Friends of Cheltenham
Symphony Orchestra
Newsletter
June 2014
Chairman’s notes
The concerts so far in 2014 have been
outstanding. We have recently had the final appearance
this year of Tamsin Waley-Cohen, who enthralled us yet
again, this time with her performance of Brahms’ violin
concerto, a truly challenging piece which she played with
great feeling and panache. The concert also included a
world première - 'Morning Views of Spoleto' composed
by the talented young Jessica Davies who plays the cello
in the orchestra. Quite a challenge for David Curtis and
the orchestra! The Gloucester Cathedral concert 'For the
Fallen' commemorating the start of WW1, where the
CSO joined with the Gloucester Choral Society, was a
very moving experience. The next concert will be at
Bredon on July 5th, an event which is always very
informal, truly 'Music for a Summer Evening' and
something to look forward to.
You will be aware of the sad news that Julian
Lloyd Webber has had to retire from playing the cello for
health reasons. For Julian this must be devastating. As
you know Julian was going to play Elgar's Cello
Concerto with the CSO on December 5th at the Town
Hall in Cheltenham. However, we are delighted that we
have secured the services of Laura van der Heijden, BBC
Young Musician of the Year 2012. So please come along
and bring your friends as it is a chance to listen to an upand-coming young musician who will undoubtedly be
very famous in years to come! (I remember many, many
years ago in Monmouth, we listened to an 18 year old
Nigel Kennedy who showed such immense talent, and
look where his career took him!)
Thank you all for your continued support for 'our'
Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra.
life on the instrument! My parents, who were not
musicians, were very supportive of me (and my brothers
and sisters in their respective interests) and I was taken to
lots of concerts to see and hear people like Sarah Chang
and Maxim Vengerov.
Do you have a second instrument?
I played the piano for several years. I have no time for it
now, but it was valuable experience and is still a useful
skill to have today.
If you had participated in the CSO GradeOneAthon
what instrument would you have chosen?
Perhaps the clarinet as I love its sound.
How much practice do you do?
When I am at home, I like to do between 6 to 8 hours, but
when I am rehearsing or travelling, practice time is
restricted to about 2 hours. In order to get the most
benefit from practice time, I focus on what I am trying to
achieve, practise slowly when appropriate, strive to be
analytical and think about posture (looking in the mirror
occasionally to ensure shoulders are relaxed). If I only
have a short time available I ensure I have a clear target
and remember that mere repetition is pointless.
How do you memorise so much music?
When I was young, learning music by heart came easily.
Nowadays I concentrate on the “corners” where I know
that there are pitfalls.
Are there any works that you haven’t performed but
would like to?
Lots! For example, I would love to perform twentieth
century concertos such as those by Berg, Stravinsky or
Bartok which I have learnt but never performed. I would
also love to play more chamber music – the repertoire is
huge and I love chamber music as much as solo work.
Monica Ellis
Tamsin Waley-Cohen
The Orchestra has been privileged to play three of the
great violin concertos with Tamsin Waley-Cohen. She
agreed to meet Michael St. John for an “exclusive”
interview for the Friends’ Newsletter in the Parcel Yard
restaurant at Kings Cross above Platform 9 ¾.
When did you start to play the violin?
After about a year and a half of nagging my parents, (so I
have been told!) I began to play at age 3½. I had seen a
TV programme of a Proms. concert and was hooked for
A young Tamsin
Tell us a little about the Stradivarius that you play
My violin was previously owned by the Canadian,
Lorand Fenyves, and is now owned by a trust fund. I was
lucky enough to meet Lorand before he died, when he
gave lessons at the International Musicians’ Seminars in
Prussia Cove, Cornwall. It was lucky that it came to
auction at the time I was trying out lots of different
instruments and the trustees offered it to me. It’s a very
temperamental instrument and took a while to learn how
to play, but I now love it – especially its dark sound.
What are the main differences between playing with
an orchestra like the Cheltenham Symphony
Orchestra and professional groups?
