Welcome to the West Wight Arts Association

West Wight Arts Association February concert

PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE OF PROGRAMME

West Wight Arts Association’s next concert to be given on February 15th will be performed by the world renowned Fibonacci String Quartet in the Memorial Hall, Freshwater, starting at 7pm.

The previously advertised concert by Thomas Luke will now be held on April 12th.

As the only ensemble ever to win both First and Audience prizes at the Premio Paolo Borciani International String Quartet Competition in Italy (2024), the Fibonacci Quartet are one of Europe's leading young string quartets.

Originally formed at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, the Fibonaccis are a Resident Ensemble at the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía in Madrid with Günter Pichler and at the Dutch String Quartet Academy in Amsterdam. Following public finals at Wigmore Hall last May, they were selected to join the Young Classical Artist Trust (YCAT) roster.

We heard them there and were blown away by their playing so we are delighted and honoured to have them here in Freshwater.

They will play Haydn’s String Quartet in B flat No 4 ‘The Sunrise’, Smetana’s quartet ‘From my Life’ and finish with Beethoven’s epic quartet no 14 in C sharp minor Opus 131.

Tickets at £16.00 (Students and Children £2.00) are available from our ticket page or Totland Parish Office tel.756028. Booking fee applies.

Our last few concerts have sold out and String Quartets are always popular, so BOOK NOW!

Change of Programme

West Wight Arts Association apologise for the change in programme for the next concert. This is because Thomas Luke, who was to have played a recital for us on February 15th, has now been invited to take part in a big competition in France a week beforehand, and doesn’t feel he could get the two very different repertoires up to the standards he sets himself in time.

The Young Classical Artists’ Trust have been able to move the Fibonacci Quartet, who were to have played for us in April, to February 15th, and Thomas will play on April 12th.

Tickets for February 15th will be automatically transferred to April 12th and vice versa but if you would like a refund instead please contact Judith Hunt on juhunt@btinternet.com

Steinway Grand Piano

The Steinway ‘B’ grand piano in the Memorial Hall, Freshwater, which belongs to West Wight Arts Association, is available for hire by arrangement with WWAA.

Please check the availability of the Memorial Hall with the administrator Debbie McAteer on memohall1960@gmail.com or 01983 752956 in the first instance and then email Richard Wilkins on wilkins.r@btinternet.com for further details.

West Wight Arts Association Bursary for young music students on the Island

Twelve young Island musicians have been awarded grants to further their musical studies by West Wight Arts Association.

The recipients range from 11 to 18 and played a wide variety of instruments or sang to a panel of WWAA trustees on Saturday February 24th. They also answered questions about their music making and what they would spend an award on; their answers ranged from help with funding further music lessons to better instruments or equipment.

The panel were treated to performances on piano, saxophone, drums, clarinet, oboe, violin, flute and voice from students from six different schools on the Island. The judges were deeply impressed by the standards achieved and the aspirations expressed by the musicians.

“ We had a wonderful response to our initial appeal for Island music students and it was very hard to shortlist applicants to start with. Then on the audition day it was very difficult to decide who our major award winners should be as the standard was so high, but we were able to give everyone something.”

— Pam Wedgwood - Organiser

“The concert was one of the best I have been to anywhere, the gut stringing added to their brilliant interpretation of the Mozart which was thrilling.”