*/
Bar Musical Society, Middle Temple Hall, November 2016
It has been a fine tradition of the Middle Temple to put on a concert for children towards Christmas every year.
The concerts are not confined to members of the Inn and their guests, and we are very happy to have members of the other Inns and their families. In the past, we have had small ensembles performing music aimed at a young audience and, frankly, small attendances.
Last November, with the valuable collaboration of the Bar Musical Society, we were more ambitious and more successful. We staged performances of Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite and Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf. We had a full orchestra, most members of which were the barrister members of the Bar Musical Society. It is remarkable how many barristers and judges are fine musicians – as witness Lord Dyson’s piano recital on 31 January 2016. The orchestra was ably conducted by Nikolas Clarke and led by Damian Falkowski, the Hon. Secretary and Chairman of the Society respectively. The stories were narrated by Sir Richard Stilgoe, songwriter, lyricist and musician – a great actor who was perfect in his role.
The star piece was, of course, the story of Peter and the Wolf. Each character, young Peter, his old grandfather, the panicky duck, the sly cat, the bird, the hunters and of course the hungry wolf, is represented by a different instrument of the orchestra, which gives each of the players a starring role as well as introducing the audience to the distinctive sounds of each instrument. All ends happily at the end, apart from the wolf, of course, and the poor duck.
The concert set a record: we had no fewer than 197 children in the audience, accompanied by about 170 parents and grandparents, members of all of the Inns of Court. It was a sell-out. As I said when I introduced the orchestra, never in the long and glorious history of Middle Temple Hall have we had the pleasure of the presence of so many children.
The concert was a great success. The children, of all ages, listened attentively. After the concert, many came to view the instruments up close, to touch and to try them. In addition to giving pleasure to so many children and their parents and grandparents, the concert raised over £1,200 for the Orpheus Centre, a charity supported by Richard Stilgoe that provides accommodation and support to young disabled adults. A very worthwhile cause.
I am extraordinarily grateful to the players and other members of the Bar Musical Society for making this concert possible, and in particular to Nikolas Clarke for his organising the event. We are aiming for a repeat next November. I remain ambitious: I would like to have a performance of Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals – with two grand pianos plus the orchestra of the Bar Musical Society. Please put 19 November 2017 in your diaries. Keep an eye out for the booking dates: book early to avoid disappointment, since I am sure the concert will sell out again.
The next concert for the orchestra is Mozart’s Requiem with the St Genesius Choir and Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor K.466 with Varvara Tarasova on 20 July 2017 in Inner Temple Hall.
Reviewer Sir Stanley Burnton is Master of the Music, Middle Temple. www.barmusicalsociety.com
The concerts are not confined to members of the Inn and their guests, and we are very happy to have members of the other Inns and their families. In the past, we have had small ensembles performing music aimed at a young audience and, frankly, small attendances.
Last November, with the valuable collaboration of the Bar Musical Society, we were more ambitious and more successful. We staged performances of Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite and Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf. We had a full orchestra, most members of which were the barrister members of the Bar Musical Society. It is remarkable how many barristers and judges are fine musicians – as witness Lord Dyson’s piano recital on 31 January 2016. The orchestra was ably conducted by Nikolas Clarke and led by Damian Falkowski, the Hon. Secretary and Chairman of the Society respectively. The stories were narrated by Sir Richard Stilgoe, songwriter, lyricist and musician – a great actor who was perfect in his role.
The star piece was, of course, the story of Peter and the Wolf. Each character, young Peter, his old grandfather, the panicky duck, the sly cat, the bird, the hunters and of course the hungry wolf, is represented by a different instrument of the orchestra, which gives each of the players a starring role as well as introducing the audience to the distinctive sounds of each instrument. All ends happily at the end, apart from the wolf, of course, and the poor duck.
The concert set a record: we had no fewer than 197 children in the audience, accompanied by about 170 parents and grandparents, members of all of the Inns of Court. It was a sell-out. As I said when I introduced the orchestra, never in the long and glorious history of Middle Temple Hall have we had the pleasure of the presence of so many children.
The concert was a great success. The children, of all ages, listened attentively. After the concert, many came to view the instruments up close, to touch and to try them. In addition to giving pleasure to so many children and their parents and grandparents, the concert raised over £1,200 for the Orpheus Centre, a charity supported by Richard Stilgoe that provides accommodation and support to young disabled adults. A very worthwhile cause.
I am extraordinarily grateful to the players and other members of the Bar Musical Society for making this concert possible, and in particular to Nikolas Clarke for his organising the event. We are aiming for a repeat next November. I remain ambitious: I would like to have a performance of Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals – with two grand pianos plus the orchestra of the Bar Musical Society. Please put 19 November 2017 in your diaries. Keep an eye out for the booking dates: book early to avoid disappointment, since I am sure the concert will sell out again.
The next concert for the orchestra is Mozart’s Requiem with the St Genesius Choir and Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor K.466 with Varvara Tarasova on 20 July 2017 in Inner Temple Hall.
Reviewer Sir Stanley Burnton is Master of the Music, Middle Temple. www.barmusicalsociety.com
Bar Musical Society, Middle Temple Hall, November 2016
It has been a fine tradition of the Middle Temple to put on a concert for children towards Christmas every year.
In this month’s column, Chair of the Bar Sam Townend KC highlights the many reasons why barristers should pay the Bar Representation Fee and back the Bar Council’s efforts on behalf of the profession
Is now the time to review your financial position, having reached a career milestone? asks Louise Crush
If you were to host a dinner party with 10 guests, and you asked them to explain what financial planning is and how it differs to financial advice, you’d receive 10 different answers. The variety of answers highlights the ongoing need to clarify and promote the value of financial planning.
Leading legal DNA, drug, and alcohol testing provider AlphaBiolabs has made its first Giving Back charity draw of 2024 with Andrew Sibson, a Legal Officer at Leeds City Council, being chosen as its first winner
Discover Lloyd’s unique approach to financial planning and experience working with barristers
Trust Delaunay Wealth to stand by your side amid the uncertainties ahead, writes Lloyd French
Lighting fires that cast unfairness into the shadows, creating history at home and abroad, and being comfortable with who you are – the remarkable criminal and international human rights barrister Kirsty Brimelow KC
Marking International Women's Day, Will Tyler KC interviews two female silks at the helm of two huge specialist Bar associations about their lives and careers – finding a common theme both to their success and the challenges facing their respective Bars
No longer an exclusive boys’ club, but still some way to go. To mark International Women's Day, Millie Rai describes what it’s like being a young female barrister at the Commercial Chancery Bar
If we fail to nurture women’s collective talent, half the population of this country will not be properly represented – from the junior Criminal Bar right up to the senior Judiciary. We cannot let all the hard work be undone, says Tana Adkin KC on International Women's Day
In this month’s column, Chair of the Bar Sam Townend KC highlights the many reasons why barristers should pay the Bar Representation Fee and back the Bar Council’s efforts on behalf of the profession