I love the fact that amateur players have such enthusiasm
and energy and are playing music because they really
want to, rather than doing it for a living. And it is usually
possible to have more time to rehearse with amateur
groups – too often in the UK there may be just an hour of
rehearsal followed by the performance with professional
orchestras. (Continental European orchestras often allow
more rehearsal time, thanks to greater state subsidies).
What have been your greatest challenges?
Everything I do is a great challenge! To play anything
really well is very hard! I am constantly looking to
improve my performances and I always want to make the
music sound fresh. Although I have nerves before a
concert, I regard this as being of positive benefit in
performance, as it creates a “buzz” in my mind.
Have you had any bad experiences?
In Cheltenham a few years ago when there was some
serious flooding, all the lights went out in the middle of a
recital. We carried on playing – luckily the lights came
back on before our memories expired!
What about your best experiences?
I always love playing the Beethoven violin concerto and
chamber music gives me enormous satisfaction,
especially the Beethoven, Mozart and Haydn quartets.
Do you teach the violin and what advice would you
give to aspiring musicians?
I teach occasionally at the Royal College of Music
(where I studied) and find it very satisfying; I often learn
a lot myself in the process! I would ask any young
musician who is thinking of a career as a performer,
whether it is really the only thing they want to do. And I
would advise them always to be true to their own ideas
and not to try to copy anyone else.
Do you exercise regularly?
Not in the way that David Curtis does! When I am at
home in London, I run most days for about half an hour. I
find it refreshes and stimulates my mind.
What books do you read?
I love the English classics and also translations of works
by authors in other languages. Ironically, considering the
crowds of tourists below where we are lunching, gawping
at the luggage trolley embedded in the station wall, I
have never read any Harry Potter books!
What about films or theatre?
I loved the plays “Chimerica” and the National Theatre’s
production of Othello with Adrian Lester. I rarely go to
the cinema – no time!
You are probably asked this all the time, but are you
related to a) the jockey and b) the famous Lord
Mayor of London in 1960?
Sam is my cousin but I don’t take much interest in
horses; the Lord Mayor was my grandfather who died
when I was 6 years old but I remember him.
How do you like to take your holidays (if you ever
have them!)
My first priority is to catch up with my extended family
(who are mainly in London). My next holiday will be in
Sicily when I hope to visit some of the ancient sites and
enjoy the food! I am not a “beach person”.
Tell me about the Honeymead Ensemble and Festival
I am the artistic director of Honeymead. It brings
together a group of young professional musicians to live
and work together for a week of intense musical
participation and preparation. They are based for the
week at Honeymead, our family’s farm, in the centre of
Exmoor. The annual festival of chamber music provides
the musicians with an exceptional opportunity to study
and explore in depth outstanding works in the chamber
music repertoire while away from outside pressures. The
week concludes with three concerts in Devon and
Somerset which are organised by and for the benefit of
local charities.
And you have a tricycle??
The Tricycle Music series takes place at the Tricycle
Theatre, London's leading political theatre. Nick Kent,
the former artistic director, asked me to put on some
concerts there, and the series was born. When Indhu
Rubasingham took over, she was keen to continue the
concerts, and now we do programmes where the concerts
are linked to the play which is on in the theatre. There is
often a connected exhibition too, and films, talks, and
q&a sessions. It's a wonderful space, very intimate, and
we play directly on the set, which leads to some very
dramatic settings, such as Verklärte Nacht in a forest, and
Strauss Metamorphosen in a nuclear reactor!
…..and then she had to dash off for another appointment
without even managing to finish drinking her coffee!
But thank you Tamsin for giving time for this interview
and for all the wonderful music you have played with us
over the past year! We are looking forward to your
performance of the Sibelius concerto next year.
The Journey Hilary Took to the CSO
“Show me your hands.” Almost the first words I
heard at my second grammar school. “Would you like to
play the cello?” were the next. I don’t remember
replying but I went home with this box thing! My
mother was surprised too and over the coming years she
became a wonderful support and accompanist.
The following year I had to give up “my box”
and then owned my first cello. I was now in my third
grammar school. I was encouraged by my teacher – the
local rat catcher – to play in a local orchestra and the
school orchestra. I attended three residential courses as a
member of North Wales Youth Orchestra. We had
wonderful coaches from Manchester and I loved every
minute.
