Cameo
'a short literary sketch or portrait' (OED)
From time to time links might appear on this page to articles written by members about the world of music, past or present, of local or general interest.
Serenade to Music - a portrait of Margaret Balfour
The first Cameo concerns a local girl, born in Bradford-on-Tone at the end of the 19th century, who became one of the leading concert singers and performers of oratorio in the country in the first half of the 20th century.
Edmund Rubbra
The second Cameo is of an English composer, almost forgotten today, who is described by Bodleian Libraries who hold his archive as 'one of the most important English composers of the 20th century'.
Early years at Salisbury with Sir David Willcocks
Simon Johnson gives us a personal account of Sir David Willcocks, as he looks back seventy years to his musical education as a chorister at Salisbury Cathedral Choir, under the guidance of a 'master musician'.
A Sea Symphony - the first performance
An account of the first performance at the Leeds Musical Festival in 1910 of Vaughan Williams' A Sea Symphony, taken from contemporary newspaper reviews.
'Little boys go to sea and girls play the piano'
Our Accompanist, Alison Pink, gives us a glimpse into one of her other lives, as an Examiner.
NEW
Confessions of a Parish church organist
Following his first article about his early years as a chorister at Salisbury Cathedral, Simon Johnson looks back at his time as an Organist/Director of Music in seven parish churches.
Serenade to Music - a portrait of Margaret Balfour
The first Cameo concerns a local girl, born in Bradford-on-Tone at the end of the 19th century, who became one of the leading concert singers and performers of oratorio in the country in the first half of the 20th century.
Edmund Rubbra
The second Cameo is of an English composer, almost forgotten today, who is described by Bodleian Libraries who hold his archive as 'one of the most important English composers of the 20th century'.
Early years at Salisbury with Sir David Willcocks
Simon Johnson gives us a personal account of Sir David Willcocks, as he looks back seventy years to his musical education as a chorister at Salisbury Cathedral Choir, under the guidance of a 'master musician'.
A Sea Symphony - the first performance
An account of the first performance at the Leeds Musical Festival in 1910 of Vaughan Williams' A Sea Symphony, taken from contemporary newspaper reviews.
'Little boys go to sea and girls play the piano'
Our Accompanist, Alison Pink, gives us a glimpse into one of her other lives, as an Examiner.
NEW
Confessions of a Parish church organist
Following his first article about his early years as a chorister at Salisbury Cathedral, Simon Johnson looks back at his time as an Organist/Director of Music in seven parish churches.