Update
Dear Patrons and Friends,
Although we have had no success so far in finding a new chairperson to carry the Taunton Sinfonietta into the future, our concert on December 1st was attended by the mayor of Taunton, Vanessa Garside, who is a keen supporter of the arts and music, and was dismayed that the orchestra was facing closure. She has offered to give what help she can to find others who would help us, and explore possible sources of funding. Mayor Vanessa and the committee, including Brenda Prentice, who has been helping us since my announcement of retirement, attended a meeting, so that we could discuss the future. For the time being Brenda has kindly offered to be acting chairperson, and Vanessa as temporary secretary, who will also help to arrange and promote the event described below. If there is a possibility that any of you could help on the committee, it would be good to have enough so that essential tasks can be shared.
Taunton is taking part in WAG - World Art Games in 2025. This international artistic organization seeks to assist artists across the globe. See www.wagames.org for more information. As part of this a celebration is planned for 2025, with events including a musical concert on September 27th in Taunton Minster (St Mary Magdalene Church), time to be confirmed but suggested 6-7pm. The proposal at the meeting yesterday was to hold fire on closing the orchestra and see if sufficient funding can be found to present a programme of music for this event. Our 'usual' February concert date, Sunday 9th at 4pm in Temple Methodist church will be a chamber music concert presented by Divertimento, www.divertimento.uk.com, which we hope you will wish to support. As we have no funds at the time of writing for further dates next year, we cannot promise more at present.
Bearing the above in mind, you may wish to delay stopping the payment of patron and friend subscriptions. I have spoken to Ernest, our treasurer, who is happy to continue in post, and will be able to repay these monies if the worst happens.
Discussion yesterday included the possibility of including regular woodwind and percussion in the orchestra, in order to make the programmes more attractive to a bigger audience. This would be dependent on finding significant additional funding, and a conductor if considered necessary.
Please respond to this mail. We have to arrange an AGM in the early part of next year, which will probably be a strictly business meeting rather than the usual soiree, so that we can benefit from offers of help and suggestions.
Again, many thanks for your valued support over the years,
Robin Carpenter