INSPIRATION THROUGH PERFORMANCE
COULSDON AND PURLEY FESTIVAL 1944 - 2024
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Download this brief history of the last 80 years.
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If you have any memories to share, old programmes or other Festival memorabilia, we would love to add them to our archives. Please contact [email protected] | ||||
After 30 years service to Coulsdon and Purley Festival as the official vocal accompanist, Marion Lea retired on 9th March. Current and past singers contributed to a special commemorative gift which was presented by some of this year's vocal entrants. |
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It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Denis Hopkin, chairman of Coulsdon and Purley Festival from 2011 to 2018. Denis was a true gentleman who loved music and was a great support to the Festival. We send our condolences to his wife Jenny, family and friends.
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PIANO CONCERTO CLASS - 2022 and 2023
One of our most popular classes in the Pianoforte section is the Concerto Class.
The winners of this class have the opportunity to perform their concerto with an orchestra.
Both Firoze and Julian played magnificently well in their respective concerts.
CONGRATULATIONS!
The winners of this class have the opportunity to perform their concerto with an orchestra.
Both Firoze and Julian played magnificently well in their respective concerts.
CONGRATULATIONS!
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FIROZE MADON
Piano Concerto winner 2023 played Beethoven Piano Concerto No 3 in C minor, Op37 with Erato Chamber Orchestra and their conductor (and our newly appointed President) Russell Keable https://eratoorchestra.wordpress.com/next-concert/ |
JULIAN CHAN
Piano Concerto winner 2022 played Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No 3 with Worthing Philharmonic Orchestra and their conductor Dominic Grier https://www.worthingphil.co.uk/2023-24-season-overview |
WINNERS OF THE WRITE YOUR OWN POEM CLASSES 2023
| write_a_poem_yrs_7_8_naethrathi_sivakaran.pdf |
| write_a_poem_yrs_5_6__guhan_karthicraja.pdf |
| wrte_a_poem_yrs_3_4_rianna_pathak.pdf |
JULY 2023
A MESSAGE FROM CHAIRMAN DAVID HANESWORTH
We are delighted to announce the appointment of our new President.
Russell Keable has accepted our invitation to join us, succeeding Darrell Davison, who was our President for many years.
We thank Darrell for his work on our behalf throughout this time.
Russell is a conductor of long experience and high reputation. He has local roots, growing up in Croydon, and lives in the area. He has expressed a wish to become more closely involved with the local music and artistic scene, and so is the ideal person to be our President and lead us forward into our 80th anniversary year. Welcome Russell!
We are delighted to announce the appointment of our new President.
Russell Keable has accepted our invitation to join us, succeeding Darrell Davison, who was our President for many years.
We thank Darrell for his work on our behalf throughout this time.
Russell is a conductor of long experience and high reputation. He has local roots, growing up in Croydon, and lives in the area. He has expressed a wish to become more closely involved with the local music and artistic scene, and so is the ideal person to be our President and lead us forward into our 80th anniversary year. Welcome Russell!
APRIL 2023
Introducing Coulsdon and Purley Festival's newly appointed vice-chairman
DOUGLAS MEAKIN
"As a great lover of classical music, attending concerts and opera in many countries, I have been involved in the musical world in this area for twenty years supporting my children who all played and continue to play instruments. It was therefore a great pleasure and honour when it was suggested that I could help the cause of artistic attainment with the Coulsdon and Purley Festival. The Festival offers a very important opportunity to perform in an environment of inspiringly high standards and I hope that I can contribute to its future success."
DOUGLAS MEAKIN
"As a great lover of classical music, attending concerts and opera in many countries, I have been involved in the musical world in this area for twenty years supporting my children who all played and continue to play instruments. It was therefore a great pleasure and honour when it was suggested that I could help the cause of artistic attainment with the Coulsdon and Purley Festival. The Festival offers a very important opportunity to perform in an environment of inspiringly high standards and I hope that I can contribute to its future success."
SEPTEMBER 2022
We are delighted to announce the appointment of David Hanesworth as acting Chairman to the Coulsdon and Purley Festival committee on the retirement of Nathan Hempsey.
