Oxford Symphony Orchestra – Annual report for the season 2021/2022
The society performed as follows this season:
13[th] November 2021
Beethoven Leonora Overture no.3 Walton Violin Concerto (Eunsley Park) Dvorak Symphony no.9 “From the New World” 12[th] March 2022 Goldmark Vi olin Concerto (Freya Goldmark) Mahler Symphony no.6 18[th] June 2022 Stravinsky Divertimento from Le Baiser de la Fée Strauss Horn Concerto no.2 (Richard Watkins) Brahms Symphony no.1 TRUCK FESTIVAL 23[rd] July 2022 The Beatles Songs from A Hard Day’s Night and Help! Alan Silverstri Back to the Future Queen Crazy Little Thing Called Love Bowie Starman Abba Gimme, Gimme, Gimme Elton John Crocodile Rock Eric Coates Knightsbridge March (London Suite) Strauss Tritsch Tratsch Polka op214 Gounod Faust Ballet music: Dance de Phryne Tchaikovsky Dance of the Cygnets from Swan Lake (Suite) Brahms Hungarian Dance no.5 (arr E.Diz) (Chloe Prins) Vivaldi Presto from Summer (Chloe Prins)
The season saw the Oxford Symphony Orchestra return to a regular programme of rehearsing and performing following the Covid pandemic. It was readily apparent that we shared the sheer joy of making music together again and felt reinvigorated. That the orchestra remains in such good shape musically, numerically, financially and socially reflects the positive “can-do” approach of the committee. While wishing to minimise losses that might have resulted from cancellations, it took the view that the orchestra must return to its core activities at the earliest opportunity. I’m pleased to note we have now performed all four programmes that we had planned for 2020 and 2021, the only alterations being the changes of soloist for Strauss and Bruch concertos.
Our opening programme last season was indeed fortuitously selected: an overture celebrating freedom from oppression and a symphony breathing the air of another world. In between were the considerable but fascinating challenges of accompanying Walton’s soulful violin concerto with Eunsley Park as our excellent soloist.
Mahler and Goldmark were colleagues in Vienna in the last part of the 19[th] century and we invited Freya Goldmark, a distant relative of the composer, to perform his now partially neglected Violin Concerto alongside the younger composer’s colossal 6[th] Symphony. There were discussions behind the scenes as to whether it was prudent to perform this gargantuan work at this time, but
having worked out that cancelling this project would lose roughly the same amount as cancelling a more modest project, the committee boldly agreed to continue as planned. What a thrill this gave us all! Quintuple woodwinds, 8 horns, a huge array of percussion and an assistant conductor. It was very exciting starting work in January and the excitement only increased as the rehearsals progressed, each additional group of players providing new sonic elements. We are especially grateful to Chris Fletcher-Campbell for masterminding the supply of percussion instruments that included, memorably, a hammer purchased specially for the occasion and some beautifully sonorous cowbells. When future generations read the archives of our orchestra (which now span more than 120 years) they will want to know that, rightly or wrongly, the conductor decided that we would play the slow movement before the scherzo.
Our third concert was given in the Sheldonian and we were able to engage world-renowned horn player Richard Watkins to replace the indisposed Pip Eastop. Richard wowed us all with his beautiful quality of tone, his effortless technique and his encouraging charm. The Stravinsky proved to be an unusual and ultimately satisfying opener to the programme and the orchestra gave an individual and memorable performance of Brahms’ well-loved 1[st] Symphony, a work it hadn’t performed since 1997.
We rounded off the season with a fourth performance at the Truck Festival, which was enthusiastically received by several thousand real-live festival goers and several million TikTok viewers. The surreal twirling balletdancing mosh-pit during Gounod’s Faust was one of many highlights. Our glamorous young soloist Chloe Prins kept her nerve playing Vivaldi and Brahms before the chanting audience, afterwards writing to the conductor:
I cannot thank you enough for such an amazing opportunity, it was an absolute pleasure to play with the orchestra, Sophie and yourself. You really pulled the orchestra together with your fab conducting skills and enthusiasm towards the audience. Surprisingly, it made me really realise how young people can enjoy classical music in such a crazy setting and I felt welcomed by the friendly atmosphere…No Rock Festivals I have been to have had such a crazy but friendly atmosphere.
