No sooner had the School doors closed for the summer holidays when members of the Ayrshire Fiddle Orchestra started a series of musical activities.
On the 3rd July 35 players travelled to Barcelona in Spain to share a week’s music making with young musicians from the Conservatori Sant Cugat culminating with a fine performance in the Crypt of the famous Basilica Sagrada Familia. As a result a similar number of players from the Conservatori will travel to Scotland next Easter and be hosted by the AFO families.
Ayr Town Hall stage resonated on Tuesday 10th July to some very fine string playing from Canada, America – and, of course Ayrshire! – when groups taking part in the Stirling Bridge Festival joined the Ayrshire Fiddle Orchestra for an evening of classical and fiddle music finishing with the 150 players giving a Grand Finale performance of the Skye Boat Song.
Wednesday 25th July was the date for Music in the Meadows, a very happy, sunny, fun filled afternoon in Catrine organised by the South West Scotland Branch of the National Autistic Society where a small group of AFO players entertained.
On Saturday 4th August some fiddlers took part in the first of many ‘Bucket Rattling’ events to raise funds for the Orchestra’s International Concert Tour to Japan in July 2019 – The Rising Sun Tour. This time they were playing under the canopy of the old Broadway Cinema during the Prestfest celebrations. In the evening the venue was the Masonic Lodge in Kilmarnock entertaining members and guests at a Dinner in honour of the Lodge’s Past Master.
Prestwick Proms 2018 on Saturday 11th August opened with the Orchestra giving a series of rousing rhythmic sets while a small group of senior players travelled to Girvan to entertain guests at a Wedding at the Woodlands Hotel.
And so . with Schools returning for the new session, the Orchestra’s first rehearsal will be held at St Nicholas Church Hall Prestwick on Saturday 18th from 1.45pm till 4.30pm when new players will be warmly welcomed – violins (Grade 3 standard approx..) , cellos, basses and especially accordions.
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