Founder members of the Suffolk Concert Band; Gordon Scopes and Colin Pettingale, were elected as fellows of the Guild of Musicians and Singers, during their general meeting and the band concert last Saturday. Both Gordon, who plays cornet, and Colin, who plays french horn, have been stalwart members of the band since its conception in 1967. Many thanks to both of them for their contribution and hard work over the last 41 years!

“The late Dennis Puxty founded the Guild of Musicians and Singers in 1993, the aims and objects of which were, in his words, “to create a Guild of professional and amateur musicians similar to Guilds of years past, enabling members to meet from time to time for working and fraternal purposes”.

Since its inception, the Guild has sought to promote, through its concerts and recitals, a high standard of musical performance.  Its principal meetings are normally held twice yearly in Central London, and these have featured solo piano recitals; lieder and song recitals; a recital for violin and piano; concerts by brass ensembles; an orchestral concert; a military band concert; a recital of music for clarinet and piano (rarely-heard Sonatas by Stanford and Howells), an organ recital, comprising major works by Reger and Karg-Elert; and a theatre organ concert on a famous Wurlitzer organ in south London.  Choral concerts have featured Handel’s Coronation Anthems of 1727, and major works by William Walton have also been given including the Coronation Te Deum.  An important work for narrator and organ was given its first performance in Britain in Holy Trinity Church in Sloane Street.  Fully illustrated lectures and talks have been presented, and speakers have included three distinguished cathedral organists.

During our session we will be performing two joint pieces with organist, David Bell, whose CV reads thus:-

“David Bell is an experienced concert organist and has performed at concerts in Europe, North and South America, Australia and Japan.  He was organist to the conductor Herbert von Karajan for many years, and under his direction played on a regular basis with the highly prestigious Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.  He has also played with most of the London orchestras and is a skilled arranger of choral and organ music.  Important recital venues include St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Southwark Cathedral and Liverpool Cathedral”.