To all Amigos/as
From Helga Hampton
September 12th, 2015
Dear Amigos,
Welcome to the new Amigo concert season of 2015/16 which will begin with two recitals by the great pianist, Piers Lane, who is coming to us for the third time now. We can feel very privileged, as he is in great demand internationally as a soloist and collaborative artist.
His programme on Tuesday, September 29th includes a Mozart Sonata, Beethoven’s Appassionata and 4 Chopin Scherzi. On Thursday, October 1st we shall be treated to Bach, Brahms, Schubert and more Chopin.
Please make your reservations: reservasconcertos@gmail.com and don’t forget:
concert start is 19:00
*******
This is also the beginning of the new membership year, so we started with the AGM on Thursday, September 3rd at Os Agostos. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Amigos who were able to come and participate in this business meeting. We were made welcome with drinks by our hosts, Maria and Antonio Farajotta. The Sao Lourenco Singers provided musical entertainment with a well-chosen medley of popular and new tunes.
All the business points, as they appear on the AGM Agenda, were covered during this meeting, and the following points were voted on and approved:
Point 5: Treasurer Report –“significantly less reserves are carried over into the new season’’
Point 6: Fiscal Council Report – “balance sheet and budget found to be drawn up correctly”
Point 7: Increase in membership fees** as of the next membership year was found to be necessary and adequate and was thus accepted.
In my verbal President Report, Point 4, I was able to confirm the roster of artists for the 16 concerts of the 2016/17 membership year (see copy below) which shows a predominance of solo pianist events, albeit with eminent masters of this instrument. I made my feelings known about a need of greater variety in programming, i.e. more duos or even a trio from time to time, which presently exceeds our financial means. Bringing/flying international artists to the Algarve, accommodating and offering them adequate hospitality is done according to budgetary possibilities. Your subscriptions are our budget and while these have stayed unchanged for the last 10 years, prices (mainly flight costs) have increased tremendously. Fortunately, a commercial sponsorship, your extra donations and generous free accommodation offers from time to time as well as gracious personal hosting of artists have been welcome supplements. I took the opportunity to thank Quinta Properties, Loes and Henk Voijs, Helen Hancke and John Perera, and Pru and John Levitt for entertaining artists from time to time with dinner; they, as well as members of the Exec Comm, have derived much pleasure from personal contact with these extraordinary people. I invite you to take advantage of the unique opportunity to sometimes meet our artists on a personal level.
We do, however, see ourselves challenged financially as additional and incidental expenses have to be met, like the maintenance of our piano, copyright protection charges levied by SPA on music by contemporary composers, etc. and it is for this reason that we, reluctantly, sought an increase in subscriptions** from €150 p.p.a to €200 for the 2016/17 year.
So much for the AGM report for those who were not able to attend.
Renewals of membership have been coming in well and I thank you for your trust and friendship. If you still have not sent in your subscription, let this be a little reminder – you can, of course, bring a cheque to the first concert and hand it to Michael Savage. (This year it still is €150 p.p.)
For your agendas:
We have had to make small changes to the concert dates: Please note:
Constantin Sandu will play on Wednesday, March 9th and Thursday, March 10th, 2016
- our auditorium will not be available on the original date –
Sa Chen has to give us her two concerts on Tuesday, April 12th and Wednesday, April 13th
- she will be playing in Milano on April 15th and has to get there in time –
AMIGOS DE MUSICA AT “OS AGOSTOS”
CONCERTS PLANNED FOR 2015/16
2015
Sept. 29 and Oct. 1 Piers Lane, piano
October 20 and 22 Jeroen de Groot, violin, Bart v.d. Roer, piano
November 17 and 19 Katya Apekisheva, piano
2016
February 16 and 18 Paul Silverthorne, viola, Aglaia Tarantino, piano
March 9* and 10 Constantin Sandu, piano
April 12 and 13* Sa Chen, piano
May 17 and 19 Alexander Schimpf, piano
June 21 and 23 Daria Tchaikowskaja, piano
* Please note the altered days
I look forward to greeting and welcoming you at Os Agostos for the Piers Lane concerts.
Please make your reservations in time at reservasconcertos@gmail.com.
PLEASE NOTE: All concerts will start at 19:00, which means that gates open at 18:00.
Enjoy the rest of the summer,
Helga Hampton