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Welcome back to Simon

Put these dates in your diary NOW: 2011-12 concert schedule

STRAUSSOv: Die Fledermaus

WEBERClarinet Concerto No 2in E flat major, Op 74Soloist: OLIVER JANES

TCHAIKOVSKYSymphony No 2 in C minor,Op 17 ‘Little Russian’

Venue: Alderley Edge Methodist Churchat 7.30 pm

WORKSHOP

MAHLERSymphony No 4 in G

Venue: Honford Hall9.30 am to 5.00 pm

Saturday, 26th November 2011 Saturday, 3rd December 2011 Saturday, 3rd March 2012

SMETANAVltava (Ma Vlast)

DVORAKRomance F Minor, Op. 11Soloist: SHAHLA ARMITAGE

BRAHMSSymphony No 3 F major, Op. 90

Venue: Alderley Edge Methodist Churchat 7.30 pm

Saturday, 5th May 2012

TCHAIKOVSKYOv: Romeo and Juliet

TCHAIKOVSKYPiano Concerto No 1 B flat minor,

Op. 23Soloist: JASON HAWKINS

DVORAKSymphonic Variations, Op 78

Venue: Alderley Edge Methodist Churchat 7.30 pm

with a FirstClass Performer’sDiploma and anARCM in 1985.Around 1990, while

happily performing andteaching, his career tookanother course when he was

asked to play an Andrew LloydWebber musical. Within a fewmonths he had become AssistantMusical Director of ‘Aspects of

JUST a year ago, wewelcomed pianist SIMONCONNING to join us in

performances of the BeethovenChoral Fantasia and the LitolffScherzo. He was such a hit withthe audience and the orchestrathat we immediately signed himup to make a repeat visit at ournext concert on Saturday, 7thMay 2011.Simon has good local

credentials. In 1975, an article inthe Macclesfield Expressproclaimed: ‘Three Cups ForSimon!’ This followed a rathersuccessful day at the AssemblyRooms in Alderley when SimonConning triumphed in the threeclasses in that year’s MusicFestival.At that time, Simon was

attending King’s School andstudying piano with Marjorie Kellyin Bond Street, Macclesfield. Thiscollaboration proved fruitful as hewas awarded a much-sought-afterplace in the Junior Department ofthe Royal Northern College ofMusic in Manchester, continuinghis studies with Marjorie Clementi

(descendantof thecomposer)the followingyear.In 1979

Simon’s familyrelocated south andhe continued his studies at theRoyal College of Music in Londonwith Yu Chun Yee, winning ascholarship to the seniordepartment. Many prizes andperformances later, he emerged

Love’. Since then, in anutshell, he has worked onnumerous productions athome and abroad and withsuch diverse performers asAnthony Newley, WayneSleep, Sacha Distel, PeteTownsend, Lily Savage,Lesley Joseph, Ben Elton,Brian May … to continuewould be like a who’s-who.However, itchy feet (and

fingers) have urged himback to the concert platformin recent years “I amdelighted to be invited backto Alderley,” says Simon.“The mighty Brahmsconcerto is a wonderfulchallenge for any pianist.”

Our 2011-2012 SeasonAgain, we were inundated with

suggestions for next season’sconcerts and would like to thankyou all for your ideas. Inevitablywe cannot please you all, butwe’ve done our best and the fullschedule for 2011-12 is given onthe previous page.

Some highlightsWe’re delighted to welcome

back Oliver Janes, who soimpressed the audience - and theorchestra - when he joined us forWeber’s First Clarinet Concerto atLymm last year. In November, he’llbe playing Weber’s Secondconcerto.Last September, Oliver took up

his place at the Royal Academy ofMusic in London, where he studiesunder Mark van de Wiel, PrincipalClarinet of the PhilharmoniaOrchestra and the LondonSinfonietta. He was awardedsecond place in the HaroldCraxton Award competition andCommended in the BuffetCrampon Prize. Oliver is jointprincipal clarinet of the Universityof London Symphony Orchestra.Also on the programme will be

