On this day… in 1979 I was at the Chateau de Villandry with the Wessex Youth Orchestra. The trip to Tours and the Loire Valley was my only foreign orchestra trip – and very enjoyable it was too.
Actually it helped lay the foundations for my later ‘career’ as a percussionist as I seem to recall spending a lot of the tour lifting the tymps in and out of the emergency exit by the back seat of the coach (after we found there wasn’t room for them in the luggage compartment underneath!! 😂 Sometimes it feels like I have been carrying percussion equipment around ever since 😂😂
One of the pieces of music we played while in France was Walton’s Crown Imperial – it is possibly the piece that I have played most with various orchestras – and I have put together a little video with some of my photos from the trip.
A lot of them seem to have been taken at the ‘cabaret’ evening – which was great fun and one of the highlights of the week.
William Walton : Crown Imperial
Comments :
Terry Hudson
Hey, George, nice video! I cannot imagine why you would ever want to go on a journey around Europe with a bus load of pretty girls. I doubt it was the timps 🤣
Beverley William
Great memories, many thanks. I think the tartan hat was yours & maybe the blankets from the beds? So many familiar faces but few names to go with them now. Duncan Riddell, Andy Riley (my dance partner!), Simon Barnett (perc), Vanessa Hughes, Katie Hull(?), Jo (bassoon) & the late Don Riddell, of course. It’s the WYO’s 50th birthday next year! Thanks again x
George McConnell
The hat was definitely mine 😃 – apart from those you named I can add a few as a couple of the pics had names on the back – the one with trombones and bassoons had Ewan, Kevin, Jo and Chris – the one with people at a circular table (clockwise) Duncan, Chris, Ewan, Fiona, ?, Jim (the driver), Andrea and Sarah – Caroline and Katie Hull are with Don – the other person wearing my hat was (I think) Terri (clarinet?) and both Kathryn and a young Susanna are in some pics.
Beverley William
that’s great, thanks George. I hadn’t spotted Kathryn or Susanna Riddell. Will have to look again. X
George McConnell
Kathryn’s the one that is asleep!! 😃
Beverley William
😂 no wonder I didn’t recognise her. Thanks
Susanna Riddell-Aronovich
I spotted us! And Duncan ‘playing’ the Cor Anglais!
Penny Rogers
Beautiful photo of Don Riddell with Caroline and Katie Hull ..wonderful memories xx