New from the Lute Society

1. 17th JANUARY MEETING, LONDON
Don't forget! There's a Lute Society meeting this Saturday in London. This time we are at the Swedenborg Hall, 20-21 Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2TH, near The Art Workers Guild where we used to meet, and near Holborn tube station. No need to book - just turn up! In fact there has been a slight change to the schedule of the day, which will now be as follows:
10.45 Coffee

11.30 Talk on the mediaeval lute, by Francisco Orozco

12.30 Mini-recital, Yair Avidor plays baroque lute
1.00 Break for lunch2.15 Notation, ornamentation and interpretation in French baroque lute music, a detailed look at some 17th century French lute pieces; talk by Chris Wilson
3.15 Mini-recital, Jeni Melia and Brian Wright perform some of Brian Wright’s recently composed Shakespeare songs
3.45 Tea
4.15 The Lute Society recital: Francisco Orozco plays and sings mediaeval lute music and songs.

2. LUTE QUARTET ON 'LISTEN AGAIN'
In case you missed it, Lynda Sayce's lute quartet Chordophony appeared on last Saturday's Radio 3 Early Music Show; you can hear them, up until this Saturday I assume' on the listen again function at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ggzf2

3. KINGSTON EARLY MUSIC SERIES
The Kingston Early Music series will present music in the Lovekyn Chapel [a beautiful 14th.-century building], Kingston Grammar School [opposite main school building], London Road, Kingston on the following Thursdays:
February 19th.: Songs and sonatas from the English Theatre, performed by My Lady's Chamber
March 12th.: Bach's organ trios arranged for harpsichord, strings and wind, part 1, performed by The Sweelicnk Ensemble. TBC.
April 29th.: "Music, Mead and Merriment' - a musical tour from the 11th. to the 17th. centuries, performed by The Loki Consort.
May 21st.: 18th.-century French sonatas and songs, performed by A Drop in the Ocean.
June 25th.: Bach's organ trios arranged for harpsichord, strings and wind, part 2, performed by The Sweelinck Ensemble. TBC.
All concerts start at 7.15 and cost #8, #6 [concession] or #0 [aged 16 and under]. Refreshments are served, and there will be opportunities to talk to the performers about the programme and their work.
Further details and replies to enquiries will be supplied after 19th. January. Please do pass on this information to anyone who may be interested, and direct any enquiries to me.
If you do not wish to receive further new about this series and events later in the year, please let me know and I shall immediately remove your name from my mailing list.
Best wishes for 2009,William Summers.
4. VIOL LOTTERY
Dear Viol player or enthusiast!

Please excuse the round-robin. I have been helping run a lottery for Marc Soubeyran and John Topham of The Kessler Collection Trust - Between 26 and 30 May 2008 a group of international viol makers made a copy of the Richard Meares bass viol which belonged to Dietrich Kessler, and which is now part of the Kessler Collection. Funds are being raised to preserve the 7 viols in the collection so that they are available to future generations of players and makers. I have attached some information about the Kessler Collection viols and about the raffle and there is also a website at http://www.thekesslercollection.com/. The lottery prize is this new instrument. The draw will take place on 25 January 2009 in London, and there are still a number of tickets left.

Credit cards can be used – follow the link at the Kessler Collection website to http://www.thestringzone.co.uk/.

Tickets are £5 sterling each – if you’re in the UK you can send me a cheque, payable to the Kessler Collection Trust, at the address below.
Please forward this email to anyone else you think might be interested.
I would be pleased to answer further questions and look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes,
Jill Davies
jill@daviesmusic.org.uk
+44 (0)20 8888 6155
07721 317030
20 Elvendon Road
London N13 4SJ
http://www.daviesmusic.org.uk/


5. SOUTHAMPTON GUITAR SOCIETY
Southampton Classical Guitar Society is proud to present Xuefei Yang in concert.
Date: Sat 31st January 2009 at 8pm.
Venue: The Point, Eastleigh, Hampshire.
Tickets: £12.00 (concessions £10). Box Office 023 8065 2333.

5. DORSET GUITAR SOCIETY
Dear Guitar enthusiastsYour first DGS newsletter for 2009HAPPY NEW YEARMargaret
http://www.dorsetguitarsociety.org.uk/Newsletters/

6.THE KESSLER COLLECTION
Dietrich Kessler was an outstanding violin maker and restorer with a special interest in the viol and its music. Throughout his long working life he collected a few exceptional viols that were used both in performance and as a source of groundbreaking research. The trust, The Kessler Collection, aims initially to raise £900,000 to buy the instruments and house them in The Royal Academy of Music, where they can continue to inform performers, researchers and makers.
A fund-raising concert organised by
THE KESSLER COLLECTION
will be given by James Bowman (counter tenor) & Fretwork at the Royal Academy of Music Dukes Hall 7.30pm Sunday 25th January 2009

Tickets will be on sale at the
Royal Academy of Music Box Office
Telephone 020 7873 7300
Email box.office@ram.ac.uk <mailto:box.office@ram.ac.uk> from 12th January 2009

WIN A VIOL FOR A FIVER
Raffle tickets still available! Win a viol for £5 by getting your raffle ticket from Jane Julier: janej@talktalk.net or 01823 681012. The raffle