Well, we’ve now enjoyed two successful face-to-face workshops – you can read reports of these on the website. Thanks to everyone who attended the workshops for complying with our Covid-safe requirements, making everyone feel safe, relaxed and able to enjoy the events. However, I’m writing this the day after the Prime Minister announced the reimposition of compulsory mask-wearing in certain settings, and with uncertainty surrounding the dangers presented by the latest variant of the virus. So it’s probably just as well that our next planned ‘live’ workshop isn’t until April, by which time hopefully things will be looking better once again.
That certainly does not mean that we have nothing for you in the meantime! There are two excellent Zoom-based events in January and February, one from rising star Julian Perkins, musical director of Cambridge Handel Opera, and one from Richard Langham-Smith, a professor at the Royal College of Music and expert on the French Baroque. So do head over to the website and sign up to receive the Zoom link – there’s no charge for these sessions, though we do ask for a donation.
Meanwhile I hope your Christmas music-making is able to go ahead as planned, and that you all have a very happy, healthy and peaceful festive season. I’d like, at the end of what has been a challenging year for all the Early Music Fora, and indeed for the whole musical world, to thank all of you for your continuing engagement with SWEMF. In particular I’m enormously grateful to the members of the SWEMF committee for their unfailing support, good ideas and common sense! Let’s hope that 2022 is a better year for all of us.
– Clare