Tchaikovsky’s ‘Little Russian’

Symphony No 2, last performedby the orchestra in 2006.Next March, we are pleased that

our own Shahla Armitage will besoloist in a performance of theDvorak F minor Romance.Shahla was a professional

violinist in the Iraqi NationalSymphony Orchestra from 1985 to1994, then moving to Jordanwhere she played in the NationalConservatoire Orchestra (now theAmman National SymphonyOrchestra) until 1997.On moving to this country, she

has set up her own music schoolwith some 30 students, and she is

also a peripatetic teacher.She leads the ChordialeQuartet and recentlyjoined the EllesmereQuartet.Shahla is a Licentiate of

Trinity College, London.Also in the March

concert, we’ll be playingBrahms’ Third Symphony,requested by a number ofmembers of the orchestra.In May, we’ll be giving

out first-ever performanceof Tchaikovsky’s FirstPiano Concerto, in whichthe soloist will be JasonHawkins who is currentlystudying at the RoyalNorthern College of Musicin Manchester. Jason is apopular young musician

who is bursting out onto thenational and international scenewith engagements throughout theUK and Europe.Jason has recently performed in

Ireland, Paris, Poland, Rotterdamand extensively throughout theUK. He graduated from Chetham’sSchool of Music with the MichaelAbraham Piano Prize and iscontinuing his piano and organstudies at the RNCM.During summer 2009 Jason

performed Chopin’s PianoConcerto No 2 alongside theToruńska Orkiestra Symfoniczna inPoland to great audience and crit-

Oliver Janes

Jason Hawkins

the resident organist and musicaldirector of St John’s TheEvangelist in Ashton-Under-Lyne.Jason also has worked as a

voluntary musical director andpianist for a Lancashire based the-atre group as well as raisingmoney for numerous charitiesincluding Macmillan Cancer Care,Friends of Chernobyl Childrenand The Booth Homeless Centre.

Jason is in frequent demandas an accompanist and is also arespected piano and music theoryteacher with students havingmany successes in exams andmusic festivals.Our Workshop this year, on

3rd December, will be at HonfordHall and will feature Mahler’sfourth Symphony, another worksuggested by a number of mem-bers. We’ll be announcing thename of the soprano soloistshortly.

Player newsHelen Chandler-OduahIt’s a case of ‘hello’ and ‘see

you again soon’ to violinist Helenwho recently joined the orchestra.Sister of cellist Rachel, Helen

grew up in South Yorkshire butleft there at 18 when she went toUniversity. She’s been playing theviolin for the past 25 years and,

until University, studiedwith Jean Fletcher.Helen studied music

performance at HullUniversity and there sheled the UniversityOrchestra for two years.She is now a primaryschool teacher, teachingin Oldham.Musically she has very

varied tastes, fromRomantic to Hip Hop(!)but says that herfavourite classical era isdefinitely Baroque as‘it's so lovely to play.’Helen has taught in

several differentcountries, includingThailand (where she mether husband Harry) andNigeria (where he’s

‘Thank you’ again to everyone inthe orchestra who has done his orher bit during the past year toensure that our rehearsals andconcerts go off so smoothly.

In particular, our thanks to Helenand Anne for locking andunlocking each week, and toLouise for her great efforts asLibrarian which have produced allthe music on time and at minimumcost.

Also, we thank Rachel for takingover as ticket executive.

Joanne, Barbara and Nicoledeserve our thanks for keeping ushappy with tea and biscuits, as doWendy and Nicole for lookingafter concert refreshments.

Talking of which, does anyoneknow a non-playing friend orrelative who would take on theconcert refreshments? We reallycould do with a couple of non-players. If not I'm afraid I shall benominating ‘volunteers’ ((and itwon’t necessarily be ladyvolunteers)!

Finally, my personal thanks to allthe committee for theirenthusiasm and support duringthe past year.

Jan King

THANK YOU!

Here’s a special offer from theBridgewater Hall to members ofthe Alderley Edge Orchestra -tickets at 40% off the normalprice!

