February 11th, 2016

Dear Amigos,

 

NEWSFLASH

 

Not my favourite way of starting a Newsletter to you !

 

I have to inform you that we had to postpone the GALA DINNER, planned for Saturday, March 19^th, 2016, due to the unavailability of Beatriz Ferreira, our sponsoree, once again. She was advised by her Professor at Royal College of Music (RCM) to concentrate exclusively on her final exam preparation scheduled for May 2016 and not to put additional strain on her wrist. The chronic tendonitis is being treated with physiotherapy in conjunction with as reduced a practice schedule as possible. ‘Wrist rest’ is the operative word. The intention of our Young Portuguese Musician Sponsorship programme has always been to help in any way possible – not only financially – the chosen candidate during his/her

studies. Expecting Beatriz to fit in this recital for us under the present, unexpectedly difficult circum-stances, would certainly not be helpful. We have agreed to reschedule this recital later on in the year, when she will have graduated with her RCM Master of Performance degree.

 

****

Without further ado, let me tell you what to expect and firmly include in your agendas. Our regular monthly concert evenings are as follows:

 

February 16 and 18, 2016            Paul Silverthorne, viola, Aglaia Tarantino, piano

March 9 and 10*, 2016                        Constantin Sandu, piano

April 12 and 13*, 2016                        Sa Chen, piano

May 17 and 19, 2016                        Alexander Schimpf, piano

June 21 and 23, 2016                        Daria Tchaikowskaja, piano

 

*   PLEASE NOTE: The starred dates denote the two occasions when our concert evenings fall out of the established norm (Tuesday and Thursday). In March our venue, Os Agostos, requested this alteration, and in April Sa Chen’s active schedule fitted us in on these consecutive days only.

 

The February concerts are upon us and I hope you have made your reservations by now. Our musicians both come from far afield: Aglaia from Rome and Paul from China via the Dominican Republic, where he is playing at a renowned Festival. Their beautifully varied Programme I gave you in my last Newsletter, and we are certainly in for two evenings of rare musical delights.

 

Let me look forward to the March recitals with Maestro Constantin Sandu on Wednesday, March 9^th and Thursday, March 10^th. His programme is absolutely amazing: A Mozart Fantasia, Beethoven’s Pathetique, Chopin’s 3 Waltzes and Beethoven’s Moonlight

on the first evening, and then on the second evening Gershwin’s 3 Preludes, Rachmaninov

2 Etudes and 2 Preludes and finally Beethoven’s Appassionata! Can you top this?????

 

 

 

 

This Maestro of the piano sent me a New Year’s present which I herewith share with you. Please visit these links, but make sure that you loud speakers are on:

 

A musical gift: Rachmaninov in Bucharest

1^st half:                                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlopV4OIpFY

2^nd half:                                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaB7QeF2G0U

*******

The advice to make your reservations for the very special recitals in March as soon as possible is probably a very good one.

We have among us 8 new Amigos this year, so let me repeat, mainly for their sake, that reservations are ALWAYS necessary – Amigo or guest – and the best way is by sending an email to: reservasconcertos@gmail.com And if you find that after having made a reservation, you cannot attend, please advise Cristina of the fact. We are very often short of seats.

I look very much forward to greeting these new members and to introduce them around.

******

Let me make a mention here of our 25^th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION on                                  Thursday, April 28^th at Os Agostos.

All details for this will be given in the March Newsletter. Suffice it to say that a very special evening celebration is planned, so make a note in your agenda of the date.

*****

Thanks to our main sponsors, the real estate company of “Quinta Properties”, whose generous contribution again opens programming opportunities and makes the invitation of duos and perhaps trios a future possibility. THANK YOU, LADIES !

 

And don’t let me remiss in thanking our hosts, Maria and Antonio Farajotta for their

generosity and welcome in their beautiful “Os Agostos”, the very best venue for us.

 

–   Please also note: All our concerts start at 19:00, doors at Os Agostos open at 18:00, and I’d like to advise you not to come earlier as you may be standing in front of locked gates! Drinks are served at 18:30. And, by the way, there really aren’t any “bad” seats in the auditorium, making the scramble for seats unnecessary.

 

Helga Hampton

www.amigos-de-musica.org

P.S.
I was remiss in adding 2 items of importance in my Newsletter that you just received.

First of all I have to give credit where credit is really due and thank ValVerde Apartments
for their unstinting, generous hospitality.  They have provided great accommodation
for many of our musicians over the years, free of charge and with the best service possible.
I thank the owners as well as the kind ladies of the management in the name of all of us.

Then, please take note:  The admin of Os Agostos have asked me to find out who among
our membership made a reservation for one of the Os Agostos guest suites for 2 nights in
May 2016.  The reservation was accepted, but unfortunately without a name. Please let me
or Cristina know.

Thank you for your understanding of my forgetfulness – mea culpa …..

Helga H.