NO further Dementia Friendly Tea Concerts will take place at St Chad’s Church, Campleshon Road, York, in Covid-19 2020.
Co-organiser Alison Gammon says: “Unfortunately, we have had to take the decision to cancel all the events for the rest of this year. We are very sad about this, but we felt that it was just too risky to continue.
“However, we are hoping to start the concerts again next year. All the musicians that I had booked said that they would be willing to come and play for us another time, so I’ll be organising more concerts as soon as it’s safe to do so.”
Husband and wife Robert and Alison Gammon, on piano and clarinet, were to have played an afternoon programme of Camille Saint-Saens’ Clarinet Sonata and Niels Gade’s Fantasy Pieces, on March 19 but the concert was called off in the week before lockdown was imposed.
“At the time, we were well advanced with the planning for the rest of the year, with The Clementhorpe Piano Trio booked for the next concert on April 16 and only May’s concert to confirm,” says Alison, who runs the Dementia Friendly Tea Concerts with Nick Nightingale.
Roll on 2021 and hopefully the return of afternoon concerts at St Chad’s, followed by tea, coffee and homemade cakes.
“In the meantime, I hope that you are managing to find live music on the radio and online, and I’m looking forward to seeing you all again for music, tea and cake before too long,” says Alison.
Whenever they resume, as ever no charge will apply for these tea concerts, but donations are always welcome. “Any money left over from heating the church and tuning the piano is sent to the Alzheimer’s Society,” says Alison.
“Everyone is welcome at these relaxed events and the concerts provide an opportunity for people who may not be able to attend a formal classical recital to experience live music.”