R S Phil News 2Op
Free by post to Friends of the Phil
The Grand Draw The Friends of the Phil Activities Committee, which was responsible for the organisation of the Grand Draw, has decided to make the following grants from the proceeds of the Draw: £2,000 To sponsor the Society’s Saturday concert on 4 May 1985: Coronation Mass Mozart Symphony No.4 (Romantic) Bruckner Walter Weller, 4 soloists and the Liverpool Philharmonic Choir £1,500 To help sponsor the Orchestra’s tour of Spain in October 1984 £1,500 To help sponsor the Orchestra’s tour of Switzerland in April 1985 £1,500 To contribute to the purchase of a Marimba, an instrument urgently required for the Orchestra’s percussion department £1,500 To help sponsor the Orchestra’s recent recordings with Marek Janowski of the First and Fourth Symphonies of Brahms £500 To initiate a Welfare Fund for members of the Orchestra to be used at the discretion of the musicians themselves
Jonathan Small photo: John Mills
£8,500 The Society is very grateful indeed to the many Friends of the Phil who contributed to the success of the Grand Draw, either by helping to organise it or by buying Draw tickets. The proceeds will be used for special projects which are so important for the reputation of the Society and the Orchestra and whose cost cannot be fully covered by our main subsidies. The concert on 4 May 1985, to be sponsored by the Friends of an international conductor and four soloists, a the Phil, will not pay for itself ç’”’ral work by Mozart and a massive work by Bruckner adds up to a very .ensive promotion, but it is the kind of musical event which links our own Society with other great musical societies throughout the world. The two foreign tours are enormously important for the reputation of the Orchestra. All first class Orchestras tour abroad and it is a necessary part of their work. Tours, however, are not financed out of our regular subsidies and extra money has to be raised to make them, financially viable. The Orchestra’s percussion equipment has to be brought up to date, hence the purchase of a Marimba. Recordings, like foreign tours, do not pay for themselves, and I am delighted that the Friends of the Phil will be associated with our first recordings with Marek Janowski, the First and Fourth Symphonies of Brahms. Finally, it is entirely fitting that the Friends should assist the members of the Orchestra, many of whom spent much time and energy in fundraising for the Draw. The Welfare Fund is intended for those small items which are so important, equipment for the Orchestra’s cricket and football but can easily be forgotten teams, small amenities for the Bandroom and so on. As indicated above, the total amount disbursed from the proceeds of the Draw is £8,500. This leaves a balance of about £3,000 on the Friends of the Phil’s account which is being held for the support of similar projects in the future. The Activities Committee is considering new ways of fundraising. Every additional £1 that can be raised will result in the enhancement of the Orchestra’s reputation in this country and abroad and a richer musical life for all who come to hear the concerts. —
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New principal oboe settles in Jonathan Small, born in London, studied the oboe with Michael Winfield at the Royal College of Music. In 1980 he joined the newly formed Scottish Opera Orchestra as principal oboe, a post which he retained until July 1984, when he left to join the RLPO. While in Scotland he was a founder member of the Glasgow-based Paragon Ensemble, to which he will return in November as a playing director when they undertake a tour of England as part of the Arts Council Contemporary Music Network. His wife, Mary Ann Sherman, is princi pal harp with the Scottish Opera Orches tra. He is now busy settling down in his new home on Bidston Hill.
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Stephen Gray, Director, RLPS
New style Membership Cards You may have noticed that the new style membership cards are smaller than in past years. We have taken into consideration the comments made by some Friends of the Phil asking for the card to be the same size as a credit card so that it can be carried around easily. The calendar which was on the old card has now been incorporated into this new style newsletter.