David studied at Trinity College of Music, London. He free-lanced widely, notably with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the Bournemouth Sinfonietta, the London Mozart players and the English Sinfonia. He also worked with Glyndebourne Touring Opera, the
ENO and the English Music Theatre Company. Since 1978 he has been a member of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
David studied at Trinity College of Music, London. He free-lanced widely, notably with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the Bournemouth Sinfonietta, the London Mozart players and the English Sinfonia. He also worked with Glyndebourne Touring Opera, the
ENO and the English Music Theatre Company. Since 1978 he has been a member of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
SEPTEMBER 2022
RETIREMENT OF NATHAN HEMPSEY
With a combination of happiness for him and sadness for us I am writing to share that Nathan Hempsey is retiring as Chairman of the Coulsdon and Purley Festival.
Nathan has been our Chairman for four and a half tumultuous years. The first Covid lockdown took place in March 2020 just as we were beginning our Festival. This was enough to break some festivals around the country. Our committee however immediately went into virtual mode using Zoom, YouTube and other technical tools to produce a successful, partially virtual festival. In 2021 that was raised to a higher level with a very successful fully virtual festival. In 2022 we were pleased to get back to having a face-to-face festival with our various partners including Caterham School, Trinity School, Sanderstead United Reformed Church, 18th Purley Scout Group, Shirley High School and others.
During Nathan’s tenure, the process of printing off application forms, filling them in manually and mailing them with a cheque has been transformed. The syllabus, application and payment procedure are now online; and purchases of programmes can now be made with card readers.
Our Friends membership scheme has improved so that we now have a base of Friends who are making a significant financial contribution to the Festival and we look forward to encouraging new Friends to support the Festival.
We have had some wonderful VIPs at our prizegiving events including our President, Darrell Davison; Croydon Civic Mayor Humayun Kabir; and the new Croydon Deputy Mayor Lynne Hale.
The number of candidates increased over this period. The standard of the performances continues to be high, particularly in that of the Piano Concerto Class, but also in all fields of the Festival with some wonderfully talented entrants.
We hope that Nathan will enjoy his retirement and would like to express our appreciation for his service.
Gwen Russell
Festival Administrator
With a combination of happiness for him and sadness for us I am writing to share that Nathan Hempsey is retiring as Chairman of the Coulsdon and Purley Festival.
Nathan has been our Chairman for four and a half tumultuous years. The first Covid lockdown took place in March 2020 just as we were beginning our Festival. This was enough to break some festivals around the country. Our committee however immediately went into virtual mode using Zoom, YouTube and other technical tools to produce a successful, partially virtual festival. In 2021 that was raised to a higher level with a very successful fully virtual festival. In 2022 we were pleased to get back to having a face-to-face festival with our various partners including Caterham School, Trinity School, Sanderstead United Reformed Church, 18th Purley Scout Group, Shirley High School and others.
During Nathan’s tenure, the process of printing off application forms, filling them in manually and mailing them with a cheque has been transformed. The syllabus, application and payment procedure are now online; and purchases of programmes can now be made with card readers.
Our Friends membership scheme has improved so that we now have a base of Friends who are making a significant financial contribution to the Festival and we look forward to encouraging new Friends to support the Festival.
We have had some wonderful VIPs at our prizegiving events including our President, Darrell Davison; Croydon Civic Mayor Humayun Kabir; and the new Croydon Deputy Mayor Lynne Hale.
The number of candidates increased over this period. The standard of the performances continues to be high, particularly in that of the Piano Concerto Class, but also in all fields of the Festival with some wonderfully talented entrants.
We hope that Nathan will enjoy his retirement and would like to express our appreciation for his service.
Gwen Russell
Festival Administrator
8th August 2022
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Jane Tiernan.
Over many years, Jane held multiple roles within the Festival as
secretary for the Woodwind and Brass section, general committee secretary and looked after all the catering for our adjudicators and volunteers throughout the Festival weekends.
We send our condolences to her family and friends.
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Jane Tiernan.
Over many years, Jane held multiple roles within the Festival as
secretary for the Woodwind and Brass section, general committee secretary and looked after all the catering for our adjudicators and volunteers throughout the Festival weekends.
We send our condolences to her family and friends.