To all Sowerby Music supporters

A message from your new chairman

If you were at our recent AGM, then thank you for electing me to take over from Keith Carley, who is standing down, as Sowerby Music’s Chairman. I was very honoured to accept the invitation.

Keith has been our Chairman since we were constituted as a charity over ten years ago. He has been dedicated to the society, guiding us wisely and with the minimum of formality. A very hard act to follow.

Sowerby Music is unique amongst the hundreds of concert societies across the country in that we enjoy the widest possible range of music from orchestral to choral and from folk to jazz . We organise concert and opera excursions. We take professional concerts and workshops to 35 schools and 3,600 children each year through our Music For Life programme and thanks to our Peter Chase Awards we support some of our most talented local young musicians through their musical education. Amazingly, we manage all of this from our own resources and without any reliance on external sponsorship.

Entering our 21st Year (and keep the weekend of November 21st to 23rd totally free in your diary), we are right to be proud of our achievements but are anxious to avoid complacency.

We are truly grateful to the loyal nucleus of our members who contribute to our success. They do this in a variety of ways (and some in all of these ways!)

• They attend most of our concerts. (There is a view that concerts people are ‘not sure about’ but attend despite misgivings are invariably concerts that give the greatest pleasure!)

• They commit to being a Friend of Sowerby Music and buying a Subscription Ticket for the whole concert season. Phone on 01845 525091 for details.

• They share the enjoyment of our young schoolchildren by sitting in on Music For Life events. To offer your services just phone Pat Elton on 01609 883267.

• They help fund Music For Life and the Peter Chase Awards by being amongst our army of Patrons and making regular donations to the Patron Scheme.To find out more, speak to Kevin Gillespie on 01609 780063.

• They have made Sowerby Music a beneficiary in their wills by either a fixed donation or a small percentage share of their estate. Have a word with your solicitor..

• They help to run the Society in some practical way by taking a role at concerts or elsewhere. Volunteers are always most welcome and if you think you have something to offer then please speak to Graham Merriam on 01845 597058. Don’t be shy!

Please look through this list and consider how you can best further support Sowerby Music.

With your help we can look forward to the next decade with total confidence and anticipate some wonderful musical experiences together. Thank you.