September 2008

Dear Music-lover,

Welcome back!

On Wednesday, 17th September, our opening concert of the 2008/9 season was given by Aisling Agnew (flute) and Matthew McAllister (guitar). In many ways, it was a revelation and a testament to the way in which our audience has evolved and how this “evolution” manifests itself to the performers.

To a slightly smaller-than-average audience, Aisling and Matthew took the stage and started with a Bach sonata. The purity of Bach’s composition, the performers’ clean articulation and the sonorous acoustic of the room made us stop rustling, stop breathing and listen.

Each of them introduced – Aisling a little nervously – solo works and the first half ended with a brilliant “Carmen Fantasie”. Perhaps it was their initial nervousness that dissuaded them from taking a curtain call at the interval, despite loud applause.

During the interval, many of the audience completed surveys, which will let us know about your preferences and there was a prize draw for a season ticket, won by Alma Plant.

In the second half, the duo’s works were introduced by Matthew. By now he was quite comfortable and his easy approach was echoed by the audience’s warm appreciation of his words. It was no surprise when the final applause brought them back for an encore – we were entirely won over and, as my neighbour in the audience said, “You must have them back!”

As a postscript, today I have been glancing at the completed survey forms. Of those returned before the concert, most reckoned that Agnew & McAllister were in the lower half of their preferred performers. By the end of the first half, that had changed dramatically, and they were now heading up the chart. Which says much about you, and your willingness to listen.

I hope you’ll be listening again on 14th October, when the Hungarian Auer Quartet comes to us.

See you then.

Paul