Dear Friends of Orchestral Music,

So much has happened in the last 6 months.

In order to get the new financial year off to a clean start, we had a lengthy Annual General Meeting to approve the 2015 Annual Financial Statements (AFS), and to approve in principle the 2016 AFS. Assuming that nothing untoward comes to light in the finalisation stage, our accountants will have the 2016 AFS completed in the next 2 months.

Now that FOM is registered both as a non profit organization and a public benefit organization, the financial results play a much more critical role. Unfortunately, despite lots of advertising, attendance by members at the AGM was very poor which was embarrassing especially as we had our first AGM recital presented by the excellent UCT Trio (lead by one of our beneficiaries) to finish off the proceedings.

We sincerely thank the 7 members and 6 committee members who attended. Add to this the 12 apologies and 25 proxies received, we had a quorum but would have valued a full house to add weight and opinion to our hearty discussions. It is your organization and it is the only way you have of knowing where, and how, your funds, donations and ticket revenue is spent. We need to be assured of better attendance in future years and appeal to you all to make this an annual event in your FOM calendar. We intend to follow all future AGM’s with recitals – ideally by those to whom FOM has granted financial assistance for their studies.

Your committee has been extremely active.

Over the next four months we will host the following exciting events for the benefit of our members and to raise funds:

August Soirée
Miss Lucienne Renaudin Vary (trumpet), who debuts with the CPO in the opening concert of the Spring Season on Thursday 24 August, and Francois du Toit will present a concert of classical and light music in the Ball Room at The Table Bay Hotel on Monday 21 August.

The soiree opens with a cash bar from 17h15 in the Ball Room foyer. The concert commences at 18h00, with two 30 minute sessions separated by a 30 minute interval. As is usual, seating is unreserved. Ticket prices are R300 each for members and R350 each for non-members which includes complimentary wine and canapés which will be served during the interval. Credit card booking for this soiree opens on Friday 28 July 2017 at Artscape Dial a Seat by dialling 021 421 7695. If you wish to pay on the night, please let us know and we will ensure we have a credit card machine available at the venue. Please note that EFT payments to FOM for soiree and Gala tickets are no longer possible as we are now contracted with Dial a Seat.

September Quiz (Pending Venue)
Our annual quiz is postponed from its usual August slot due to the loss of our venue at The Glen Country Club. At the moment we are struggling to find a venue large enough and appropriately laid out for this tremendous function. We are aiming to solve this in time to convene the quiz in September. We will publish a News Flash in due course.

October Soirée
Christopher Duigan will present popular classics in the Ball Room at The Table Bay Hotel on Sunday 08 October. The Ball Room foyer opens with a cash bar from 17h15. The concert commences at 18h00, with two 30 minute sessions separated by a 30 minute interval. As is usual, seating is unreserved. Ticket prices are R300 each for members and R350 each for non-members which includes complimentary wine and canapés which will be served during the interval. Credit card booking for this soiree opens on Monday 14 August 2017 at Artscape Dial a Seat by dialling 021 421 7695. If you wish to pay on the night, please let us know and we will ensure we have a credit card machine available at the venue. Please note that EFT payments to FOM for soiree and Gala tickets are no longer possible as we are now contracted with Dial a Seat.

November Gala
The FOM GALA 2017 will be presented with the CPO on Thursday 02 November 2017 at 20h00 in The Cape Town City Hall.We are delighted to announce that internationally renowned cellist Zuill Bailey will be playing the Saint- Saëns Cello Concerto No.1, Op.33 with Maestro Bernhard Gueller on the podium.

The Gala programme is as follows:

Reznicek: Overture to Donna Diana
Schonken: Premiere FOM Commissioned Work to be announced at the Gala
Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto No.1, Op.33
Massenet: Meditation from Thaïs
INTERVAL
Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43

Tickets prices are being kept the same as last year – R450 for members and R500 for non- members. Please remember that the Gala is a fund raising event and does not form part of your CTPO subscription. Your usual subscriber seats are therefore not blocked for you and you will need to book as soon as possible to make sure you get your usual seats!

Credit card booking for the Gala opens on Monday 14 August 2017 at Artscape Dial a Seat by dialling 021 421 7695. Please note that EFT payments to FOM for soiree and Gala tickets are no longer possible as we are now contracted with Dial a Seat.

Only those members who have already paid for 2017 are on the valid membership list on Dial a Seat’s system to qualify for Gala member ticket prices and to be admitted to the Gala Function after the performance.

These members must present themselves at the FOM Hospitality Table in The City Hall Foyer on the Gala evening to collect their free admission wrist bands for the Gala Function after the performance.
This function is strictly for FOM members only and we regret non-members will not be admitted – whether accompanied by FOM member/s or not.

FOM is yours.
Our cause is great and good.
Our target is to raise R400 000.00 this year.
You are key to achieving this by supporting all these events and donating to FOM.
No donation is too small and every cent given will be given to the CPO, orchestral music in our region and to assist deserving music students fund their studies.

With best wishes,
Rod Stevens
Chairperson
Friends of Orchestral Music