As well as Paul Barritt (permanent Guest Leader of the Halle Orchestra) there are two ex-members of the renowned Sorrell Quartet amongst its members. “sweet beautiful tone drawn from lovely instruments....a constant awareness of balance”. Westmorland Gazette 2010.

 

In November we welcome Trio con Brio Copenhagen who have been winning top international competitions from 2002 onwards and this has enabled them to play in many of the great music venues in the world including a 20 venue tour of the USA.  Korean sisters Soo-Jin and Soo-Kyung Hong are joined by the latter’s husband Danish pianist Jens Elvkjaer playing piano trios by Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky and Danish composer Sorensen. Of their debut CD Gramophone magazine wrote “the performances can compete with the best available... airtight ensemble... a superb, greatly gifted group”.

For our December concert, with festive refreshments, we welcome back Kathryn Rudge (mezzo-soprano) who we last heard as Cerubino in the “Marriage of Figaro” in Richmond in 2008. As a post graduate student, she was the outstanding member of a fine cast of singers from the Royal North College. Now she is singing the same role at English National Opera and has won numerous prizes and awards. In 2011 she has joined the Samling Scholarship scheme set up by Sir Thomas Allen and others to inspire outstand young professionals. She presents songs by Handel, Mozart, da Falla and Copland. “Here is precious talent: not only her voice, which is fluent and comfortable as well as beautiful in any register, but also her acting is natural and spontaneous. Her diction is immaculate.” Michael Kennedy, Opera Magazine. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear a rising star!

In February we welcome the Carducci Quartet for the third time and this is a measure of how much our audiences have appreciated their previous visits. They go from strength to strength and are renowned internationally through their tours and recordings. Their programme includes works by Haydn, Shostakovich and Mendelssohn. “wonderful unanimity of tone and articulation...these players seem to breathe the music together.”        The Strad.

 Prince Bishops Brass play for us in March.. It is seven years since we heard the wonderful sounds made by a brass quintet. This ensemble, founded in 2008, consists of top brass players from the North East and they will treat us to a survey of almost 500 years of brass music from the 16th Century to the 21st.

 Our final concert in April features the Piatti Quartet playing an ideal programme of string quartets by Haydn, Beethoven and Smetana. We have always been fortunate in our choice of young quartets, the Belcea and the Carducci Quartet have played for us from their earliest days. The Piatti Quartet were winners of the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Music competition in 2010. They are fast becoming one of the UK’s leading young quartets.

Pre- Concert Talks

Last season we tried an experiment, having a 30 minute pre-concert event before the Gallimaufry Wind Quintet concert. This took the form of a question and answer session chaired by John Furniss and involving all five members of the quintet. It was generally thought to be successful. As a further experiment we have arranged pre-concert talks before three of the coming season’s concerts. These take place at the front of the main auditorium at 6.30 p.m. Please do try them and let us know if you think these are a worthwhile addition to our programme.

Darlington Music Society

You are reminded of the arrangement we have with Darlington Music Society. If you take out a Richmondshire subscription you will be able to purchase one for Darlington at half their normal price – that is only £30 for 7 more excellent concerts!

An added bonus for subscribers

Each subscription ticket has a unique number. Before each concert a draw will be made and the lucky subscriber will receive a £25 token which can be exchanged for books or compact discs at Castle Hill Bookshop. We are grateful for their generous offer given in the hope that it will encourage more people to take out a subscription!

Friends and Sponsorship

Now grants to arts organisations have all but dried up we are reliant on Subscribers, Friends (do please become one) and Sponsors to enable us to book artists of high calibre. We are fortunate in having some corporate sponsors and these are listed against the concerts on the brochure. Please let Doug Waugh (see contacts page) know of any organisation you think may be able to help us as a sponsor. However there is also a need for personal sponsors and you are invited to consider this. A sponsor provides some help towards the cost of a concert and has his or her name associated with it. Personal sponsorship qualifies for tax relief through Gift Aid, making every pound given worth £1.25 to the society. It can be linked with a family occasion or dedicated to a loved one. Personal sponsors have given one off payments of between £100 and £500 over the past five years and these donations have been a great help to the society. Please discuss this with Douglas Waugh when the occasion is appropriate.

Volunteers

After the fine help given by subscribers in mounting the opera, “Marriage of Figaro”, four years ago it was decided to keep a record of those who would be prepared to help in the organisation of concerts. If you could help occasionally with some aspects: selling programmes, acting as ushers, providing accommodation, meeting and greeting artists, helping to feed them before concerts, helping with stage management or with page turning for pianists please contact John Furniss ( see contacts page).

Treasurer

In the 63 years since the RSC was founded we have only had two treasurers! Sydney Beddow has served with great distinction for 37 of those years and has now asked to step down. So we are looking for a new treasurer and we would appeal to anyone who feels they could give us some of their time in this role, or know someone who might be persuaded to do so, to please contact Doug Waugh in the first instance.

 

OUR SPONSORS, SUPPORTERS AND FRIENDS

 

ALT-BERG- based in Richmond, they are makers of the finest walking boots.

CASTLE HILL BOOKSHOP- our local book and CD stockists with a range for all tastes. They are generously giving a prize for the winning season ticket number at each concert.

COUNTESS OF MUNSTER MUSICAL TRUST- provides a platform and financial support for young performers embarking on a professional career.

DAVID CARR FOUNDATION- provides assistance for local sporting and cultural activities.

JONATHAN FRY & Co. Ltd - an independent Financial Advisory firm based in Richmond; regular supporters of our concerts.

RICHMOND ALE- independent local brewers of fine ales worthy of the name they bear.

SHERWOODS OF DARLINGTON- the area’s main Vauxhall dealers. Their sales outlet and showroom is the envy of the trade and well worth a visit.

thecitysecret- fast growing specialist outsourcing technology company, based in Richmond, who have given generous support  in hosting and supporting our website.

THE YOUNG CONCERT ARTISTS TRUST- selects and manages the most outstanding musical talents during their first years within the profession.

Richmondshire Subscription Concerts

 

NEWSLETTER 2011-12