Upper sixth. At yet another grammar school.
(No, I didn’t keep getting expelled!) I travelled in a local
country bus to have
lessons with Stuart
Knussen, ex Hallé.
He was a great
teacher.
After
playing a solo on
stage in a school
concert, I was
invited to join the
Welsh
National
Youth Orchestra –
unbeknown to me
my school concert
performance was
my audition!
Off to teacher training college. I was the only
cellist, so lots of music and fun. I remained in the
Midlands for three years and played in the Midland
Youth Orchestra in Birmingham – another great
experience. Many players became professional. During
this time I was invited on two occasions to join French
instrumentalists together with ex-members of the Welsh
Youth Orchestra. Going to Annecy with the CSO in
2008 brought back happy memories.
Now in Cheltenham. I was walking with my
cello to the Cheltenham Philharmonic. A posh car (an
Armstrong Siddeley) stopped by me. “Are you going to
the Phil?”
“Yes”
“Well, hop in!” It was Jack Owen, a viola player who
later became a founder member of the Sunday Players.
We played together in trios etc. and for the musicals and
operas in Cheltenham for the next few years.
Next my meeting with Douglas Smith. He was
my dentist. While having treatment, hardly in a position
to reply, I found myself invited to his home to play duets.
Very soon Jamie Adams who also played duets joined us
so now we were three. Jack Owen joined and Diana
Hankins (Wilton), who later became the first leader of the
Sunday Players. For some time we had been meeting in
Douglas’ dining room to play chamber music. The next
step was to invite enough musicians to play Mozart piano
concertos - a lifelong wish of Douglas’. In 1967 Eric
Sanders was asked if he would be interested to conduct
us. Sadly he died the following year and Roger Smith
and Tony Baines became our conductors. That is how
the Sunday Players happened. In 1968 the original idea
was to take live music across the county where orchestras
were rarely heard.
Douglas’ dining room was now too small so he
built a music room. His wife Mary was such a support
and always welcomed us to their home. We were invited
to play at Barnwood by the vicar, Michael Seacome.
Douglas was rather taken aback by this, as until then we
had been playing together purely for our own enjoyment.
We needed a name and Howard Vincent suggested that
as we played on a Sunday evening we name ourselves the
Sunday Players. This was the start of many concerts
played around Gloucestershire and soon we became part
of the Gloucestershire musical scene. Mark Foster
became conductor in 1970 and in March 1990 the name
was changed to the Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra.
I met my husband Charles who played in the
Phil. He played the clarinet. We played together in the
Sunday Players. I stopped playing when my son was
born and Charles’ work with Smiths Industries took us to
Heidelberg in Germany. No more playing until after
Charles’ death.
We returned to Cheltenham 1991 and I
remember attending the 25th anniversary concert in 1993
in the Pump Room. I couldn’t believe the standard the
orchestra had reached and never expected to be a member
again.
In 2002 having had lessons for a short while, my
teacher Peter Wood who played for the CSO suggested I
should go along with him and give it a try. I was
delighted to play in the orchestra again.
This year is the 45th anniversary of our first
concert. Douglas and the other founder members would
be so thrilled with the dedication of the present players.
Under the baton of David Curtis and everyone who holds
office and supports the orchestra it continues giving
concerts of a high standard and to me great pleasure.
Tewkesbury Abbey and The Centaur feel a long
way from Douglas’ dining room. I am thrilled to have
been a part of this journey.
Hilary Vallance
Mastering a cow horn – Paul Broekman
As Orchestral trumpet parts go the ‘Cow Horn’
in Britten’s Spring Symphony has to be the most unusual
I’ve played, so far at least. Shortly after the instrument’s
delivery (personally to our house by CSO’s very own
purveyor of unusual instruments – Dave Todd) on the
Tuesday evening before the concert, our neighbours were
enthusiastically banging on the adjoining wall!
Neighbourly harmony was dutifully restored the
following day when, after poking his head over the
garden fence and enquiring along the lines of ‘what have
you bought now’ we were able to offer our neighbours
reassurance that this was in fact only a temporary, if
necessary, acquisition.
