Issue 135 - the Pembury Village Website

GREEN ROOM MUSIC OF TUNBRIDGE WELLSWHEN I MOVED to Pembury from South-East London 13 years ago, one of my firstpriorities was to become involved in the local music scene by joining the TunbridgeWells Choral Society. After a few months, a fellow singer suggested that I join thecommittee of Green Room Music (GRM), a society which arranges six classical chamberconcerts a year in Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells. Never having had anything to do withmusic administration before, I wondered what use I could possibly be on the committee.However, during my ‘vetting’ lunch at Trinity, the Chairman, Dennis Smith, quickly put meat ease and invited me onto the committee on the basis of my enthusiasm, rather than anyrelevant skills.Dennis gave me a potted history of GRM. The first recital was held in the Elizabethan Barnin 1967 as part of the Green Room Club of Royal Tunbridge Wells to campaign for atheatre and arts centre in Tunbridge Wells. In 1970 the recitals were transferred to theAssembly Hall where, for many years, audience numbers climbed and famous artists such asJanet Baker, Paul Tortelier and Alfred Brendel attracted sell-out audiences of over 1,000.But by 1987 audience numbers were falling so, for financial reasons, it was decided totransfer the recitals to Trinity Theatre and we have enjoyed this lovely, intimate venue eversince.I must have done something right on the GRM committee because after a couple of yearsI was appointed Series Director and found myself, virtually overnight, negotiating fees anddates with international artists, including the King’s Singers, Emma Kirkby and EmmaJohnson. If any of them guessed how inexperienced I was, neither they nor their agentsever let on! And the supportIreceived from the GreenRoom committee was alwaysoverwhelming. Sadly, in 2005I had to resign from my postfor personal reasons, althoughIremain on the committee.The new Series Director,Amanda Smith, has takenGRM forward in leaps andbounds. The 2008/2009season, starting on21 September, is the mostexciting and innovative yetand will include recitals by theEnglish Chamber OrchestraEnsemble, the Gould PianoJohn WilliamsPHOTO: KATHY PANAMATrio, the Royal String Quartet, the O (percussion) Duo, the Endellion String Quartet andJohn Williams. As well as these fantastic concerts there will be pre-concert talks, openrehearsals providing a “fly on the wall view” of musicians in rehearsal, the O Duo will holda workshop introducing percussion for all the family, entitled Crash, Bang, Wallop, and youcan find out about the man behind the guitar in conversation with John Williams before hiscontinued on page 2827