Launch of the 2008 season of

The Alvarez Chamber Orchestra

Polish Embassy, January 16^th 2008

 

Honorary President: Sir Colin Davis, CH, CBE

Honorary Vice President: Maestro Zygmunt Krauze

 

 

Many interesting guests representing many different professions attended the launch:

from the film maker Tony Palmer,

 

 

to writer Alan Sillitoe, poet Ruth Fainlight, choreographer and Robert Graves'

Last Muse, Julia Simonne and biographer Miranda Seymour FRSL.

 

 

Geraldine Auerbach MBE, director of The Jewish Music Institute, the publisher Simon Campion,

and diplomat David Buckingham, Agent General for Victoria, Australia were also there.

 

 

 

International Artists' Agent Audrey Ellison (right) and one of her pianists, Eralys Fernadez;

ACO Secretary  Phillip Costen, Elzbieta Baklarz and Alan Sillitoe in the background.

 

 

Many have expressed interest in attending our concerts next November.

 

Photographer Lady Panufnik FRSP, the widow of the renowned Polish composer Andrzej Panufnik, attended the rehearsal at the Polish Embassy earlier in the day and wrote to me:

 

The rehearsal allowed me to get a good impression of your very interesting programme and I was most impressed by your own music and by your performances. I look forward to hearing more of your work.

 

 

Elżbieta Baklarz, Lady Panufnik and Geoffrey Alvarez during rehearsals

with patron Cllr. Richard Sweden in the background .

 

Majiec Lulek, Elżbieta Baklarz, Geoffrey Alvarez

 

Film maker and director Tony Palmer was similarly enthusiastic about the project:

 

The concert (and the evening) was/were fun. I enjoyed myself and loved the Polacca. Do keep me informed of progress, and the 15^th is definitely in the diary.

 

 

There was coverage on Polish Radio and Agnieszka Gradzewicz of the Polish business magazine Metropolia wrote to thank me for the enjoyable event:

 

It was a real pleasure to attend the event. I look forward to an opportunity to see

The Alvarez Chamber Orchestra in the near future.

 

 

 

Details of the concerts on 15^th and 16^th  November 2008 can be found here.

 

Conductor Geoffrey Alvarez with leader Maciej Lulek

and Pawel Potoroczyn, Director of The Polish Cultural Institute in the audience.

 

 

Our sponsors can be seen enjoying themselves here:

Illy Jaffar from Pernod-Ricard UK

 

 

and Tim Bennett-Goodman, Chair of Apex Arts: Waltham Forest Arts Council.

 

 

Flautist Rehana Browne and friend.

 

Andrew Burke CEO London Sinfonietta and Treasurer Trevor Huntley

 

 

 

Chair of ACO, Terence Sinclair, MA.

 

 

Geoffrey Alvarez' address to the guests at the launch is reproduced here.

 

Wyborowa Vodka donated by Pernod Ricard UK