WVM Programme Secretary’s Report 2022/23

Since last September, we have presented 10 concerts: one in Chepstow, one in Monmouth and eight in St Briavels. The programme has followed a fairly standard pattern with a mixture of solo recitals, duos, trios and quartets. The piano has featured in most of the programme, at least six concerts, hence the continued use of St Briavels as our main venue. 

These programme consisted of:

·      Two solo piano recitals
·      A flute and piano duo
·      A mezzo-soprano and piano song recital
·      A string trio
·      A piano trio
·      A string quartet
·      A six-voice ‘a cappella’ choral concert
·      The RWCMD Showcase –piano and voice
·      A four-piece Balkan, Klezmer and Roma Band

All the audiences were strong with the concerts in November (The Carducci Quartet), March (Mishka Momen), May (London Bridge Trio), July (Opa Rosa) and also this September (Astatine Trio) virtually selling out. Long may that continue!

In terms of musical periods, we have been nothing if not catholic with early and baroque standards: Bach, Scarlatti and Cornelius, Pérotin; a strong representation of classical and romantic composers: Joseph Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn, Clara Schumann, Chopin, Liszt and Sibelius.

Among 20^th century and more modern contemporary periods, we have enjoyed works by over 40 different composers: Dohnanyi, Howard Skempton, Hugh Wood, Maurice Ravel, Daniel Dorff, Anne Boyd, Simon Peberdy, Jo Backovic, Helen Walker, Caitlin Laing-Mcevoy, Edmund Jolliffe, Jo Howard, Ian Clarke, Lukas Piel, Paul Manz, John Taverner, Francis Poulenc, John Rutter, David Willcocks, George Lloyd, James Macmillan, Caroline Shaw, Haflidi Hallgrimmson, Oliver Tarney, Sally Beamish, Philip Stopford, John Taverner, Michael Head, Stephen Darlington, Blake, Timothy Ravalde, Madeleine Dring,  Herbert Howells, Vaughan Williams; Ivor Gurney, Benjamin Britten, George Gershwin and Arthur Sullivan.

What is coming up?

Lots more Beethoven, Haydn and Mozart. Book early for our Christmas choral concert which this year will be “A Tudor Christmas” performed by the exciting Swan Consort of singers. Mary Hofman and Richard Ormrod return with an east European themed programme – culminating if Brahms D minor violin sonata. March is traditional our showcase of rising stars from the RWCMD. Then in April and May we have two more top class events to look forward to: celebrated clarinetist Sara Williamson and pianist partner Sam Heywood (Sarah a former winner of young musician of the year wind section and finalist). Then in May Rosie Biss and the Odysseus Piano Trio return. Watch out for June – we’re working towards a period baroque eight-piece orchestra with an all- Vivaldi programme in Monmouth starring Simone Pirri and Esplumoir. We are ending the year in Chepstow with exotic Bristol-based jazz group Moscow Drug Club.

I think of our 28 performers 15 have been women and 13 men; ten of our 50 featured composers have been women, so 20% - a work in progress!

Mike Haines
Programme Director