2009 Chairman's Report
It has been another busy year for the committee and orchestra.
The committee met regularly throughout the year. Meetings were well attended and as we shared ideas and moved forward, new procedures were put in place to streamline the role of the whole committee. These included a Child Protection policy, Travel Expenses policy, defined roles for committee members and a clear procedure for purchasing. Huge thanks go to the various committee members who worked on these and other strategies, either in their own time or as a small sub-committee. Without the tireless efforts of the committee, the concerts and activities of the BCO this year would not have been so successful. We thank Neil Hall for his interest in BCO and short time on the committee.
The committee and Artistic Director prepared for three concerts: the Christmas Concert in St. Patrick's Church, the Spring Concert in The Braid Arts Centre and Proms in the Park on July 4th. BCO introduced the choir, Concentio to Ballymena when they performed Vivaldi's Gloria at Christmas under the direction of Paul McQueen. This concert was in two halves: a baroque section followed by a more modern interpretation of Christmas. It had something for everyone and was one of our best concerts to date.
The March concert was again scheduled for a week night during the Arts Festival. We performed a mixture of chamber ensemble and full orchestra pieces to a small, but very appreciative audience. The string, wind and brass sections were showcased in turn and our Artistic Director, Rebekah Durston, delight the audience with Romanze in F for violin and orchestra by Beethoven. The orchestra also performed Haydn's Symphony 94, 'The Surprise'. This huge work was a real challenge to the orchestra which the musicians rose to admirably. Just before the concert, several committee members enjoyed a reception with the BCO Friends which was provided by the Mayor.
As usual, the July concert was to be affected by the Northern Ireland weather. After a glorious sunny week, the skies opened and the concert was diverted into the halls at High Kirk Presbyterian Church. Many regular players were unavailable for various reasons and new musicians were invited to join for the concert. An American themed concert including a performance of Ting Tang the Elephant entertained a full hall... ironically, the sun came out during the concert! Our thanks go to High Kirk for the use of their hall.
The aforementioned Ting Tang was presented to primary school children in Ballymena during June. The Braid was turned into a circus and the ringmaster, Gareth, led the musicians through the tale of Ting Tang with participation from the children. This venture was made possible through a grant from Awards for All which is part of the Big Lottery Fund.
The BCO String Quartet has been busy this year, performing at a range of events: the NI Holocaust Memorial Ceremony, Ballymena Council events and also featuring on Concentio CD, recoded in October 2008.
As the BCO continues to develop, grant awards are being sought out which
will help us to plan for the future. The financial development of the
orchestra is an important aspect of growth which continues to be a
challenge. BCO depends on ticket sales, Friends subscriptions and
membership fees to buy music, cover PR costs and meet Artistic Director
payments. While the hard work of the committee behind the scenes is an
important aspect of the life of the orchestra, the regular rehearsals
and dedication of many players is vital in the continued impact of BCO
in this borough. All musicians who have performed with us this year are
much appreciated. Without you, BCO would not exist. BCO members, it is
your orchestra and you have brought BCO this far... so onwards, into
2009 / 2010!