We’ll be giving concerts again as soon as we can – join us!
Find out what we’re doing and how you can help the arts through this very difficult time.
What we’ve been up to
Sadly, we had to cancel our March and June 2020 concerts due to coronavirus restictions.
In July 2020 we, along with 190 friends and colleagues, signed an open letter to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, expressing alarm at reports that an extended ban on amateur music making was being considered.
In August, government guidance was finally updated to permit amateur music groups to meet again. We began rehearsing in COVID-secure conditions at St Paul’s Church, Hammersmith at the end of September, after a break of seven months.
That first rehearsal was an emotional evening for many of us. Our guest leader Matt Bain wrote a wonderful article about our return, which was published in The Strad.
We got through a lot of repertoire in those five, socially distanced autumn rehearsals:
Mozart – Haffner Symphony
Mendelssohn – Hebrides Overture
Brahms – Symphony No. 3
Dvořák – Symphony No. 7
Janacek – Suite for Strings
Schubert – Symphony No. 8
Mozart – Magic Flute Overture
The latest restrictions mean we’ll have to wait a while for our first rehearsal of 2021, but we’ll be back as soon we can.
How you can help the arts
Thousands of UK arts organisations, professionals and venues are still struggling due to the financial impact of COVID-19 restrictions.
- If you’re an amateur musician with an income, book some lessons with a professional teacher.
http://musicteachers.co.uk
- Support the #SaveOurVenues campaign by Music Venue Trust to help the hundreds of music venues that are at imminent risk of being closed permanently.
- Donate to Help Musicians to support emerging, professional and retired musicians facing hardship.
- Join the Public Campaign for the Arts in support of our cultural industries.
- Support the Let Music Live campaign for freelancers in the creative industries