It applies if you attend BOTH ofthese fabulous forthcomingconcerts:Monday 11 April 7.30 pm

Philharmonia OrchestraLorin Maazel conductorMichelle de Young mezzo-sopranoMAHLER Lieder eines fahrendenGesellen – Songs of a WayfarerMAHLER Symphony No.1 in D

Wednesday 4 May 7.30 pmBolshoi Symphony OrchestraAlexander Lazarev conductorPrincipals from the Bolshoi OperaTCHAIKOVSKY Excerpts fromEugene Onegin: (Polonaise,Tatiana’s Letter Scene, Onegin’sAria from Act I, Scene 3 andFinal Duet)TCHAIKOVSKY (arr. Stravinsky)Suite from The Nutcracker

To book your tickets, simply callthe Box Office on 0161 907 9000and quote ‘orchestra member’offer.

OFFER OF THE MONTH

ical acclaim. During thistime the Polish radio sta-tion PiK also interviewedhim. Throughout hiscareer Jason has woncountless prizes for hisvibrant performances andwas broadcast on theBBC Radio 3 BreakfastShow in 2008. In 2006Jason achieved one of thehighest marks in the UKfor his DipABRSMPerformance Diploma aswell as being a finalist inthe Ryszard Bakst ChopinPrize in Manchester.Complementing his

other achievements Jasonwas recently appointedassistant organist at BuryParish Church (UK) and is Helen Chandler-Oduah

from). They are expecting theirfirst baby in May.We assume that Helen has

already checked out the sex ofthe new arrival as she tells us:“No doubt she will follow in themusical footsteps when she's bigenough to hold a bow!”We pass on our best wishes to

Helen and Harry, and lookforward one day to welcomingtheir new daughter to TheAlderley Edge Orchestra.

Amy GaterAnother new arrival is violinist

Amy Gater who moved to thearea last December. She’s beenplaying the violin for 24 years

and, like Helen, especially enjoysplaying Baroque music. Shepassed her Grade 8 AssociatedBoard exam in 1997, and in thesame year she passed her MusicA Level with a grade B.Before joining the orchestra,

she was a member of the NorthStaffordshire Symphony Orchestrafor 10 years. She began in thesecond violins and about fiveyears ago moved into the theFirsts. she is also a member of theStaffordshire Chamber Orchestrawhich she joined in 2003.Amy is a Primary School

Teacher and since the age of 10knew that this is what she wantedto be when she grew up. She

Amy Gater

John GoodbornOne of the most useful websites

for anyone keen on the classicsmust surely be the BBC’s‘Discovering Music’ pages.

For many years, ‘DiscoveringMusic’ on Radio 3 has exploredpieces of music in detail, oftenwith specially recorded sequencesexplaining the aspects of a workthat may be less than obvious tothe casual listener.

Many past editions of‘Discovering Music’ are availableto listen to, and you’ll find the fullA to Z index onhttp://tinyurl.com/4t23lbm.

And if you are wondering, itincludes a fascinating analysis ofBrahms’ Second Piano Concerto.Did you realise how much thehumble semitone dominates thiswork? Don’t miss it!

TIP OF THE MONTH

worked in Stoke-on-Trent until herrecent move and now works indifferent primary schools in thelocal areas.“Thank you for making me feel

very welcome” says Amy.

John GoodbornAlso swelling the ranks of the

violins is John Goodborn, a makerand restorer who trades as TheBridge Fiddle Violin Shop in therestoration and sale ofinstruments of the violin family.He says that he spent most of

his life hiding behind a doublebass, but finally decided to takeup a ‘musical’ instrument. Hetried a number of instrumentsbefore deciding on the violin as itis tuned the same as a doublebass!For relaxation, he likes to take

long walks in the country, thinkingnothing of a 20 to 30 mile outingin a day.His wife, Sylvia, is principal

cello in KEMS Orchestra,Macclesfield. Together, theyrenovated their Chapel-en-le-Frith house from a ruin acting ascarpenters, plasterers,stonemasons, electricians,plumbers and painters. �