Robert Trory

[admin]

I have just received this:

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Robert Trory on Friday 9 August. Robert, who was the inspiration behind the Sydenham International Music Festival and our Musical Director for more than ten years, died peacefully at home after bravely fighting his illness since early last year.

Robert’s funeral will be at 11:00 on Tuesday 20 August and will be held at the church of Our Lady and St Philip Neri in Sydenham.

From the Trustees of Sydenham Music with sympathy to Nina and all of Robert’s Family


I would like to add my own thanks to Robert for the wonderful musical events he brought to Sydenham.
For those wishing to know more about Robert: http://roberttrory.com/

Admin

[Robin Orton]

Hear hear. Very sad news. He made a memorable contribution to the cultural life of Sydenham, which is much missed. RIP.

[Nigel]

Very sad news . Robert was a hugely talented man who made a great contribution to musical life and if course to Sydenham . A great loss to music .

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Tim Lund]

Indeed. His work here was a reason to be proud of living in Sydenham.

[safdirector]

On behalf of everyone at Sydenham Arts Festival, I'd like to offer my condolences to Robert's family. His work with the Sydenham International Music Festival was extraordinary, and an inspiration to us. He will be much missed.

Jonathan Kaufman
Festival Director
Sydenham Arts Festival

[admin]

Good news for those that wish to remember and celebrate Robert. Sydenham Music is back from the dead and organised a memorial concert. Details here: http://sydenham.org.uk/robert-trory-memorial-concert/

Admin

[Robin Orton]

'St Neri Church' might confuse people. It's actually 'St Philip Neri' - or, in full, 'Our Lady and St Philip Neri.'

[admin]

Robin,

Corrected. Would you like to become our Music + Faith correspondent?

Admin

[Robin Orton]

I doubt whether you could afford me.

[stuart]

Just bought two tickets - making 327 out of 330 sold. Only 3 left so if you are going and have yet to buy - get to Kirkdale Bookshop PDQ. Otherwise entry on Sunday will only be via some heavenly gateway.

BTW Sergey will not be performing. Its down to the zealots making it harder and harder to get visas.

Stuart

[Robin Orton]

Thanks, Stuart. I've just rung up and asked them to put two aside for me. So presumably only one left now.

[Robin Orton]

But I heard this afternoon that the bookshop has been allocated a further ten tickets.

[biscuitman1978]

I have two spare tickets.

Please PM me if you'd like them.

[Robin Orton]

Wonderful concert last night - a fitting tribute to Robert Trory. St Philip Neri church was filled to overflowing.

The acoustics seemed excellent to me where I was sitting (left hand side of the north aisle about a third of the way back, under the tower) - very warm sound, but easy to hear the details of the orchestral texture. (Quite a small band, which may have helped.) I hope this will not be the last time the church is used for orchestral concerts.

All the performances were superb, including the two soloists (Maya Bogdanovic, cello, and John Anderson oboe). It was somehow fitting that there was no conductor. John Anderson waved his oboe around at the beginning of each movement of the Albinoni concerto to set the tempo; otherwise the orchestra was splendidly led from the leader's desk by Nicole Wilson.

I had my eyes opened to some new (to me) aspects of familiar works. What a wonderful elegiac piece the second movement of the Elgar Serenade for Strings is - up there with 'Nimrod.' My wife said she had never been so moved by the Faure pavane. I had hitherto not been specially fond of the Mozart 29th Symphony - I never thought the rest of the piece lived up to the wonderful opening theme of the first movement - but I've now changed my mind. Particular exciting were the closing bars of the last movement - fortissimo horns, with a slightly raucous and out-of-tune sounding 'natural' sound (which I assume was deliberate!) I still don't like the Haydn 1st cello concerto very much, but Maya Bogdanovic gave a very fine, eloquent rendering, expressive and beautifully shaped.

What did anyone else think?

[stuart]

A wonderful night. A packed performance. It was both a tribute to Robert and a demonstration of the latent demand in Sydenham to listen to live classical music. I'm sure I wasn't the only person to whisper into Nick Cotton's ear that it was great event but when will be the next?

Driving back I did the math. 330 tickets or so at £12/10 probably raised around £3500. There were 30+ quality professional musicians. After expenses that's around £100 per head. Not enough for work entailed (rehersals etc). Even doubling the ticket price doesn't make a non-subsidised classical orchestra programme viable. Yet expecting a re-establishment of a subsidy from a cash strapped Lewisham raises ethical issues in itself.

So how do we magic some more magic?

Stuart

[Robin Orton]

From what I can make out, the fee payable to an orchestral musician for this sort of gig would be about £100 (including rehearsal time.) See http://www.musiciansunion.org.uk/wp-con ... 3-2014.pdf - category 3, I assume. Fees to soloists would obviously be a lot higher.

But then there's the cost of hiring the venue. I assume churches etc would normally want to be paid, at least to cover the costs of heating, lighting, caretaking etc.

[safdirector]

Sadly, I couldn't be at the concert but I heard it was a very fitting tribute to Robert.

A few posts on here have asked about the next classical music concerts at St Bart's Church and I can promise Sydenham that our 2014 festival in July will be featuring a host of music events at St Bart's, including:

Till the Boys Come Home Part 2: Pack Up Your Troubles - community musical about WW1 - Sat 12 July, 3-5pm
Incredible Sax Band - Sun 13 July, 3-5pm
The Age of Opulence - soprano recital - Wed 15 July, 7.30-9.30pm
Swingin' Sydenham - South London Jazz Orchestra - Fri 18 July, 8-10pm
Toy Symphony - children's concert & workshop by Chamber Players - Sat 19 July, 11.15am-1pm
Tosca - presented by the New London Opera Players - Sat 19 July, 7.30-10pm

Sadly, we couldn't find an orchestra able to play during this year's festival (hopefully next year!) but there are a dozen more music events throughout the festival - including appearances by Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze) & The Fluffers, blues artiste Ian Siegal and guests Sean Taylor and The Carrivick Sisters, queens of 'lovers rock' reggae duo Janet Kay & Carroll Thompson, local power-pop sensation Itchy Teeth, as well as festival regulars Balalaika, Alex Carter and vocal artist Randolph Matthews. Not to mention a total of 60+ other events throughout the 2 week festival. Look out for our brochures, appearing in a week's time!

Our shiny new website is now live, keep an eye out for the full online programme appearing there in mid-May:

http://www.sydenhamartsfestival.co.uk/

Jonathan Kaufman
Festival Director

[Robin Orton]

It doesn't look as if there is a great deal there for (grown-up) classical music enthusiasts, except Tosca (St Barts standing in for Sant' Andrea della Valle?) and (perhaps) The Age of Opulence (unless that means 20th century New York, i.e. songs from the musicals?) There seems evidence for quite a demand for classical music in Sydenham, e.g. from the fact that the Robert Trory memorial concert was a sell-out. Assuming that the Sydenham International Music Festival is not going to be revived, at any rate in its previous form, might it be possible in future years for the SAF to include one or two small-scale (e.g. chamber music) classical events?

[safdirector]

We were very disappointed not to be able to bring an orchestral event, or similar, to this year's festival programme - but it was not for want of trying believe you me!

We'd be delighted to hear from chamber orchestras or similar wishing to take part in next year's events. Contact us at director@sydenhamartsfestival.co.uk

thanks
Jonathan Kaufman
Festival Director