About
History
It was in 1987 that David and Linda Holmes founded the concerts; these began at the Walpole Old Chapel, then in 1991 moved to Cratfield. The highlight of their 13 years was a cycle of all 15 Shostakovich string quartets, played by the Sorrel Quartet over one weekend in September 1999. The Sorrel returned in 2007 to give the world première of a specially commissioned string quartet by Simon Rowland-Jones, in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Blyth Valley Chamber Music.
Organisation
Blyth Valley Chamber Music – the official name for the organisation responsible for each summer concert series – is a registered charity, no 1019300, governed by a Constitution. It has no paid staff at all, so its activities depend entirely on the energy of volunteers. They staff our Committee, run the Box Office, distribute publicity, collect musicians from the train and make sure there is lunch for them (from Lawson’s Deli in Aldeburgh), number the seats, hire a piano when needed (usually from Andrew and Jill Giller at Raveningham), put the concert signs out on the roads around, welcome concertgoers, organise car parking and so on.
Our partnership with the church at Cratfield is very close: church helpers organise the famous teas in each concert interval, and our concerts also support the church financially. Ticket receipts – our main source of income – are generously supplemented by regular contributions from our Patrons and Members, who in return gain priority booking and an invitation to our AGM each winter. The AGM reviews the season just ended, looks ahead to the next, appoints Committee members for the following year and (when necessary) the Concert Organiser – and then there is a convivial lunch.
Governance
As a result of proposals approved by the 2009 AGM, our 2010 Committee is Jeremy Greenwood (Chair), Roger Plowden (Treasurer), Philip Britton (Concert Organiser) [appointed for the three seasons 2010-2012, succeeding Ken Backhouse OBE], Christine Stephenson, Jack Stephenson and Lorna Turner. Clare Webb was co-opted as a member of the Committee in May 2010. Tom Southern runs the Box Office and mailing list.
We have now adopted the first version of a Data Protection Statement. Click here to download it in PDF format; the file will either open as a new on-screen page or be downloaded to your computer, depending on your own browser settings or preferences.
Show your support
Becoming a Patron or Member is the best way to support our concerts and to ensure our future: click here for the form in PDF format. The file will either open as a new on-screen page or be downloaded to your computer, depending on your own browser settings or preferences.