We were grateful that Sophie Lockett could stand in for an indisposed Mariette on the day. Thanks to Grace, Joel and Sally for the extra effort they put in to make this work so smoothly and enjoyably.
Your committee puts in a huge amount of effort with great enthusiasm throughout the year and I am very grateful to all its members for the kind and supportive way they help me bring our various plans to fruition. Sally has taken over from Grace as our chair and I have greatly appreciated her thoughtful advice. This year Stephen has helped plan the conducting masterclass, in addition to all the other work he does for the orchestra. Among many other things, he has been writing amusingly erudite minutes of the committee meetings for many years but now feels that the time is ripe for him to hand over such tasks. Thank you Stephen! Matthias continues to keep tabs on the orchestra’s finances, as a result these are currently enviably secure, which is as much a testament of his sound management as it is of HMRC’s largesse in generously handing back to the orchestra a couple of thousand pounds each year that the orchestra hadn’t given them in the first place. Sally dispatches the Librarian’s considerable activities with enthusiasm and efficiency. Dominic and Jill see that our rehearsal and performance venues are sorted for us; Helen
works with Sharon to keep our publicity on track and again we are grateful to Paul for the excellent programmes he produces three times a year. We are so pleased that Diana, who keeps tabs on the membership, is now back in her regular seat in the 1[st] violins. Joel’s and Jill’s visits to pubs post-rehearsal or at the end of the season respectively have added a welcome building-block to the orchestra’s social fabric. All our thanks go to Mariette for her dedicated leading week in, week out, and for her stylish violin solos in between.
Part of our mission is to encourage young soloists by giving them the opportunity to rehearse and perform with us. It is thrilling that after some of them have won prizes at the Leeds Piano Competition they are happy to come and perform with us again. 5[th] prize-winner Thomas Kelly will play Rach 2 with us next term and we are hoping that the winner Alim Beisembayev will play a Prokofiev concerto with us next season.
At long last we are organising the much discussed Conducting Masterclass next week and we have exciting plans to commission a new work for the orchestra to perform next season from a local young composer, Sarah Frances Jenkins, who has already distinguished herself with performances of her music by the BBC Concert Orchestra at the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall and with commissions from the Vale of Glamorgan, Presteigne and Corbridge Festivals.
Robert concluded by thanking all members for their engaged playing, consistent attendance at rehearsal, understanding when things don’t quite go to plan, their interest, their encouragement and their enthusiasm for all things OSO
OXORD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Registered Charity No 284339 YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
SECTION A STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
| 31-Aug-22 | 31-Aug-21 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |||
| Incoming resources: | F01=F04 | F05 | ||
| Donations | S01 | 15,821.44 | 5,148.04 | |
| Charitable activities | S02 | 15,354.29 | - | |
| Investments | S04 | 3.86 | 3.86 | |
| Total | S07 | 31,179.59 | 5,151.90 | |
| Resources expended: | ||||
| Raising funds | S08 | 3,143.39 | 407.00 | |
| Charitable activities | S09 | 19,879.45 | 2,613.42 | |
| Other | S11 | - | - | |
| Total | S12 | 23,022.84 | 3,020.42 | |
| Net income/(expenditure) | S15 | 8,156.75 | 2,131.48 | |
| Total funds brought forward | S21 | 38,083.88 | 35,952.40 | |
| Total funds carried forward | S22 | 46,240.63 | 38,083.88 | |
| SECTION B BALANCE SHEET | ||||
| Fixed assets | B05 | - | - | |
| Current assets | ||||
| Debtors | B07 | 25,000.00 | 6,000.00 | |
| Cash at bank and in hand | B09 | 36,977.85 | 32,161.88 | |
| Total current assets | B10 | 61,977.85 | 38,161.88 | |
