Do you need a lift to avoid the February blues next year? Why not consider joining the happy group of people who will be making a bee-line for the Grand Hotel, Eastbourne from Friday 6th February until Sunday the 8th, for their London Mozart Players Weekend..... Read our latest blog from Jenny Brady, Concerts Coordinator of the LMP.....
Thirteen years - Unlucky for some, but not for the LMP Weekend at the Grand!
It was following a London Mozart Players concert sponsored by Elite Hotels at St John's, Smith Square that the idea of a musical weekend came about. That must have been in 2001, because by 2002 the Grand in Eastbourne had hosted its first LMP Weekend. A resounding success from the start, with a few minor adjustments along the way, the event has since become a staple date in the Grand's diary.
Thinking about it, the Weekend is really about breaking down barriers. Well it's not intentionally, but it's doing something really quite special. Classical music is considered elities, and has battled with this reputation for some years. In a normal concert situation, the audience will enter and leave via one door, and the musicians will enter and leave through another door. There is a clear boundary between the audience and the stage, and these are rarely crossed by either party. Except that is, at the LMP Eastbourne Weekend. Renowned for being one of the most down-to-earth and friendly orchestras, the LMP musicians are real advocates for personally engaging their audience, and the weekend facilitates this perfectly.
Apart from the dazzling professional concerts on Friday and Saturday evenings, there is also an optional illustrated talk, where one of the members will take a piece from the programme and break it down for the audience's benefit. These are often not only informative and educational but also quite entertaining. People come to learn that the musicians are really interesting and humorous characters, they get to see the personalities behind the instruments, tailcoats and gowns. These is also the opportunity to attend an 'open rehearsal', whereby guests can sit in on the creative process, and observe how musical decisions are made. It's fascinating watching and listening to the discussion, and offers a backstage pass to those who have always wondered what happened before a performance.
The musicians also join the audience for dinner, and you often see guests squirm with delight when they find themselves next to our principal cellist or viola! Another opportunity to engage further with these talented and charismatic people. I think it's also quite important to state that the members of the orchestra hope that they are booked for LMP Eastbourne Weekend! They genuinely enjoy the whole experience.
It's always hard to choose a highlight after twelve amazing years, but one that came to mind was the year the acclaimed pianist and LMP Conductor Laureate Howard Shelley came to the Grand. The popularity og the weekend had been growing steadily for some years, but when we booked Howard, we were anticipating a higher capacity. Since them, seemingly sold on the whole experience with or without Howard, we continue to grow each year.
So if you enjoy good company, good food, world-class classical music making, and wonderful hospitality in a stunning setting, together with little novelties-turned-features such as Jonathan, the General Manager's, weather report before the Friday evening concert, there are very clear reasons why this weekend has become a staple in many diaries, (as well our own and the Grand's) and why it should become one of yours!
For more information on the 2015 programme click on The London Mozart Players