Snow means last minute change for concert society

THE snow meant further re-arrangements for Sidmouth Concert Society which has had a run of last minute programme changes. Stephen Huyshe-Shires, chairman of Sidmouth Concert Society, and his committee are getting used to changing the arrangements for their monthly concerts. A substitute pianist had to be found at the last minute when Anthony Zerpa-Falcon fell and sprained his arm, and two new artists had to be found at the last minute for the February concert when Matthew Sharpe, in the dual role of cellist and baritone, had to cancel. But the snows came and it was third time unlucky for one of the replacement artists, soprano Jeanette Ager, found herself marooned in deepest Hertfordshire and unable to get to Sidmouth. Fortunately, cellist Robin Michael and pianist Viv McClean did appear, but a drastically revised programme was necessary. For songs by Enesco, Schumann and Brahms, Beethoven's Op.5, G minor Sonata, and Shostakovich's D minor Sonata were substituted. And Robin Michael proved to be an able presenter with informative remarks about the music. Despite the last minute change Stephen Huyshe-Shires said that the audience was impressed by what they heard and, for him, personally, the Shostakovich was a bonus. Treasure Hugh Sutherland went so far as to say that it was tremendous. No members of the audience complained that they had been short-changed, but, on the contrary, they were very appreciative about the way the problems had been overcome. Everyone is now keeping fingers crossed that the next concert, on March 7, will be the lucky one and that it will go ahead as scheduled with the acclaimed Katona Twins, the Hungarian born guitar duo, playing at the Manor Pavilion at 7.30 pm.