| Creditors: amounts falling due within one year | B11 | 15,737.22 | 78.00 | |
| Total net assets or liabilities | B16 | 46,240.63 | 38,083.88 | |
| Funds of the Charity | ||||
| Unrestricted funds | B19 | 46,240.63 | 38,083.88 | |
| Total funds | B21 | 46,240.63 | 38,083.88 | |
| SECTION C Notes to the Accounts | ||||
| Note 3 | Analysis of income | |||
| Donations and legacies | ||||
| Donations and gifts | - | - | ||
| Gift Aid | 2,136.44 | 768.04 | ||
| General grants | - | 500.00 | ||
| Membership subs and sponsorship | 13,685.00 | 3,880.00 | ||
| Total | 15,821.44 | 5,148.04 | ||
| Charitable activities | ||||
| Ticket sales | 9,875.00 | - | ||
| Programme sales | 439.29 | - | ||
| Music hire | 40.00 | - | ||
| Engagement Receipts | 5,000.00 | - | ||
| Total | 15,354.29 | - | ||
| Income from investments | ||||
| Interest income | 3.86 | 3.86 | ||
| Total | 3.86 | 3.86 | ||
| TOTAL INCOME | 31,179.59 | 5,151.90 |
OXORD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Registered Charity No 284339 YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2022
SECTION C Notes to the Accounts (cont)
Note 6 Analysis of expenditure
| Expenditure on raising funds | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating a trading company | - | - | ||
| Marketing and publicity | 2,605.92 | - | ||
| Administration cost | 537.47 | 407.00 | ||
| Total | 3,143.39 | 407.00 | ||
| Expenditure on charitable activities | ||||
| OSOP Ltd commission fee (after OTR) | 15,534.98 | 78.00 | ||
| Rehearsal payments | - | - | ||
| Concert payments | 821.14 | - | ||
| Engagement payments | 3,321.09 | 2,535.42 | ||
| Total | 19,677.21 | 2,613.42 | ||
| Other expenditure | - | - | ||
| TOTAL EXPENDITURE | 22,820.60 | 3,020.42 | ||
| Note | 19 | Debtors and prepayments | ||
| Analysis of debtors | ||||
| Trade debtors | 25,000.00 | 6,000.00 | ||
| Prepayment and accrued income | - | - | ||
| Other debtors | - | - | ||
| Total | 25,000.00 | 6,000.00 | ||
| Analysis of debtors recoverable in more than one year | ||||
| Trade debtors | 2,000.00 | 4,000.00 | ||
| Note | 20 | Creditors and accruals | ||
| Analysis of creditors | ||||
| Trade creditors | 15,737.22 | 78.00 | ||
| Other creditors | - | - | ||
| Total | 15,737.22 | 78.00 | ||
| Note | 22 | Other disclosures for debtors and creditors | ||
| Information about debtors and creditors | ||||
| Trade Debtor: Trading subsiduary OSOP Ltd | 25,000.00 | 6,000.00 | ||
| Total debtors | 25,000.00 | 6,000.00 | ||
| Trade creditor: Trading subsiduary OSOP Ltd | 15,534.98 | 78.00 | ||
| Trade creditor: outstanding PRS payments | 202.24 | - | ||
| Total creditors | 15,737.22 | 78.00 |
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report lo the tru6teesl member8 of l?rnl On accountg for the •r ondod Charlty no Ilf any) zi+qqg Set out on pag•8 I report to Ihe Iruslee$ on my examinaljon of the accounts ol the 8bove charity I'lhe Trusl'l for the year ended iiu i MM i Y )- Y i. ry I I I Xi li R•sponslbllltl•s and As the charity trustees of the Tiust, you are responsible for th8 prep8rallon bas18 of report of the accounts In accordancg with the requiremenls of the Charitiès Acl 20111'lhe Act.). I rep1 In respect of my examination of the Trust's 8ccounls ¢arrhd out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examinauon, I have followed lh6 applicable Dir8Glions given by the Charity Commisslon under Sèdlon 1451Sllbl of the Acl. I havg complolod my examinatlon, I confirm th81 no malerfal matters hav om8 to my all8nlion fh1dI#08ed4)e1w-11n connècllon with the ex8minallon which glves me cause to b81ieve that in. any malerlal r8spècl'. accounting were not kept In acGordanGe with section 130 of th$ Act or the accounts do not accord wllh the OUntIng r8cord$ Indopondent examlner's statement l ttave no conc8rns and have come across no other tnalters in conn8Ction with the exominalion lo which attention should be drawn in order lo enable proper under8tsndlng of the a¢counl$ lo bo reached. ' Hease delete e words In the brackets If they do not 8ppIy. Slgned: Dat•". Nam•: R•l•vant prof•8$lonal quallflcatlonl$l or body (If anyl: I LAW) Y&olo*S Address: IER October 2018