Wigmore Hall sell-out!

Happy New Year to all our readers!

2007 ended on the most amazing high with our concert at London's Wigmore Hall on 16th December. The concert was a sell-out, with management having to release house tickets so that everyone could be fitted it. What an amazing feeling to walk out on that stage and see so many friendly faces looking up at you. It really is the most wonderful venue to play in, with such a lovely atmosphere and positive 'vibe'. We look forward to our Handel series there in 2009.

Esteemed human music stands

The Brook Street Band can add Sean Rafferty to its list of esteemed human music stands. During a live Radio 3 broadcast for In Tune on 13th December, Nicki's music decided to part company with its music stand. Luckily she was singing from memory anyway. Sean rushed over (silently on air!) and sorted out the music, whilst Nicki carried on, a true pro. This reminded us of a similar event when we performed for Julie and Stanley Sadie in Cossington a few years back. The performance was outside and a summer breeze started up. Stanley leapt to the rescue, holding Carolyn's keyboard music in place for the best part of a concert!

Wigmore Series for The Brook Street Band

We are delighted to let you know that we have been invited to give a series of 3 Handel concerts at London's Wigmore Hall in 2009, to commemorate Handel in the 250th anniversary year of his death. We will be performing on 23rd January, 5th July and 23rd October.

Thank you!

We have had a wonderful tour and would particularly like to thank Maja and Cecile of Illyria Concert Management, all the administrative and creative staff and drivers at Varazdin Baroque Evenings who looked after us so well and made everything run smoothly, the Croatian firemen and their firetruck No.13, and especially Zlatko Pavlinic, who looked after us and the harpsichord so wonderfully well.

Ludbreg Castle (22nd Sept) and Golubovic Castle (23rd Sept)

Our final 2 concerts are back in Croatia, in 2 beautiful castles both undergoing renovation. Ludbreg is a short drive from Varazdin, and is an old Roman town. There are some rather wonderful modern-day additions including a fountain that spouts local sparking white wine for one day each year on 1 April. Ludbreg is also referred to by locals as the 'centre of the world'. This tradition dates back to a legend which placed Ludbreg at the world's centre, as circles around the world were drawn with the town as a central point. Many of the world's major cities lie on the edges of these circles. After our concert we are treated to a wonderful meal in a restaurant serving locally made cheeses and cured meats. The pudding speciality is a type of sweet cheese strudel - wonderful, but not your everyday pudding!

Our final concert was several hours away from Varazdin on a journey which took us through a beautiful steep and wooded landscape. For the first time all week there was a hint of autumn in the air - a taste of weather to come back home in England. This last concert was an emotional event. Lucrezia is always an intense 16 minutes, and as well as a really enjoyable concert of Handel, Leclair and Rameau, there was sadness that the tour had come to its end. Still, we'll all meet again soon to continue rehearsals for concerts in October and November, and for our next Wigmore Hall concert on 16 December.

Our 2 audiences in Austria

For the first time on the tour there is no language barrier with the audience as Rachel speaks fluent German. We spend a lovely evening performing and chatting to our hosts and audience in an intimate venue with a beautiful acoustic. The current exhibition features some challenging portraits and photographs and Nicki comments that we have 2 audiences - those in front of us sitting round tables with glasses of wine, and those on the walls looking down at us, including some rather stern-looking portraits of people including David Bowie and William Burroughs.

Zalaegerszeg Synagogue (20th Sept) and Leibnitz (21st Sept)

Have I mentioned that we are travelling around on our tour in a City of Varazdin VW fire truck, complete with red paint and (non) flashing blue light on the roof. This is because it is the only vehicle big enough to take us plus instruments and luggage. The drivers are also very experienced, genuine firemen, although probably slightly nonplussed by their unorthodox cargo. The van causes raised eyebrows at most borders and especially when we get lost in Hungary. Our Croatian driver speaks no Hungarian or English, and we have only a few words of Croatian. We end up rationing crisps whilst waiting for someone to come and find us from the venue!

Eventually we arrive at Zalaegerszeg Synagogue, now a rather magnificent concert hall. The concert is very atmospheric and we are delighted to be staying in a hunting lodge in the middle of the forest. Again we are spoilt with food and presents and wonderful hospitality.

The next day we drive to Austria for a concert in a modern art gallery in Leibnitz. Our generous host recommends where the best strudel can be found. You might be forgiven for thinking that this tour is turning into a gastronomic extravaganza.