The Year

"The Year" was the title of a series of radio programmes broadcast on Radio 3 at the turn of the millennium. There were 100 of them, each covering the music of a single year during the twentieth century, describing significant new pieces of music and setting them in a social and historical context. I recorded quite a few on cassette tapes and still dip into them. I look round in horror to discover that more than ten years have gone by since making those recordings and that cassette tapes are defunct and mp3 downloads, iplayers and Kindles rule.  What will it be like ten years from now?

I've been able to witness a gradual change in the Newent Orchestra over that period of time, particularly in recent years when the membership and concert audiences have grown. The growth in membership has reached a point where a long-standing rehearsal venue at Upleadon has become too small and the orchestra will begin its next season by moving rehearsals to a new venue, the Newent Centre, close to the town's main thoroughfare. The orchestra has played there in years before my time so this is a move that means the orchestra is coming home.

I've always felt that the orchestra should be rehearsing in Newent so that its presence can be more readily felt in the town. It remains to be seen but probable that this change will encourage more local members, who will be able to walk to their rehearsal. The orchestra is playing well and the recent May concert was a success both in terms of musical achievement and in pleasing a full audience. The membership policy has evolved to a point where it seems to be working as it should. There are no formal auditions for new players and the orchestra encourages a wide range of playing abilities. To ensure, however, that a concert standard can be achieved, it is then down to the conductor and leader to decide how to involve players who have developing potential but aren't ready for concert performance. The membership policy also asks for a commitment on the part of all players who, apart from attending rehearsals, are obliged to put in hours of practice, ensuring as high a musical standard as possible. I know that this process of growth and development will continue apace.

Looking back over the last year, I see an orchestra with committed, friendly members, enjoying their music and encouraging others. I see successful concerts, collaborations with other musicians and, uniquely, an orchestra that is in good financial shape. Newent has something to be proud of and will probably become more aware of this over the coming years.

 The society possesses a collection of music scores that is providing the staple repertoire for its performances. This source has proven that its local audience prefers these orchestral cameos rather than the traditional overture/concerto/symphony format. Guest artists have joined with the orchestra in past years and I'd like to see this encouraged in the future together with new music thrown into the mix. It is ideas that are needed to keep the orchestra's presentations fresh and alive, attractive to players and audiences. The whole attitude to repertoire, policy and what the orchestra is seeking to achieve needs to be constantly thought about, encouraged and implemented. To this effect, the orchestra has what I believe to be the most effective committee that I have experienced during my years as a member. That, too, bodes well for the future. The committee responds to members needs and ideas as well as having its own. With this in mind, there is an end-of-year meeting coming up in July, so if you have any comments or suggestions to make about, well, anything really, just pop an email along. The year ahead looks promising...