Dear All
We're looking forward to seeing Sinfonia and BSO members this week and to bring in the New Year together!
Please do scroll down the newsletter - there's lots of info this week!
Have a good one!
Ann on behalf of the Committee
Young Composers’ Competition
The deadline is coming up for this - please nudge your GCSE/A Level Music students to get their entry in.
We are so looking forward to working with them and their teachers on this. The three winners will get a chance to work with a panel of experts on their composition and rehearse their pieces with Ian Smith and Bedford Sinfonia. It’s a unique composition competition - we haven’t seen any that offer this range of learning as part of the competition!
Remember the 3 winners will have their pieces played by members of Bedford Sinfonia in their May concert which has a theme of Teenage Composers.
Carolyn Samspon OBE, our soloist, has also said that as long as the part is in her range, she will sing a soprano part! Not often you get that opportunity to have your work sung by an internationally renowned soloist!
For full information: www.bedfordsymphony.com
BSO Information:
Rehearsals: Wednesday 14th Jan at 7.30pm at BGI
Message from Bjorn: Happy New Year everyone!
This week we will rehearse the FIRST and LAST movements of the Brahms and then the SIbelius.
Sinfonia Information:
Sinfonia Section Leaders:
Message from Jane:
Message from Ian:
I am really looking forward to starting our rehearsals on this programme for 24 January. Just a reminder:
13 January Strings
15 January Full Mendelssohn / Price
20 January Full +trombones/bass clarinet Smyth / Beach
22 January Full As necessary
24 January Final rehearsal order:
Mendelssohn / Price / Beach / Smyth
Please get selling tickets too! As Ann says below, it should be an exciting concert. I know a number of you are pleased to be playing works that you have not played before, but as they are unfamiliar to our normal audience it may need a ‘hard sell’ to get a good audience.
We are hoping that more convenient parking has been arranged for the concert day as the streets around All Saints Church can be fairly packed with cars.
See you Tuesday!
Ian
PS from Ann: Good news re parking - the Gurdwara have agreed to let us use their car park, which is 4 minutes walk from the church. I timed it myself!
They are allowing us to use it on condition that there is no smoking, vaping, drinking or eating in the car park. At rehearsals this week, Jane can give you further information.
Message from Jo re Sinfonia finances:
Thank you to all who came along to our Zoom meeting on 16th December to talk through proposals for changes to Sinfonia financing and to those who contributed ideas and suggestions. The Committee aims to finalise its plans for 2026-27 by the end of January/early February, so if you have any additional questions or suggestions for the Committee to consider, please send these to me at [email protected] in the next week or so. I will also come along to the first part of the Sinfonia rehearsal on Tuesday 20th January if you would like to speak to me there.
Many thanks
Jo
Hon Treasurer
Message from Ann for Publicity:
I’m so excited about the Sinfonia concert coming up - we’re pushing our boundaries and bringing fabulous music that many of our members have never played and our audience have probably not heard before! For me, it’s not about celebrating women, it’s about celebrating excellence that hasn’t been discovered, appreciated and nurtured. We’re so lucky to live in an era when we are discovering so many works, written often by people who haven’t been promoted in their lifetime.
Even if you are not playing, do think about coming to listen and experience this powerful programme. Hearing music live for the first time is always a precious event and we want to make this concert truly memorable for all.
It also makes me think of you, our members, and your hidden talents - both musical and other. Let’s see if we can also help each other to bravely come forward and show what is possible.
And as an afterthought, just imagine for a minute that your hidden talent is marketing, do contact me as I have a lovely mission for the right person!
Best wishes
Ann
PS to reply to me: [email protected]
From our Friends:
The annual WaterAid Ball organised by Anglian Water is taking place on 2 May 2026 at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Milton Keynes (at the MK Dons stadium) and they are looking to book a String Quartet to play during the evening as part of the entertainment for the guests.
The Ball organising committee are happy to pay a performance fee to the players - though will need players of at least semi-professional standard as the quartet will be playing in front of around 500-600 guests. Timings to be confirmed but likely to be for a couple of hours during the early part of the evening.
WaterAid work with partners – from local communities to global allies – to reach everyone with clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. Last year's ball helped to raise over £500,000 for WaterAid. The 2026 ball will be a great fundraiser and this performance offers an amazing opportunity to be part of that night.
If you play in a String Quartet and would be interested in performing at this event please contact Susan Bradley ([email protected]) in the first instance who can then pass your details on to the organisers.
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