Fife Festival of Music News
Report from Chairman
The 40th AGM of Fife Festival of Music took place on 19th August 2020 on the digital platform Zoom when Members and Friends heard Chairman Graeme Wilson's positive and encouraging report on the year's activities.
The report encompassed the year since the 2019 AGM but was coloured by the recent decision (in recognition of current COVID-19-related restrictions to musical activity and crowd gatherings) to cancel the 2021 main Festival events. Nevertheless, FFoM had a successful year and the report reflected both that and the strong state, healthy condition and vibrancy of the Festival.
Success was noted at the seventh Festival Family Funday which took place in November 2019 at Leven's Parkhill Primary and proving very popular and successful. Support from the school and the local community was outstanding. As always, the afternoon concluded with a memorable recital given by Travelling by Tuba from Manchester.
Entries for the January/February events, the Festival's main block of work in the year, were on a par with the previous year and there were, once again, two weeks filled with music performances in Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline and Cupar. The Festival is truly one for the whole community and while many of the daytime slots are filled with school entries from Primary through to Senior school pupils, community groups dominate the evening sessions. One of the more popular events keeps growing. The Community Choir class, a non-competitive event, continues to attract entrants and requires two evenings to allow all to take part. Equally, the Community instrumental musicmaking class is a very busy evening.
The unfortunate flooding of part of the Adam Smith Theatre early in the first week may have dampened the floors but did not extend its damage to Festival operations. Although one day of operation was lost through closure of the building, Fife Cultural Trust and Fife Council worked extremely hard to repair the damage and allow the Festival to continue. Almost without exception, rescheduling of affected sessions and classes provided the opportunity for participants to take part.
FFoM's sincerity and integrity in offering trusted platform opportunities to musicians of all ages and stages continues to be a key aim of the organisation.
Financial news is always important at an AGM and Treasurer Jean Galloway presented her accounts and findings to the delight of those present. Healthy figures indicating good trading were well received, the caveat being that the Festival like many other similar organisations has to look carefully at how it proceeds. FFoM is fortunate to have many Friends and Donors, Sponsors and Advertisers who support throughout the year. Some major donations to the work of the Festival were acknowledged.
The immediate future for and activities of Fife Festival of Music will be determined by the state and the health of the nation as it navigates the challenges of COVID-19.
Graeme Wilson
Chair, Fife Festival of Music
2 September 2020
The report encompassed the year since the 2019 AGM but was coloured by the recent decision (in recognition of current COVID-19-related restrictions to musical activity and crowd gatherings) to cancel the 2021 main Festival events. Nevertheless, FFoM had a successful year and the report reflected both that and the strong state, healthy condition and vibrancy of the Festival.
Success was noted at the seventh Festival Family Funday which took place in November 2019 at Leven's Parkhill Primary and proving very popular and successful. Support from the school and the local community was outstanding. As always, the afternoon concluded with a memorable recital given by Travelling by Tuba from Manchester.
Entries for the January/February events, the Festival's main block of work in the year, were on a par with the previous year and there were, once again, two weeks filled with music performances in Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline and Cupar. The Festival is truly one for the whole community and while many of the daytime slots are filled with school entries from Primary through to Senior school pupils, community groups dominate the evening sessions. One of the more popular events keeps growing. The Community Choir class, a non-competitive event, continues to attract entrants and requires two evenings to allow all to take part. Equally, the Community instrumental musicmaking class is a very busy evening.
The unfortunate flooding of part of the Adam Smith Theatre early in the first week may have dampened the floors but did not extend its damage to Festival operations. Although one day of operation was lost through closure of the building, Fife Cultural Trust and Fife Council worked extremely hard to repair the damage and allow the Festival to continue. Almost without exception, rescheduling of affected sessions and classes provided the opportunity for participants to take part.
FFoM's sincerity and integrity in offering trusted platform opportunities to musicians of all ages and stages continues to be a key aim of the organisation.
Financial news is always important at an AGM and Treasurer Jean Galloway presented her accounts and findings to the delight of those present. Healthy figures indicating good trading were well received, the caveat being that the Festival like many other similar organisations has to look carefully at how it proceeds. FFoM is fortunate to have many Friends and Donors, Sponsors and Advertisers who support throughout the year. Some major donations to the work of the Festival were acknowledged.
The immediate future for and activities of Fife Festival of Music will be determined by the state and the health of the nation as it navigates the challenges of COVID-19.
Graeme Wilson
Chair, Fife Festival of Music
2 September 2020
For Minutes of AGM 2020 click here
A special message from the Committee of Fife Festival of Music
1st August 2020
To:
Friends of FFoM
Sponsors, Class Sponsors, Donors, Programme Advertisers
Volunteer Stewards
All Fife Schools - Headteachers, primary and secondary music teachers, Instrumental Instructors Fife Council Executive Director of Education and Children's Services
Fife Cultural Trust
Some adult group entrants
Logistics/Support: Design, Print, Venues, Piano Tuners, Removals
Press/Media: Local Editors, for publication
As a result of COVID-19 and taking account of many factors impacting on operational, admin and performance preparations, Fife Festival of Music is announcing the cancellation of its events late 2020/early 2021. The Festival's Funday in November has been cancelled and the main Festival block due in February 2021 will not take place. Everyone's safety is of paramount importance. It is with great regret and sadness that the Committee has made this decision, one which will affect music making, participation and fulfilment of the Festival's purpose.
