North West Early Music Forum Chairman’s Report 2014/2015
1. The Annual General Meeting of NWEMF in May 2014 resulted in the following committee:
Presidents: Roger Wilkes, David Allen
Vice President: Andrew Mayes
Chair: Mark Flinn
Secretary: Ruth Stock
Treasurer: Martin Steward
Newsletter Editor: John Huthnance
Membership Secretary: Gill Lowden
Members: Elizabeth Dodd, Peter Syrus, Clive Walkley, Bob Foster
2. NWEMF has had another busy year. The following eight workshops and events have run:
May 2014: Scarlatti Stabat Mater: John Hancorn, Didsbury
June 2014: Whyte, Peter Syrus, Chester
September 2014: Gregorian Chant, Philip Duffy, Liverpool
October 2014: Spanish sacred music, Clive Walkley, Natland
November 2014: Music for Advent and Christmas: Roger Wilkes, Knutsford
January 2015: Schein, Peter Syrus, Didsbury
March 2015: English Verse Anthems, Bill Hunt, Knutsford.
Workshops and events have been successful and feedback has been positive. We have run workshops across the region: from Natland in Cumbria to Liverpool and Cheshire, while Didsbury Baptist Church has established itself as a central, friendly and accessible venue. The renovations at Knutsford Parish Church made the acoustics rather problematic. Attendances in general have been good, even for lesser known composers (eg Phinot and Schein). The Committee has sought to run a range of events covering a wide period from the medieval to the baroque, and involving both singers and instrumentalists.
3. Plans are now well under way for future workshops: the website has up-to-date information available between newsletters. We are anticipating workshops with (amongst others) John Hancorn (April), Donald Greig (May), David Allinson (June), Eileen Silcocks (September), Sara Stowe (October) and Martin Westhorp (January/February 2016).
4. The committee has met three times: in May, November and February. We are keen to expand the number and range of workshops and events: please contact committee members if you have any thoughts or suggestions. We will seek to maintain a balance between “popular” events which are likely to recruit good numbers and events for smaller and specialised forces. NWEMF membership totalled 121 in March 2015 compared with 125 in May 2014.
5. I would like to thank all members of the committee for their support this year and for the invaluable work they have done in organising and running events. I am standing down after five years as Chairman and would like to thank members for their support and attendance at a very wide range of events over that period.
Mark Flinn,
Chair, NWEMF
March 2015
