Thankyou to Neil for this …

Abingdon Concert Band have been finding ways to keep playing during the Coronavirus lockdown. They’ve just put together a video of everyone playing their parts for Do You Hear the People Sing? from Les Miserables which can be found on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/cmyzaXcMTm8.

The band has around 55 players, 29 of which are playing in the video. They are planning to keep doing these videos until lockdown ends to make sure they can all still play when rehearsals start again. They hope you enjoy their first isolation performance.

Peter often sends me advance notification of concerts by the Abingdon and District Musical Society (ADMS). There are two concerts in March. The concerts will be held at St Helen’s Church. The conductor will be Alexander Walker and the orchestra will be led by Kate Bailey.

Saturday 7th March at 7:30 pm (orchestral concert):
“Four Last Songs” by Richard Strauss
“Symphony No. 1” by Elgar

Saturday 21st March at 7:30 pm (choral concert):
“Cantique de Jean Racine” by Faure
“Rejoice in the Lamb” by Britten
“Requiem” by Durufle

Abingdon & District Musical Society have been performing since 1946. They have a large mixed voice choir and a full symphony orchestra – both led by professional musicians.

It makes me wonder how a town the size of Abingdon, in the Vale of the White Horse, has so many musical groups and societies.

At the Old Magistrate Court this afternoon there were three artists performing for the November edition of Make Music Abingdon. It was all free but you could make a donation to Make Music Abingdon who bring live music to Abingdon.

The Abingdon Magistrates Court has better acoustics than any other room in the Guildhall, thanks to its wood panelling.

There were three performers this afternoon.

At the end of the afternoon they were set a challenge and asked to choose and perform one song together, with no rehearsal.

Individually they all performed their own music and it was very good. Brodie is a singer/songwriter based in Abingdon. Nikki is from Oxfordshire but could have been from Nashville. The Hex Collective are a guitar/cello duo who perform songs based on words collected a century ago.

Collectively they chose a song about Chicago. Thank you to Make Music Abingdon for continuing to put on live music in Abingdon, even without Sam who must be sadly missed.

It was Make Music Day in Abingdon, and around the globe.

There were places to play music and listen to music all around Abingdon Town Centre.

On the Market Place a lot of us gathered and joined arms and sang Hey Jude.

Ashnah brought us exotic music and dancing.

There were events on the Market Place, workshops in the Guildhall and at the Library, and then as the sun went down, there was music at the Crown and Thistle, Brewery Tap, R & R, and Pablo’s Lounge. Every kind of musician — young and old, amateur and professional, of every musical persuasion — were there in Abingdon Town Centre, helping to bring us together with music, and it was all free.