The Branch had 35 members, 1 fewer than the previous season (5 new members and 6 non-renewals). We met on 36 Monday evenings from September to June for combined playing. One-to-a-part groups met in each other’s houses.
On Saturday 1 November we hosted a playing afternoon at St-Columba’s-by-the-Castle, Johnston Terrace, conducted by Ross Winters, head of recorder department, Birmingham Conservatoire. We were joined by visitors from other Scottish branches and by members of the Edinburgh Community Education Evening Class.
Our Christmas Evening was on Monday 15 December, when we played to an audience of family and friends in Augustine United Church. The conductors from the Branch were Fabian Setznagel, Peter Wraith and Andrew Short and we were joined by members of the Edinburgh Community Education Evening Class conducted by Margaret Hall. The profit from collection was divided between the Lymphoedema Support Network and the Rock Trust.
On 26 January we hosted a joint meeting of the Branch and the Edinburgh Community Education Evening Class conducted by Margaret Hall and Fabian Setznagel.
The National Recorder Festival took place on 25 and 26 April at Prior Pursglove College, Guisborough, Cleveland. On 26 April, Eileen Finlayson attended the Society’s Annual Conference as the Edinburgh Branch’s delegate. The full minutes, reports and accounts of the Conference can be found here. A summary of the minutes follows.
Elections. Mike Wilkinson (Weald of Kent) was elected as Membership Secretary replacing Margaret Shearing (Manchester). Sandra Foxall (Cleveland) was elected as Country and Overseas Secretary replacing Jim Rowley (Birmingham). Evelyn Nallen (Cambridge) and Matthew Taylor (York Guildhall) were elected to serve on the Committee for three years until the end of Conference 2012. The Chairman reported that the two current Musical Advisers to the Committee (Alyson Lewin and Eileen Silcocks) had agreed to continue on the Committee. Andrew Collis succeeded Evelyn Nallen as Musical Adviser to the Committee until the end of Conference 2012. Rules A revised set of rules was adopted. New Branches Conference approved the establishment of two new Branches – South Cotswold and Hullavington. Subscriptions. The central portion of the subscription for 2009-10 was increased by 50p to £18.50 (full member), £28.50 (household member) and £14.00 (student). Future Festivals: 8-9 May 2010 Suffolk Branch; 16-17 April 2011 Somerset and Devon Branches; 2012 Guildford Branch (provisional).
Several members of the Branch took part in the Scottish Recorder Orchestra’s weekend with the Dortmund Recorder Consort at Carberry Tower near Musselburgh, concluding with a concert at the Reid Concert Hall, Edinburgh on 5 October.
Branch members attended Special Playing Days in Glasgow on 28 February and Newcastle on 16 May and the Scottish Recorder Festival at Queen’s Cross Church, Aberdeen on 6 June.
On Sunday 22 March a large group from the Branch conducted by Fabian Setznagel took part in the Early Music Forum of Scotland’s Performance Day at the National Museum of Scotland where we played a suite from Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, arranged by former musical director of the Branch Eric Gillett. A small group from the branch played the Sonata No 4 in G Minor (1743) by William McGibbon.
On Saturday 28 March the bass section of the Branch joined the flautists from Edinburgh University Musical Medics conducted by Fabian Setznagel in an arrangement for flutes of the overture from the Magic Flute by Mozart as part of the EUMM Spring Concert at the Reid Hall.
Our Summer Evening was on Monday 15 June when we played to an audience of family and friends in Augustine United Church. The conductors from the Branch were Fabian Setznagel, Peter Wraith and Andrew Short and we were joined by members of the Edinburgh Community Education Evening Class conducted by Margaret Hall. The collection raised £119.12 for Cancer Research UK. Sadly this was Fabian’s last concert with the branch, as the time had come for him to move on. He was presented with a pewter quaich inscribed with the words “Edinburgh SRP 2006 – 2009 – Watch the Conductor!”. The concert was followed by a farewell party at Caroline Higgitt’s house. We wish Fabian well in whatever career he decides to follow. We are grateful to Fabian, Andrew and Peter for all their hard work in conducting the branch during the 2008-2009 season.