Planning for the main January/February Festival events starts in the Spring of the previous year and by mid-August, all initial arrangements are in place. With so much uncertainty over so many aspects of life, with doubts over the long-term impact of social distancing, the behaviour of the virus itself, with question marks over availability of venues and, in particular, the great pressures on schools and their work, the Committee considered it inappropriate and impractical to pursue arrangements for February 2021.
Fife Festival of Music exists to support and encourage music making in the community and all those listed at the top of this letter are considered partners and team members in pursuit of the Festival's aims. The Festival Committee wishes to offer its thanks to all who participate and contribute to events and expresses its hope that there is full understanding of and sympathy with its decision. Be assured that the Festival will back in 2022 and will be seeking your support in whatever form possible. Meanwhile, FFoM will continue to look for any opportunities to allow it to offer platforms for music making.
The 41st Fife Festival of Music will take place between Monday 31st January and Friday 11th February 2022. Entries will close on 1st October 2021.
Graeme Wilson
Chair, Fife Festival of Music
Enquiries can be made to enquiries@ffom.org.uk
This is our 40th Anniversary Year
Fife Festival of Music enjoys the support of a great many elements in its locality - performers, parents/carers, teachers, volunteers at its events, as well as the aptly named Friends of the Festival and is grateful to all those who were part of this year's January/February Fife Festival of Music in Cupar, Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy. The publicity which the Festival receives at the hands of papers, on-line sites and voluntary organisations does a great deal to enhance its existence and for this we are also very grateful.
If you were unable to attend, you missed out on some great performances, some excellent musical sharing and a great chance to celebrate music making.
The Festival has changed in many ways since the first in 1981 but basic principles persist viz. providing a platform for the performance of music. Nowadays, there is an equal balance between competitive and non-competitive classes and a strong emphasis on encouragement and enjoyment in music making.
FFoM's next event is the popular Family Funday of Music now in its eight year, on Sunday 22nd November. The 2021 Festival will commence in the week beginning 1st February 2021.
Graeme Wilson Chairman
February 2020
If you were unable to attend, you missed out on some great performances, some excellent musical sharing and a great chance to celebrate music making.
The Festival has changed in many ways since the first in 1981 but basic principles persist viz. providing a platform for the performance of music. Nowadays, there is an equal balance between competitive and non-competitive classes and a strong emphasis on encouragement and enjoyment in music making.
FFoM's next event is the popular Family Funday of Music now in its eight year, on Sunday 22nd November. The 2021 Festival will commence in the week beginning 1st February 2021.
Graeme Wilson Chairman
February 2020
Press Launch - Fife Festival of Music 2020
Pupils from Madras College mixed voice choir
January 28th 2020 sees the start of the 40th Fife Festival of Music and the prospectus for the events during the January/February period is now available.
As always, the main aim is to provide a platform for performance, this year in Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline and Cupar. Opportunities for schools and community groups, individuals and ensembles are all catered for in both competitive and non-competitive classes and the Committee looks forward to welcoming participants and prospective audiences to ten days of exciting music-making.
Entry forms, which must be completed and returned by October 1st 2019, are available from schools, libraries and on-line, with early entries, received by September 15th, attracting a discount!
Further information can be found on the Festival’s website; ffom.org.uk and on Facebook and full details of the event will be available before things get underway in January.
Arrangements for the now firmly-established Family Fun-day in November 2019 are well underway; this will take place in Parkhll Primary School in Leven on Sunday 24th November when activities including music workshops, ‘come and try’ sessions in a variety of instruments e.g. ukulele, samba, drum kit, pipe band drumming will be available. The youngest family members can participate in drawing, face painting and enjoy the return of ‘Travelling by Tuba’.
Meantime, the committee looks forward to welcoming participants, friends and the wider community to the 40th Fife Festival of Music and hopes as many as possible will take the opportunity to join in the vibrant music-making event taking place in January/February 2020.
As always, the main aim is to provide a platform for performance, this year in Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline and Cupar. Opportunities for schools and community groups, individuals and ensembles are all catered for in both competitive and non-competitive classes and the Committee looks forward to welcoming participants and prospective audiences to ten days of exciting music-making.
Entry forms, which must be completed and returned by October 1st 2019, are available from schools, libraries and on-line, with early entries, received by September 15th, attracting a discount!
Further information can be found on the Festival’s website; ffom.org.uk and on Facebook and full details of the event will be available before things get underway in January.
Arrangements for the now firmly-established Family Fun-day in November 2019 are well underway; this will take place in Parkhll Primary School in Leven on Sunday 24th November when activities including music workshops, ‘come and try’ sessions in a variety of instruments e.g. ukulele, samba, drum kit, pipe band drumming will be available. The youngest family members can participate in drawing, face painting and enjoy the return of ‘Travelling by Tuba’.
Meantime, the committee looks forward to welcoming participants, friends and the wider community to the 40th Fife Festival of Music and hopes as many as possible will take the opportunity to join in the vibrant music-making event taking place in January/February 2020.
