I can’t believe it’s June already! This year is racing by and my feet have barely touched the ground. A big thank you to everyone who came to the UCL Chamber Music Club (CMC) concert last week ❤ it was lovely to see a few people unexpectedly – it always means more when there are friendly faces in the audience.
You would never know that leading up to the event it was slightly stressful as half my performers (who were students) dropped out due to exams, and I was very fortunate to find other willing CMC members to take their place. Despite my piano playing (which didn’t go too badly in the end) the event was very enjoyable and I had one of those serendipitous moments when everything slots into place and you feel at one with the world.
I have been part of the Club and performing in concerts for fifteen years now, and I was overcome with a feeling of belonging, and almost of nostalgia, to be performing in the Haldane Room – a space that has seen 72 years of CMC music-making. In that perfect moment I felt both proud and humbled to be part of that history. UCL is soon to develop the space as part of its Bicentennial celebrations and a place that has been a constant for all those years is going to change.
Change is by no means a bad thing, and I’m sure that when the development is finished we will hopefully end up with an even better space, but the comfort and familiarity will be gone and there will be a period of adjustment. Never fear though, as we still have one more concert this term!
Next week we are celebrating Gustav Holst’s 150th anniversary year and I will be part of a small choir singing some of the delightful Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda, settings of his own translations of ancient Sanskrit texts. According to the CMC website “Holst was a part-time student at UCL in 1909, studying Sanskrit (the classical Indian language of Hindu literature) – perhaps the most distinguished musician ever among UCL alumni.”
The concert is on Tuesday 4 June, 5.30-6.30pm followed by refreshments, in the Haldane Room at UCL, visit our website to download the programme and find details on how to get there. The concert is free and all are welcome. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/chamber-music/concert-diary
Elizabeth Mooney 