History: 2005-06

A Farewell Tribute Concert for Margaret Wegener...

Margaret decided in the summer of 2005 to emigrate to New Zealand to be with her family, so she staged a concert in order to reflect all the different aspects of her musical creativity, with choral, chamber and orchestral music all featuring in this event.

It brought together many of the groups and individuals with whom she had worked so successfully over the years and provided an opportunity for her to thank all those friends who have performed her works, and for them to say a fond “farewell” to one of the foremost local composers in the Oswestry area.
There were no tickets – the event was free – but donations to “World Vision”, a charity working with children in less-developed countries were encouraged, and eagerly given in response.
A celebratory party was held after the event, with food and drink served and presents given.  On behalf of the orchestra, a framed photographic montage of many of the players in Oswestry Sinfonia in action was given to Margaret to remember the many hours of music-making that had taken place over the years.

In December 2005, our Christmas Celebrations concert had a strong “Russian Flavour” this year, and a very large audience turned out to celebrate with us!  Works by Prokofiev and Rimsky-Korsakov formed the centrepiece, with contrasts provided by Correlli and a variety of Christmas carols.  Perhaps the best-known piece – appealing to children and adults alike – was Prokofiev’s Suite telling the tale of the lure and capture of a wolf by Peter (with the help of a few animal friends!).
This performance of “Peter and The Wolf” featured Chris Moore-Bridger acting as the narrator in the full orchestral version, together with illustrative passages beforehand of the key instruments to “set the scene” for children in the audience.  It was therefore definitely a concert to bring them along!  Audience participation also played its part in the carol singing which concluded each half of the concert.  In addition, several children were “press-ganged” into helping out in the percussion section for the “Troika” number – taking control of the sleigh-bells!
The full programme comprised...
Rimsky-Korsakov  –  Polonaise from the opera “Christmas Eve”
Rimsky-Korsakov  –  “Snow Maiden” Suite
Rimsky-Korsakov  –  Two Arias from “May Night” (sung in the original Russian) - soloist:  Kyrill Kudrayashov
Correlli  –  Christmas Concerto for Strings
Prokofiev  –  Suite: “Peter & The Wolf”  (narrator:  Chris Moore-Bridger)
Prokofiev  –  “Troika” (from “Lieutenant Kijé” Suite)
...and various carols to conclude the programme

In September 2005 Oswestry Sinfonia’s Conductor, Ian Ward, formally gave notice of his intention to resign his post at the end of July 2006, having decided to move to France.  As a consequence, the 2005/6 season’s music-making was seen as an opportunity to collaborate with the choral societies for which he has also been conductor in a final series of large-scale choral and orchestral works.  The year was to culminate in a special concert in the Oswestry Leisure Centre in June.
As a result, in March and April, Oswestry Sinfonia were “on tour”, playing with the Marches Community Choir & Shrewsbury Cantata Choir in Bishop’s Castle, and with the Shrewsbury Choral Society in Shrewsbury...


Following a very successful collaboration last year, when Mozart’s C Minor Mass formed the centrepiece, the orchestra performed again with The Marches Community Choir and the Shrewsbury Cantata Choir in Bishop’s Castle in a performance of Dvorak’s “Stabat Mater”, and Mozart’s “Exultate Jubilate”.


One of the major  choral works of the Romantic period, Brahms’ “German Requiem” was performed by Shrewsbury Choral Society with Oswestry Sinfonia  renewing their collaboration established in 2004.


After 14 years as Conductor of Oswestry Sinfonia, Ian Ward took his final bow in a concert of his choosing as only the second Maestro to hold the Conductor’s post in the orchestra’s 26 years.  As part of the tribute to Ian, local celebrated pianist and instigator of the Oswestry School’s Recital Series, Christopher Symons, performed Schumann’s Piano Concerto.  Flanking this were two other works, the very well-known “Romeo & Juliet” Overture by Tchaikovsky and Cesar Franck’s D Minor Symphony.
The event featured one of the largest orchestra ever gathered together in Oswestry, with players returning from Wiltshire, Liverpool and across the Midlands to rejoin the orchestra they had played with in the past – all in tribute to Ian.  

March 25th 2006 – St John’s Church, Bishop’s Castle...

April 8th 2006 – St Chad’s Church, Shrewsbury...

Saturday June 24th 2006  –  Oswestry Leisure Centre...