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LETTERS Fax
Varietyis the
spice of
~ life for Philharmonic
Sir, I have followed the
correspondence concerning
the
Guildford
Philharmonic with considerable interest.
Two themes emerge:
firstly
that
the
programme contains too
many popular and too
few challenging works,
and secondly, that the
Philharmonic Choir is
only performing one concert
with
the
Philharmonic Orchestra
in the 1998-1999 season.
As far as the programming is concerned, our
intention is to offer to the
Guildford public as wide
' ranging a choice of classical music as possible
within the scope of 14
concerts,
which
in
1998/1999 range from
medieval music to a contemporary
percussion
ensemble.
While appreciating the
needs of “the more experienced concert-goer,” the
future of musical life in
Guildford
depends
on
kindling an interest in
classical music in all its
forms, often in people
who have never been to a
classical concert before.
The
Guildford
Philharmonic’s general
manager was brought in
(having worked on the
BBC Proms for nine
years) to increase audiences and broaden repertoire against a background
of budgetary
constraints, and these
objectives have certainly
been met during the past
season.
The previous format
of 12 large scale orchestral concerts in two
venues was not being
supported by sufficient
numbers of people to justify its continuance.
However,
audiences
last season averaged 92%,
and the total audience
for the season was at
least 60% higher than the
previous one. We are
confident
that
the
1998/1999 season provides the variety
to
attract similar audiences.
As far as choirs during
the season are concerned,
varying skills and different sizes of choirs are
being used, depending on
the repertoire. In the case
of Bach’s B Minor Mass,
for example, it is interesting to note that the composer wrote the work for
_ small forces.
This season, school
choirs, chamber choirs,
the
Tallis
Scholars
(whose
concert
in
February is already sold
out), the Cathedral Choir
and the Philharmonic
Choir are all being used,
and as the chairman of
the Philharmonic Choir
said in these columns
recently (September 4),
his choir is “singing even
more than usual” during
its own very busy forthcoming season.
It is perhaps worth
adding that the excellent
Guildford Philharmonic
season
is only one, very
significant, strand of the
council’s
support
of
music.
Grants are given to
local music organisations
including the Guildford
Symphony - Orchestra,
Guildford
Opera
Company,
Guildford
Choral Society and the
Classical Road Show.
Popular music including military bands and
easy listening concerts
are booked by Guildford
Civic, a folk and blues
programme takes place at
the Electric Theatre and
the council financially
supports the Guildford
Folk and Blues Festival
in
Stoke
Park
each
August.
The borough is fortunate to contain such a
breadth of music and I
am pleased that
the
council offers its support
to so much of it.
_
JIM MILES
(Director of Leisure
Services, Guildford
Borough Council)
Millmead House,
Millmead,
Guildford.
Don’t
squeeze
choir out
Sir, I fully support the letters from your correspon7 dents
Barry
Hill
(September 25) and Bob
Brougham
(September
18).
Indeed, one wonders if
it is the policy to squeeze
the Philharmonic Choir
out of existence!
It would seem that the
annual carol concert in
the Civic Hall is to take
place this year on Sunday,
December 20, whereas
prior to 1997 it had been
held, for many years, in
early December.
The
Sunday
before
Christmas has become the
day upon which many
churches hold a carol service; many of us will thus
be unable to attend the
Civic Hall concert again
this year, no doubt to the
deep regret of choir members, audience and worshippers respectively.
It is very regrettable
that we should be placed
in this position.
JOHN FINCH
Fairview,
91 Farnham Road,
Guildford.