Two days later and thankfully the Thursday night
rehearsal before the concert was the opportunity for the
orchestra members to come up with their best ‘horn’
jokes as I got to grips with the technique to produce a
consistent and authentic sound from the instrument. This
required as large a mouthpiece as I could beg / borrow –
my thanks to fellow trumpet player Chris for the loan of
his flugel horn mouthpiece which was ideal for the job.
Back to the jokes and my fellow brass players did not
disappoint, declaring my rendition ‘very mooving’!
Britten was obviously very aware of the instrument’s
(and most likely its players’) limitations. A repeated
‘moo’ note is sounded at various points in the last
movement in order to simulate bellowing cows as Britten
conjures up a boisterous Jacobean vision of Merrie
England. Grace notes indicate where the player is to
approach the note from above or below by altering the
tension and position of the lips on the mouthpiece. A
listen to a few YouTube performances had reassured me
that it was perfectly acceptable to ‘split’ the odd note –
indeed
this
is
practically compulsory
when playing any sort
of horn according to
our chairman.
Conspiring
together
I
was
instructed by conductor
and leader alike that I
should, of course, stand
up for this part of the
performance as the
audience would no
doubt like to see as well
as hear the instrument.
Thankfully all went
well on the night after which the instrument was returned
to its long-term owner. A photo was of course recorded
for posterity and archive purposes…
Michael Bridge 1941 – 2014
We are sorry to announce the death of Michael
Bridge who was Principal Clarinet of the orchestra for 40
years. His wife Jane says that Michael was given a
simple system clarinet in C by a relative at the age of 10.
He later bought a fine pair of French Louis clarinets,
appreciating their refined tone. He was inspired by the
playing of Gervais de Peyer and later Emma Johnson. He
and Jane moved to Gloucestershire in 1967 and soon
after, Michael joined the Cheltenham Sunday Players
under the baton of Mark Foster where he continued to
play until illness forced him to retire. He was a founder
member of the Berkeley Wind Quintet with Laura Kane,
Peter Tomlinson and Paul Sawbridge, giving many
performances in and around Gloucestershire.
Janet McKechnie, our present Principal Clarinet
recalls meeting Michael when she began working at
Berkeley Nuclear Laboratories immediately after
graduating. They played duets together and Michael
invited Janet to act as first reserve in the Sunday Players.
Janet recalls with particular enjoyment playing
Tchaikovsky’s 5th Symphony at Llandrindod Wells –
Mark Foster thought the opening unison clarinet solo was
particularly fine and continued to comment on it until his
very last concert. Another vivid memory is Michael’s
performances of the Finzi Clarinet Concerto at
Minchinhampton, Bredon and Guiting Power. He played
it with such energy and brilliance that many people were
converted to a love of Finzi’s music. Janet played in
several orchestras with Michael and although he didn’t
chat much, as they were both physicists they did have a
lot in common. During a concert at St. George’s,
Brandon Hill in Bristol, they had to use all their
persuasive power and the logic of physics to stop some
enthusiastic helpers from pulling a very heavy and
valuable chandelier sideways out of the line of sight of a
performer.
Always professional and with a wonderfully
natural sound and technique, he will be sadly missed.
Forthcoming Concerts
Saturday July 5th Bredon Village Hall
Dag Wiren: Serenade for Strings
Richard Strauss: Suite for wind in Bb Opus 4
Haydn: Symphony No.104 in D
Saturday October 18th Pershore Abbey
In aid of Farmers Overseas Action Group
Copland: Fanfare for the Common Man
John Williams: Star Wars Suite
Holst: The Planets Suite Op. 32
Friday 5th December Cheltenham Town Hall
Brahms: Academic Festival Overture
Elgar: Cello concerto in E Minor Op. 85
Soloist: Laura van der Heijden – BBC Young Musician
of the Year 2012
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 in F Minor Op.36
If you enjoy our concerts, why not persuade your friends
to become Friends?
Editor of Newsletter and Secretary of Friends:
Michael St. John Tel: 01285 651463 Email:
mikestjohn@cotspur60.freeserve.co.uk