News and Events
Events
7th MARCH to FRIDAY 24th April
Nominations invited for the “Elgar in Hereford” Music Award.Nomination Forms available from The Hereford Times office, Holmer Road.
FRIDAY 6th MARCH at 8 pm
A Special Spring Concert , starring Hereford Cathedral School Chamber Choir, conducted by Neil Moore, with Hannah Bethan Roper (violin/viola). This Family Concert at Hereford’s Holy Trinity Church, Whitecross, has been arranged by the “Elgar in Hereford” Group, and the Programme includes Elgar “As Torrents in Summer”, Chansons de Matin & Soir, Vaughan Williams’ 3 Shakespeare Songs & “Lark Ascending”, songs by Debussy, Ravel, Finzi.The present contingent of singers in HCS Chamber Choir were selected, by audition, from the much larger Chapel Choir, which has over 100 singers, back in September 2008. The choir has enjoyed much success since this practice was put in place in 2006 including winning the first ever “Elgar in Hereford” Young Musicians’ Award at the Herefordshire Festival. One major achievement, however, was to reach the Category Final of BBC Radio 3 Choir of the Year 2008. The choir sings at many engagements throughout the year both in and out of school and has toured Paris in ‘07 and Edinburgh in ‘08.
Hannah has certainly become a well-known young virtuoso violinist, and will be accompanied on the Steinway Grand Piano.
Tickets at £8 (Students & Children £3) are available from “The Outback” shop, Church Street, and on the Door. (Members Tickets are £6).
SATURDAY 21st MARCH, 7 pm
Presentation of the Elgar in Hereford Young Musicians’ Award at the Closing Concert of the Herefordshire Performing Arts Festival (March 15th – 21st).
Courtyard Theatre, Hereford.
SATURDAY 25th APRIL
An “ELGAR JAUNT” in the Spring.This Herefordshire Route re-traces some of the road journeys and locations which Elgar would have explored on his bicycle in the Edwardian era. From the NEWTOWN INN, shown here in its original context as part of the village of “Eagleton” (Eggleton), we will travel via the Teme valley to the focal point of BIRCHWOOD LODGE at 2.30 pm.(by kind permission of Rev. and Mrs.Vockins), for a TALK: “MALVERN and ELGAR’S ROAD to FAME” by Dr John Harcup, O.B.E, Chair of the W. Midlands Branch of the Elgar Society.
Numbers are restricted for this event. Please Phone Wendy Hill on 01531- 634333.
SATURDAY/SUNDAY, 30/31st MAY
The National Elgar Society “Birthday” Weekend.For Details of this and regular West Midlands Branch events, see the WEBSITE: www.elgar.org
SATURDAY 11th JULY
Result and Presentation of the 2009 “Elgar in Hereford” Music Award at “A Hereford Prom” Concert.
Presented by the 2008 Winners, “TARRINGTON BRASS”, also starring Hereford Police Male Choir.
Shirehall, Hereford.
SATURDAY 8th – 15th AUGUST
The Exhibition: “ELGAR – THE HEREFORD YEARS” will be open during the Three Choirs’ Festival, tracing Elgar’s life and Compositions from 1904 to 1911, whilst resident at “Plas Gwyn”, Hereford.
For further details please see the Festival brochure, published in April.
SEPTEMBER (Details to be arranged)
Event at Belmont Abbey, Hereford, which Elgar attended during his life in Hereford.
OCTOBER – Social and Annual meeting (Details to be arranged)
IMPORTANT NEWS
As at March, 2009, 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. http://www.watkinsandthomas.co.uk/
The bronze STATUE of Elgar with his bicycle is to be re-located in 2010, 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