News and Events
Events
7.30pm, Friday 11th April
Stephen Johnson, the popular BBC Radio 3 broadcaster and writer, gave a Talk on "Elgar's Landscapes" following his series of the same title on Radio 4 last year; this was illustrated with musical examples, and Stephen answered questions from the audience.
The evening included a small display of related material, a stall selling design prints and work by our Sculptor, Jemma Pearson, also books. The original artwork for our Poster (view of Mordiford Bridge) by local artist Fiona Field, was auctioned for £32 towards the Sinclair Grave Fund.
The Ballroom, Green Dragon Hotel, Broad Street, Hereford.
Tickets £6 from "The Outback" shop, Church Street, or at the Door.
7.00pm, Saturday 26th April.
Presentation of the Elgar in Hereford Junior Award at the Herefordshire Festival Concert, 7.00pm. start
Courtyard Theatre, Edgar Street, Hereford. Payment on the Door.
7.00pm, Saturday 1st June
Presentation of the 2008 Elgar in Hereford Music Award at the Leominster Festival Concert by Leominster Choral Society with professional Soloists and Orchestra, the Midlands Sinfonia. Programme:-
- Szymanovski "Stabat Mater"
- Vaughan Williams "A Sea Symphony"
The Priory Church, Leominster, Herefordshire.
Tickets £12. (Under 16's Free) Interval Wine/Juice Bar. Tickets are available from the Festival Box Office, Buttercross Arcade, Leominster.
Phone 01568-611190 (10am - 4pm) Includes small Elgar Exhibition.
The 2007 winner of the Music Award is Vernon Thurgood, FRCO, in recognition of his loyal and enthusiastic service to amateur music-making for a period of over 40 years in Leominster. This includes his work with Leominster Choral Society as conductor, and the Priory Church as Organist/Choirmaster, each post for all of those years. He has been responsible for introducing many people of all ages to the joy and satisfaction of performing choral and organ music.
7.30pm, Saturday 5th July.
Special Organ Recital at St. Michael's Tenbury, by Robert Green, FRCO. This is in aid of the Sinclair Grave (Hereford) Restoration Project.
Admission £6 (min., extra Donations welcome!) at the Door
George Robertson Sinclair was the Organist of Hereford Cathedral from 1889 to 1917, including the time that Elgar lived at Plas Gwyn; they were already firm friends, as Enigma Variation no. XI shows. The Grave, in Hereford, is at present in a very poor state of repair.
Important News
As at April 2008, part of Elgar's Hereford home is on the market, i.e. Apartment No. 2, PLAS GWYN, Hampton Park Road. This comprises the Ground Floor rooms including Elgar's Study/Music Room and the verandah. It would be excellent if the new owner was an Elgar enthusiast; tell your musical friends! The Agents concerned are : - Watkins and Thomas, 5 King Street, Hereford, HR4 9BW. Telephone 01432-272280. www.watkinsandthomas.co.uk
The bronze STATUE of Elgar with his bicycle will need to be re-located as part of the Re-ordering Scheme for Hereford Cathedral Close. The plan proposes that the statue will be on a widely-curving corner of the Close at its entrance from St. John's Street, which will mean a move of only 15 metres due East.
This section of the scheme is unlikely to be undertaken for over a year, and is necessary for the re-planting of a tree on the present statue site, to re-instate the original line of trees around the Close.
The Committee of Elgar in Hereford are in full consultation with the Cathedral authorities and Close designers in this matter, also the Sculptor and Foundry, who will be closely involved in the move.
Any comments and observations on this subject from the general public will be most welcome at this stage - contact the Chair: - Philip Baldwin at 01568-613513, e-mail susanjbaldwin@yahoo.com
Dates to be confirmed
Autumn Concert, probably Choral Music
Annual General Meeting, with entertainment