NEWSLETTER – August 2012

Dear Amigos,

Summer is in full swing. It has been a hot August and the beaches, I hear, are full. It seems that a “crisis” is only taking place in the international newspapers. What a wonderful reprieve, however brief, from all the doom-sayers.

I am writing this in the eminently deserved, proud afterglow of Olympic glory London where, I am happy to report, the “Proms” (Promenade Concerts, to the uninitiated) have hardly suffered from lack of attendance this year – up to 5000 audience have packed Albert Hall most nights between mid July and beginning of September, albeit taking second place to the sport fest on the other side of the metropolis for 3 weeks.

Great music galore, and I can imagine that you also were able to partake in one or the other music festival during your summer travels. We in the Algarve will commence our Amigos programme of the 2012/13 season in September in the traditional and popular format, so I invite you to São Lourenço for the following concerts and events:

(please put note of the firm dates in your agendas)

September 2012; Wednesday,5^th and Saturday,8^th, …………..Tim Hugh, cello and Katerina Nazarova, violin and piano**

October 2012; Wednesday,10^th and Saturday,13^th, …….Constantin Sandu, piano

November 2012; Monday 26^th, ………….AGM followed by Ana Beatriz Ferreira piano recital

Christmas/New Year Concerts; Saturday, 29^thDecember 2012 and

Saturday, January, 5th, 2013 ……………….Sunita/Uta/Julian – cello, violin and piano trio

January 2013; Sunday 27^th,

at 11:00 am………….“Barry Shaw Memorial Concert” Matinee, Paul Crossley (members and invited guests only – see below)

February 2013; Wednesday,19^th and Friday, 21st, 2013……..Juho Pohjonen, piano

March 2013 ……………………………………………“A Piacere” trio – dates to be d

efined

April 2013; Wednesday,10^th and Saturday,13^th, ……………………Craig Ogden, guitar

April/May 2013: Tuesday,April 30^th and Friday, May 3^rd,….Javier Perianes, piano

June 2013; Tuesday,11^th and Friday 14^th, ……………………..Steven Vanhauwaert, piano

** Please make your reservations asap via Tel: 289 395475 or by email: mailto:ccsl@iol.pt

I am exited to be able to introduce some new artists  while also bringing back “old” favourites by popular demand. Our “home” at São Lourenço

is now under new gallery management while Marie Huber remains resident in

the private part of the complex. “São Mamede Galeria de Arte” is the established family enterprise of Francisco Pereira Coutinho with galleries in both Lisbon and Oporto and now spreading their wings to the Algarve. They are happy to have us continue our music on the premises as before.

So, welcome to the new Amigo season of 2012/13! Many of you have already renewed their membership, others will do so, no doubt, before the first concerts. As I said, the format remains unchanged: all concerts are free for active members while guests and public pay €25.00 per concert for music, wine and goodies.

Please note: The “Barry Shaw Memorial Concert” is an Amigo-only event, but invitations will go out to special friends and affiliations that Barry was attached to. We hope to make this a fitting occasion.

For any other and more detailed information about the individual artists and concerts, visit our website: http://www.amigos-de-musica.org and with any questions or suggestions, please don’t hesitate sending me an email.

Greetings,

Helga Hampton

President

mailto:helga.hampton@btinternet.com

P.S. For those who may be interested here is the link to the website of the Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon http://www.musica.gulbenkian.pt/. From this site you can download the programme for the 2012/2013 season which includes concerts by Evgeny Kissin, András Schiff and Murray Perahia.