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Friends of Windsor & Eton Choral Society
Friends support the Society in a way that helps the Society to continue to flourish. By becoming a Friend you will:
· Become more closely associated with one of the oldest independent choirs in the country and its long tradition of excellence
· Help us continue and nourish an excellent choral tradition
· Be kept in touch with the Choir’s plans and activities through our mailing list
Friends receive the following benefits:
· Priority booking facilities
· 20% discount on two tickets for the two concerts promoted by the Choir. Further (full price) tickets may be booked at the same time for all concerts.
· Attendance at final rehearsals
· Individual or Company acknowledgement in programmes of concerts promoted by the Choir
· Yearly brochure and Newsletter
· An invitation to the Choir’s social events to meet the Conductor and Choir members (20% discount on tickets)
Joining the Friends of Windsor & Eton Choral Society could not be easier: simply click here to display the application form, print the page, fill in the details and send it with your subscription; the subscription for individuals is (at least) £25.00 per annum and is due annually on 1st May, (the beginning of the Choir’s season). If you are a taxpayer we would be grateful if you would tick the Gift Aid box so that we can recover tax with no extra cost to yourself. The corporate subscription is £100 per annum.
For more information contact
Robbie Gibbs, phone 07833 603902 or email
Friends of Windsor & Eton Choral Society Recent Activities
A full coach of WECS Friends visited Hammerwood Park, East Grinstead in July. The house was designed by the architect Benjamin Latrobe in 1792 and has been described as a “landmark in both English Greek Revival and American architecture”. Heroically rescued in 1982 by David Pinnegar, a 21 year old from a family of conser-vationists, who had just graduated as a physicist from Imperial College. In a dreadful condition, not helped by previous residence of Led Zeppelin, David and his wife have been supported by individual self-employed craftsmen and volunteers motivated by a restoration philosophy of repair in preference to replacement.
WECS Friends ate picnic lunches in the unspoilt parkland. A tour of the house followed. David Pinnegar’s vision is to make the house a centre of community events, especially for music. A charming Chopin recital by a talented neighbour, Adolfo Barabino, followed in the restored library supplemented by Chopin songs in Polish. The highly individual experience of the visit ended with delicious home-made cakes in the converted squash court surrounded by Greek friezes donated by nearby Charterhouse school.
Click here to see photos of this and other recent WECS events.
What is Being Planned
The Windsor and Eton Choral Society is soon to reach a significant milestone and our Patron , H.M. Queen Elizabeth II, is to celebrate another remarkable landmark. None of us is unaware of the approaching Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and the elements of them which will impact on our ‘home patch’.
These events should stimulate our imaginative juices – How to celebrate them and specifically how should the Friends of WECS celebrate one or all of them? These should surely be times for special celebration and an occasion or occasions which will need considerable thought and planning.
Last season’s tour of, picnic at and recital in Hammerwood House, brilliantly conceived and organised by Rosemary , was a great success and a hard act which she is determined to follow.
Rosemary Ussher, WECS Vice-Chairman, has been fine-tuning the planning of a tour next year of the Handel House Museum where, by arrangement, short instrumental recitals may be given. 2009 will be the 250th anniversary of Handel’s death. The museum is in the building in Brook Street, Mayfair in which Handel lived for the last 36 years of his life.
Robbie Gibbs (The Secretary of The Friends of WECS) has been examining options for the future and wants to create a framework on which to develop a programme of events. He wishes to develop a ‘catalogue’ of those well and lesser-known and visited places and attractions which might be targeted for future outings – and, significantly, those many places which may be opened uniquely for small groups but not for individual visitors. There are individuals of distinction or scholarship who might be approached to give a talk to a gathering of the Friends of WECS.
There are bound to be ideas which have not been considered in the past. Even better, are there those who would be interested in becoming involved in the compilation of such a list and the development of a programme based upon the research?
And as the icing on our cake, if you are not already a Friend of WECS, join us -business, family or individual - and help us gather as many Friends of WECS as the WINDSOR and ETON CHORAL SOCIETY has years since its foundation.
Please send your suggestions or comments to:
Friends of WECS Secretary Robbie
Gibbs -
email
