30 Years of Great Music
To all Amigos/as
From Helga Hampton
Dear Amigos, April 2, 2021
HAPPY EASTER!!
To me, Easter Week has always been particularly great for listening to the best music in the world in concert halls, churches and, fortunately, also on various radio stations. What a wonderful tradition that is now, during our restricted times, particularly for avid radio listeners like me.
However, broadcast music has certainly not interfered with my “work” for the Amigos – to organise live music again in our lovely, but recently so quiet, venue at Os Agostos. I enthusiastically promised this in my last Newsletter. Would it surprise you to know that there have been changes to the programmes I outlined there?
- Let’s start right after the step-by-step relaxation of lockdown after Easter, with the recitals by Constantin Sandu in Matinee and Evening performances on the following dates:
Tuesday, April 20th and Thursday, April 22nd, 2021
He is bringing a programme of music by Mozart, Beethoven (The Tempest and Waldstein sonatas) and Liszt plus an interesting piece by the Romanian composer Constaninescu.
And SURPRISE SURPRISE here is the first change !!!!The Italian pianist planned for the end of April recitals is detained by quarantine issues and cannot come to us at this time, so……
- I have been lucky to find on this short notice a wonderful Portuguese pianist to step in.
Marta Menezes will come from Lisbon and play for the Amigos de Música for the first time.
Tuesday, April 27th and Thursday, April 29th, 2021
In her varied programmes for Matinee and Evening concerts, this wonderful young lady has included works by Portuguese composers – Marta is an active performer of Portuguese music, having commissioned and premiered several works, a few of which were dedicated to her. She also finished her doctoral thesis on works for Piano and Orchestra by Portuguese composers. She will be playing works by Beethoven, Chopin, Vianna da Motta, Liszt, Artur Santos and Albeniz.
Be surprised and make your reservations as usual.
In the following I shall give you dates and names of planned recitals for the remainder of the 2020/21 membership season which ends in June. Please do NOT make reservations for the following events until further notice.
- The May recitals will bring to us the Georgian pianist, now living and working in Berlin,
Dudana Mazmanishvili. She made her first appearance in the Algarve in November 2017 when she played for us with the violinist Nicolas Koeckert. She is coming alone in May.
Tuesday, May 18th and Thursday, May 20th, 2021
Programme details to follow.
- June starts with another pianist who is making a repeat appearance in the Algarve.
Konstantin Lapshin is confirmed to come from London to play for us on
Tuesday, June 15th and Thursday, June 17th, 2021
He will be the first artist coming from London after the onset of Brexit. And it will be interesting to see and experience how Brexit conditions affect travel for artists working
in Europe!
- This also applies to one of the artists coming to us for the final concert of the 2020/21 season,
Katya Apekisheva, whowill be performing with the violinist Pavel Fischer on
Wednesday, June 23rd and Friday, June 25th, 2021
PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE IN DAYS
Pavel will not be affected by Brexit conditions, as he will be coming from the Czech Republic.
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RESERVATIONS: With this presentation of dates and names I am whetting your appetite, I am sure, but please do not try to make reservations for any concerts other than the April ones for the moment. I am very optimistic that all will go well as we go along, but first I would like to see how smoothly the new post-lockdown routine will run. Let’s be patient together.
ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP: You as members of our “club” will always get priority for seats, as you receive all information a week earlier than the general public. So make your reservations as soon as indicated. Yet, please, allow me to mention in this connection one other membership fact: All active members have gratis access to all planned concerts. AND NOTE: there are 10 more concerts planned before the end of this present membership year! Please make sure that your membership is active. Our treasurer, Michael Savage, pointed out that there are a few renewals outstanding.
Please send your reduced subscriptions (€100 per member) by bank transfer to our account number:
IBAN PT50 0018 0000 4041 0146 00103 – to continue to enjoy your membership benefits.
(Please note that Michael is currently in the UK, so please do not pay by cheque – he can be contacted by email: michael.savage@sapo.pt
NEW MEMBERS: For our new members, who, due to the cancellations of February and March, will be coming to concerts as members for the first time in April, let me please briefly outline once more the way things “work” at Os Agostos in connection with our concerts:
As a consequence of having to follow strict social distancing rules, we are limited to seating no more than 45 – 50 people in our auditorium. Our hosts, in their never-ending generosity, are offering us the additional space in the upper room adjacent to the auditorium, called “celeiro”, where there are seating possibilities for another 10 – 12 people.
We think that concert performances for an audience of ca. 60 people are acceptable, and for economic reasons we offer 2 performances per concert day. That is to say, we shall have a Matinée performance from 11:00 to 12:00, and an evening performance from 19:00 to 20:20 on both concert days. The programme of Matinee and Evening is the same, except slightly abbreviated in the morning.
There is limited catering, to be taken to the seats.
VERY IMPORTANT SAFETY MEASURES: For all safety measures, and reservation procedure, please see here a summary and please help us all to stay open and safe.
SAFETY CONCERNS at our venue: OS AGOSTOS for concerts 2020/21
— Matinees as well as Evening performances —
For Members as well as Guests
We continue to be concerned for everyone`s safety. So in order to comply with hygiene and
distancing regulations, and according to DGS stipulations, the following rules will apply:
Avoid congregating in the parking lot.
Masks will be worn until you are seated as well as during the performances.
There are separate entrance and exit doors for the concert hall.
Drinks and light refreshments are prepared at the entrance for you to collect and take to your seat.
(Empties are removed by the OA staff.)
Seats in the auditorium are adequately spaced and the capacity is considerably reduced.
There will be no interval.
In order to avoid as much mingling as possible our hosts insist that social
distancing rules be observed AT ALL TIMES, including for the use of the Restrooms !
Please avoid queues and stay masked
Concert Programmes will not be available on the night. They will be emailed to all participants
for individual printing out.
RESERVATIONS HAVE TO BE MADE !
To avoid face to face check-in procedure
Bookings must be made by email, stipulating “Matinee” or “Evening”, and all names must be given
Book as soon as possible – but for the April concerts only !!
For guest bookings Cristina will give payment details, either for bank transfer or multibanco.
The guest donation is still EURO 25.00 p.p.
This prepayment avoids the need to check in on the evening
and is to be paid only after Cristina has confirmed your reservation.
Gates at Os Agostos open after 10:00 or 18:00, respectively – please do not come earlier –
Concerts for Matinees begin at 11:00 and Evening performances at 19:00
I look forward to welcoming you again in Os Agostos, albeit still all masked.
Safe Hugs,
Helga Hampton
President
ASSOCIAҪÃO DE AMIGOS DE MUSICA at Os Agostos
E-mail: helga.hampton@gmail.com
www.amigos-de-musica.org