29 Years of Great Music
From Helga Hampton
Dear Amigos, June 14, 2020
Still in compliance with government guidelines, albeit with more and more relaxed restrictions, the last two of our planned concerts also had to be cancelled. Our pianist Konstantin Lapshin was waiting and hoping to the last moment to hear that the Amigos de Musica will bring him to the Algarve again for two wonderful recitals on June 16th and 18th, 2020. Alas, it was not to be. So we are going into the summer break without the chance of seeing each other once more in Os Agostos and enjoying some more of our coveted “Hausmusik”.
Let me also mention here that our hopes for the planned “Amigo Extra” at Teatro Lethes in late June featuring our sponsoree, Tiago Rosario, are dashed – the Teatro will not be open until further notice.
Resumption of regular concerts remains my ardent hope and not least because our musicians are all more than anxious to play to live audiences again, and, to start making some money ….. Yet, everything is “stuck” in this by now very boring wait-and-see mode and all planning initiatives are stymied.
In my last Newsletter I said that all membership matters, too, will have to wait until we have agency again, so that the Committee can take a decision regarding subscriptions. I also said: “The June Newsletter might take us a few steps further”. Well, indeed, the Committee met yesterday by Zoom and I am in a position to give you here the decision in the words of our Treasurer, Michael Savage:
“In view of the cancellation of the last four concerts of the current year, and the uncertain situation regarding when we can actually restart, your committee has decided to defer inviting renewal of subscriptions for 2020/2021, and to instead extend the validity of your current subscriptions until at least the end of 2020. Once concerts have recommenced we will review the situation and then invite renewal at an appropriately reduced rate for the balance of the 2020/2021 season.”
I wish all of us a summer in this neo-normal (!) world, as safe as possible to which we all will have to contribute, hopefully without leaving out our cherished pastimes and pursuits. Enjoy much “canned” music and other cultural presentations – isn’t it ultimately the arts that are helping us to get through these extraordinary times?
I`d like to leave you in a positive mood at this sad finale of our present Amigo season, with the truism:
Music will prevail in all this.
And so I add the promise to do everything I can, that we Amigos de Musica, in our endeavour to bring live chamber music to the Algarve, will shine again. The start of the 2020/21 will be a double pleasure, as we will also be celebrating
our 30th Anniversary !!!!
Stay safe, stay sound and stay at home as much as possible, especially as more and more potential dangers lurk out there with more and more tourists invading our relatively safe haven.
Hugs, par distance
Helga Hampton
President
ASSOCIAҪÃO DE AMIGOS
DE MUSICA at Os Agostos
E-mail: helga.hampton@gmail.com
www: http://www.amigos-de-musica.org