Looking back on our AGM Day 2020
It’s a week since our AGM Day 2020 and we’re still on a high! It was a day of beautiful music, inspiring advice and online community - read our recap below
Aldo Baerten kicked off the day with Telemann's 3rd Fantasy in D Minor, gracing us with a couple of beautiful performances before giving us a mini-masterclass on the techniques he’s using during lockdown to keep his playing top notch - working on resonance, flexibility and exploring tone colour through exercises like quarter tones and diminuendo octaves. We then had a Q&A where he answered audience questions, ranging from technical issues like embouchure and vibrato to coping as a musician during this unprecedented era of covid.
Next, we welcomed Peter Verhoyen live from Bruges, where he played a beautiful mini-concert with the help of his children - reimagining the 2nd movement of Sonatina for Oboe and Piano by Joseph Ryelandt on piccolo with Pieter-Jan Verhoyen on piano, and playing some glorious Bartok with Ann-Sofie Verhoyen on harp.
Peter then gave us a primer on piccolo-playing, with the help of the children’s book he’s written (with illustrations, pictured, by Ann-Sofie, and seeking a publisher - watch this space!). He also talked us through his collection of piccolos and their different designs and sounds, before answering audience questions in our Q&A session.
We then had a surprise mini-Q&A with Alena Walentin, our former Vice-Chair who formally stepped down at the AGM, chatting with incoming Vice-Chair Julie Twite about the people, lessons and experiences that have inspired her, and her favourite memories from her time on the BFS Council. Alena, thank you so much for everything you’ve done for the BFS - we will miss you a lot!
The came the AGM session, led by Chair Lisa Nelsen, with approval of the 2019 AGM minutes and appointing Julie Twite as Vice-Chair and new and returning council members (congratulations all!). Outgoing Treasurer Julie Butler then gave the Treasurer’s report and accounts, followed by the Chair’s report from Lisa Nelsen, and reports on BFS areas of activity such as the website and social media given by Secretary Rachel Shirley and Julie Twite. The Council then discussed future projects and any other business. Special thanks went to Julie Butler for all her dedicated work as Treasurer and on the website, without which the project couldn’t have happened.
The afternoon session then began with a set of beautiful performances by 2020 Competitions winners. Isaac Skey played us Andersen’s Study in G# Minor, Telemann’s Fantasie No 11 and Toan-Yan, la Fête du Double Cinq by Pierre-Octave Ferroud; Daniel Pengelly Perilhou’s Ballade and Zoom Tube by Ian Clarke; and Stefan Cunningham Sonatine by Milhaud.
This was followed by the teachers’ session, which was full of illuminating information and guidance, with presentations on returning to teaching post-lockdown from Claire Holdich, Daniel Thompson, Fay Hayhurst, Gillian Watt, Sandy Hay and Liz Wrighton; and a discussion with Kathryn Williams, Co-Author of the ISM Global Literature Review: Music Performance, Education and COVID 19, led by Liz Wrighton.
Holding the event online was new territory for the BFS, and we’re delighted that the day went so well. Thank you to all the guests and performers, who brought so much energy, enthusiasm and talent to the day, to all the Council for their work on making it happen, and to everyone who attended the sessions - it was wonderful to see and chat with you all. ‘Til next year!
The AGM was kindly sponsored by Forton Music and ALRY Publications:
Forton Music have been publishing wind music for over ten years now. Our flute catalogue is extensive and caters for just about every combination of flutes. Our latest release is now live on our website, featuring a new flute sonata by Yuri Povolotsky, and an album of flute and piano pieces commissioned for a 50th birthday celebration.
'With a catalogue of more than 2000 titles, ALRY Publications has a wide variety of repertoire, ensembles and educational materials, aimed at all levels. Our music is played around the world, whether it be students performing in a solo and ensemble competition, or an adult amateur concert series. Simply put, we have something for everybody, and we encourage everybody to "play something new"!'