EMA Initiative

The EMA Committee also took the opportunity to announce at the Soiree its plan to fund a new Early Music Instrumental Section for the 2008 Sydney Performing Arts Challenge. This section will be open to all ages and for players on period instruments as well as modern instruments, as we want to encourage serious players of early music who might then be inspired to purchase their own period instrument. We also hope to provide a harpsichord and piano for continuo accompaniment and interest notable Sydney performers to come on board as judges. If this section attracts entrants and proves popular, we would then consider sponsoring an additional early music vocal section.

Prizes and administration fees for sponsoring this event will be funded in part by the money which was raised last year through our Raffle.

We’ll have more news about this when details are finalized and of course we would encourage all our members and their students to enter so stay tuned!

EMA Players’ Night/Soiree

Our second Players’ Night for the year was held at the home of Michael & Judy Messer on Saturday, May 5.

We had a wonderful turn-out and welcomed some new members and friends of members. The Messer home is a wonderful venue complete with its own mini-elevated stage and we thank them enormously for reconfiguring their home and accommodating all of us.

Aurally we were treated to a great variety of vocal and instrumental items. Kicking off the evening were Michael Messer and Peter Roche playing the Sonata in BFlat Major for two treble recorders by Michel Corrette.

Next we heard Suite in D Minor by Charles Dieupart, played by Michael Messer on recorder, Ruth Kelly on gamba and Diana Weston on harpsichord (above right).

Susan Christie on recorder, Cathy Tabrett on Baroque Cello, Malcolm Lawn on Violin and Diana Weston on harpsichord played J.S. Bach’s Trio Sonata in FMajor.

New member Victoria Watson (below)  sang Dowland’s “Sorrow, sorrow, stay” accompanied by Diana on harpsichord and Anna Clarke, recorder, Cathy Tabrett, gamba and Yan Yan Bowie, harpsichord, completed the entertainment by performing a Trio Sonata by Telemann. (pictured right)

Orally, the evening was also a great success as the supper spread was fantastic and I’m only sorry that I had to dash off to a 40^th birthday party!

Special mention goes to our youngest audience member, Yan Yan’s daughter, Eilidh (above), who behaved impeccably and seemed to lap up the glorious sounds!  -I.M.

*Announcing the 2007 EMA Committee*

At our Annual AGM held on Wednesday, 21st February, nominations were accepted and approved for the following office bearers of the EMA:

President 

Cathy Tabrett

Treasurer

Neville Olliffe

Secretary

Michael Messer

Committee

Inara Molinari, Mark Ahern

Newsletter

Neville Olliffe, Cathy Tabrett, Mark Ahern, Diana Harris

and we take this opportunity to thank our past and present contributors,

Pastor de Lasala, Julius Timmerman, Andrew Byrne, John Gale

Website

Inara Molinari

Library

Wendy Cobcroft

We welcome Mark Ahern as our new Committee member who also entertained us at the AGM with Francois Le Cocq pieces : A set of Variations on the Chaconne and "Folies d'espagne"

Regular attendees Ruth Kelly on Viola da Gamba, David Freeland on harpsichord and Michael Messer on recorder, played Francis Dieupart's Sonata No 2 in A minor