Issue-3-Winter-2017-web

SOCIETY REPORTS
MUSIC SOCIETY
Piano finalists
booked
The final of the Scottish International Piano competition took
place at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on 10 September 2017
and the three finalists have been booked to appear at the club.
Each of the finalists had to play a concerto with the Royal Scottish
National Orchestra conducted by Thomas Sondergard. The winner was
Can Çakmur born in 1997 in Ankara. He has been booked to play for
our 115th Gala Concert on 25 September 2018. The principal work in his
programme is the late and well known sonata of Schubert in B Flat Major
D960. In second place was Romanian born British pianist Florian Mitrea
who is scheduled for our 120th Gala Concert on 9 April 2019; his choice of
principal work is the Liszt sonata in B Minor. In third place was Luka Okros
born in 1991 in Tbilisi, Georgia. I placed his performance of Rachmaninov’s
second piano concerto very highly, every note gave me great pleasure. He has
been booked for our 118th concert on 19 February 2019.
On 20 February 2018 Clare Hammond (piano) opens our new season
with Beethoven’s Sonata No. 30 in E Major op. 109 followed by the first of
four well known impromptus by Schubert Op. 90 and finishing with sonata
No. 2 (fantasia) by Scriabin.
On 20 March 2018 we have the first appearance of Alessandro Fisher (tenor)
whose mother was Italian. The concert is the 7th in a series of partnerships
with Classical Opera and each concert has been an outstanding success.
On 24 April 2018 we have
a very welcome return of a
wizard pianist, a past winner
of the Scottish International
Piano Competition, Oxana
Shevchenko (right) playing
the second of four well known
impromptus by Schubert Op.
142 concluding with a
masterwork by Schumann,
his Carnaval Op. 9.
On 30 October 2018 we will have an ‘enigma’
concert with pianist Elspeth Wyllie (left) playing the
Enigma variations as written for solo piano by
Edward
Elgar and
sandwiched
between
two sonatas
with Clare
Overbury
on flute.
2017 has been a modestly
successful year for the Music
Society and the wish is for an even
better 2018. Members and guests
are very welcome. We start the
evening with a champagne reception
at 6.45pm. The concert is from
7.15pm-8.15pm and we give
exceptional value for money with a
dinner or buffet after the concert
from 8.15pm-10.30pm.
Albert Cowie, Chairman
LONDON SCOTTISH
A shaky start
Following an impressive win against top
flight Yorkshire Carnegie the first fifteen
have had a losing run in the League albeit
gaining valuable losing bonus points.
Staying within our means with less reliance on
investors led us to revert to a part full time/part time
squad. Long-term injuries to players in crucial front
row positions does not help.
A winning start was made in the British and
Irish Cup. A mouth-watering fixture against old
friends and rivals Richmond on Sunday 3 December
was the lead into a busy and hopefully successful
winter campaign.
NUMBER 9 SOCIETY
Topical
topics tabled
The Number 9 Society got off in fine
style with a talk by Celia Sinclair on the
restoration of the legendary Charles
Rennie Mackintosh’s Willow Tea Rooms
in Glasgow. Celia was behind the £10m
appeal that has now successfully got the
project under way. In October Sir Moir
Lockead the distinguished Scottish
businessman gave a well-crafted talk
round the themes of “Conservation and
Anthony Westnedge, David Coughtrie,
Sir Moir Lockhead, Donald Lamont and
Bill Proudfoot
Conversions” as he was both Chairman
of the National Trust for Scotland and
President of the Scottish Rugby Union.
In November we welcomed the
highly topical subject of the centenary
of the Russian Revolution with Sir Tony
Brenton, former British Ambassador to
Russia, who offered some very
stimulating thoughts on whether the
Russian Revolution was inevitable,
and the relevance of its result to the
political relationships of the West and
Russia today. In December we are
scheduled to entertain Sam Bowman,
Chief Executive of the Adam Smith
Institute. All members of the Club are
warmly welcome at the Talks whether
members of the Number 9 or not.
Stuart Thom, Chairman
SHOOTING & FISHING SOCIETY
Triumph in
France
Having acquitted itself well at a very
enjoyable and victorious Coupe des
Nations against our French friends, we lost
(more accurately your correspondent lost)
the shoot-out to break an unbelievable
tie in the Balvenie Trophy against the
New Club. Next year, team, next year!
We moved the club competition
from a week day in April to a Saturday
in September, again at Holland &
Holland which pleasingly led to 17
guns participating in a well- fought
match in grilling heat. Jeff Soal won
the Menzies Memorial Trophy for top
Members participate in the annual club
shooting competition at Holland & Holland
score on the High Tower while the
‘Richardson Flask’ for the overall top
score was won by Alastair Irvine.
Members of the society and the
broader club will soon be receiving a brief
questionnaire so we can more accurately
gauge the appetite for shooting, what
type, where, when and on what budget.
The society has enjoyed more than 20
years of sport, competition and
companionship; with your support we
can ensure it thrives for another 20 years.
We look forward to your responses.
Alastair Irvine, Chairman
Opening day fixture against Yorkshire Carnegie at the Richmond
Athletic Ground. London Scottish won the game 28-12
On the amateur side, our senior Highlanders,
Thistles and Kilts have had a great run of wins against
stiff competition. The junior age groups are also
doing well as are the thriving mini sections.
So now is the time to rally round your team...the
great and famous London Scottish.
Jock Meikle
WINTER 2017 The Caledonian 23