Associação de Amigos de Música
at Os Agostos
October 2015 Newsletter
Dear Amigos,
What did I tell you – our new concert season DID start with a Big Bang!
All the Amigos who were lucky enough to be able to come to Os Agostos for the first concerts of the 2015/16 season, really were in for a great treat. Piers Lane transported us into piano music heaven – well, at least as far as Wigmore or Carnegie Hall – with a most ingenious programme that he also introduced verbally with great humour and insight. What a master of the keyboard! What a stroke of luck that he enjoys coming to us, AND he promised to come again!
I had many glowing comments of appreciation from among the full-house audience, and the Amigos de Musica can really be proud to be living up to their credo: to bring world-class music to the cultural scene of the Algarve.
This time I have to thank Amiga Marie Huber for generously hosting Piers Lane and giving him accommodation. The next two artists are hosted by Amigos Loes and Henk Vooijs with accommodation at ValVerde – thank you very much. This not only helps us financially, it also makes the visit for our artists more personal and Amigo-like.
The good word is spreading and I can report a 90% renewal rate for the new membership year, as well as getting three New Amigos!
Welcome to Renate Greinder and Catherine and Peter Wolters
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I took the opportunity to point out to the audience that with these two concerts we were actually celebrating our 1st Anniversary of Amigos de Musica at Os Agostos. It was in September 2014 that we were able to inaugurate our new “home” after a year of search and deliberation following the closing of Centro Cultural in Sao Lourenco – our “old home”.
And I do not have to tell you that we really were / are very lucky to be installed there now.
It makes me particularly happy that our hosts Maria and Antonio Farajotta have taken to us, too, so this looks like a win/win situation.
Lets look at the next concerts: On October 20th and 22nd, 2015 we have the pleasure of welcoming the Dutch duo of Jeroen de Groot, violin and Bart von de Roer, piano who are bringing us a programme of music by a great selection of composers, incl. the Beethoven “Fruhlingssonate”, the Grieg Sonata No. 2, St Saens Rondo Capricioso and pieces by Kreisler and de Sarasate on the first evening, and Bach’s Chaconne, Brahms’ Sonata op 108, Mozart’s Adagio and more St. Saens on the second evening. Should be good.
Please remember: Concert begin is at 19:00 – doors open at 18:00, make your reservations soon at reservasconcertos@gmail.com
Further for your diaries the dates for the coming concerts of 2015/16. Note the new dates in March and April 2016.
AMIGOS DE MUSICA AT “OS AGOSTOS”
CONCERTS PLANNED FOR 2015/16
2015
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
For opera and ballet friends among the Amigos, Amiga Alison Gibbs asked me to let you know that here in the Algarve these relays into local cinemas from the big houses in the world are being shown in the NOS cinema in Tavira. This cinema is in the east of Tavira, off the 125 in the Continent shopping centre. Here the programme for 2015:
“Giselle” on Sunday 11th October from the Bolshoi
“The Barber of Seville” on Monday 19th October at 19.30 from ENO, London
“Jewels” on Wednesday 11 th November from the Bolshoi
“The Lady of the Camellias” on Sunday 6th December from the Bolshoi
“Cavaleria Rusticana /Pagliacci” on Thursday 10th December at 19.15 from ROH
“The Nutcracker” on Sunday 20th December from the Bolshoi
Enjoy a beautiful autumn. See you soon in Os Agostos for the October concerts.
Helga Hampton