26 Years of Great Music
To all Amigos/as
From Helga Hampton
NEWSLETTER December 1, 2017
Dear Amigos,
Still in the spell of the magic and great success of our November concerts, I thank you all for coming so numerously and for bringing friends and for obviously spreading the good word. Word of mouth advertising is very effective and besides filling our auditorium to the hilt on both of the recent evenings, it also has resulted in bringing new members. Let me take this opportunity to welcome the following new Amigos:
Olga and Keith Inman,
Martina and Thomas Kaiser,
Stefanie Kreutzer,
Jutta Hoehn
Welcome in our midst !
***************
The November concerts with Dudana Mazmanishvili and Nicolas Koeckert, brought new artists, and I can honestly say that they made me VERY proud, indeed. In my striving to introduce new world-class musicians to the Algarve, I really drew a couple of aces. The virtuosity of both became immediately obvious in the devilishly difficult opening: Ravel´s second violin sonata, and continued triumphantly with Saint Saens and Tchaikovsky during the Tuesday concert, ending with Cesar Franck´s only and great Violin Sonata. This lyrical work catches the listener spontaneously with its forward impulse, and the passionate commitment of these players was admirable. I love this work.
The Thursday concert brought, Dudana, the keenly dependable and fine pianist to the fore, literally. In “Carnaval”, the Schumann piano piece she chose, she brought out the extrovert style of this work with command and authority on the one hand and deep poetic feeling on the other, filling our auditorium. She accompanied this with the Liszt Sonata and left us spellbound – she was in her element.
!!!!!! APROPOS Dudana Mazmanisvili, please see below – Amigos de Musica Trip Plans !!!!!!
December concerts with Anne Kaasa and Maria Jose Falcao will be presented as follows:
On Tuesday, December12th, 2017 – it will be a piano solo evening with works by Mozart, Chopin, Ravel and De Falla
Thursday, December 14th – is called “O Violoncello Romantico” when Maria Jose will join
Anne in works by and Schumann, Grieg and Rachmaninov.
All programme details you can get by visiting our website: www.amigos-de-musica.org
And make your reservation as usual: reservasconcertos@gmail.com
Amigo Music Trip Plans:
- Dudana Mazmanishvili, our November pianist, is playing Rachmaninov´s Second Piano Concerto at the new Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg on April 2nd, 2018. She will be playing with the Georgian National Symphony Orchestra. She has offered to assist in getting tickets and I am asking you here whether you are interested in finding your way to Hamburg then. The date is Easter Monday and there are direct flights from Faro to Hamburg by Ryan Air. Larry and I already made our plans, please join us. Let me know if you are interested and I shall send you more details.
- The plans for an organised bus trip to the Music Festival of Marvao for Amigos, which takes place annually, are progressing. It will be between July 24th and 28th next year. Visit their website (http://marvaomusic.com). We have had some of your thoughts about this new project and are encouraged to proceed when the time comes. Amiga Edda Lungershausen will be the expert advisor.
Amigo Concert in February 2018: You may remember that it was decided to add 2 more concerts to your subscription – thereby giving us 18 concerts per annum. The additional month will be February. I am happy to tell you that I was able to successfully invite the Leader of the London Symphony Orchestra, violinist Roman Simovic, to come to us then. He will be playing with his wife, Milena, a viola player of renown. We are thinking of introducing them to the Amigos and at the same time celebrate the new addition to our activities by declaring this event an Almond Blossom / Spring Music Fest with the dates of February 20th and 22nd, 2018. I shall keep you informed about all developments of this idea . Keep the dates – they are fixed.
Amigo Only Dinner with Music: Plans have been confirmed to have a “Dinner for Amigos only” with music during the latter part of the month of May 2018. It will be in a restaurant to be identified and all further details will be given in due course.
Opera / Ballet in Cinemas: You may be interested in the next relay from the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in our local cinemas.
Recognitions: Thanks here once more and ever again to our sponsors, QP Savills, VilaVerde Apartments and Os Agostos – who with their generous support, friendship and underwriting of our activities make our organisation ever so much easier. THANK YOU !
Thanks to all of you who rejoined for the 2018/19 season, and special thanks to the many who
entrusted us with extra donations.
Another, equally heart-felt” Thank You” to the Amigo Exec Committee !! Dear friends, each one of you are precious and so well placed in your special areas: Michael, the Treasurer – Leonor, the secretary – Marie, the special adviser and hostess to artists – John the PR man – Margaret, my right hand and page turner – and not to forget Cristina, the beautiful reception specialist. Where would we be without your assistance???
Go relaxed into a hassle-free festive season and listen to all the wonderful music that fortunately still accompanies us on these special occasions.
Helga Hampton
President
ASSOCIAҪÃO DE AMIGOS DE MUSICA
at Os Agostos
E-mail: helga.hampton@btinternet.com
www: http://www.amigos-de-musica.org