Experience playing with an orchestra
THE Hillingdon Philharmonic Orchestra is hosting a special Repertoire Day for local musicians to come and try out the orchestra.
All instrumental players grade 7 and above are warmly invited to join the group for this special day. You don’t have to be an existing orchestra member to take part.
The aim of day is simply to have fun with music and to experience the magic of playing with a full orchestra without the pressure of performance.
Musicians who take part will have the chance to play through a selection of classical favourites including Dvorak’s Symphony No.6, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.5, Strauss’s ‘Wine, Women and Song Waltz’, Wagner’s Prelude to ‘ Tristan and Isolde’, Coates’s ‘By the Sleepy Lagoon’ and many more.
Now proceeding through its 34th season, the Hillingdon Philharmonic Orchestra has become well established in the local area with more than 60 registered members, and has performed an incredibly wide and varied repertoire of works over the years.
In addition to countless concerts at local venues throughout Hillingdon, the group has also performed at some of London’s most prestigious venues including the Queen Elizabeth Hall and Southwark Cathedral.
In July 2011 the group celebrated 25 years of music making at the Cadogan Hall in Sloane Square.
The Repertoire Day will run from 10am to 4pm on Sunday, February 2 at Bishopshalt School, Royal Lane, Uxbridge, UB8 3RF.
Musicians who wish to play, will need to pay £20 on the day (£10 for those still in education or currently unemployed). To request a place contact Vivien Jackson on: 07721 921832 or via email at: hpohonsec@ aol.com .
For further information see: www. hillingdonphil.btck.co.uk
STANDING up in Parliament for the first time to give your ‘maiden speech’ as a newly elected Member of Parliament is a unique – and uniquely nerve-wracking – experience.
It is uniquely nerve-wracking because, no matter what experience you have had of giving speeches before, speaking in the chamber of the House of Commons for the first time brings on the nerves. But it is also unique because MPs are allowed to spend time thanking and praising their constituency before getting onto the political debate.
So I began my maiden speech on January 16 by giving my heartfelt thanks to the people of Ealing North for putting their trust in me to be your MP. It is the honour of my life to represent the place where I grew up. I also took the opportunity to thank one resident of Ealing North in particular: my predecessor, Steve Pound, for the enormous support he gave me over the course of the election.
When Steve and I met people during the campaign, he inspired the most amazing warmth and affection. He was unfailingly kind and generous when introducing me: he would tell people that I would be just as diligent an MP as he had been, but with more hair.
As I said in my speech, I won’t be able to guarantee my hairline forever – but I know that nothing will recede about my determination to work tirelessly for the people of Ealing North.
On the day I was giving my maiden speech, lots of other MPs wanted to speak too, so there was a time limit of six minutes. But that was still enough time for me to mention a few highlights of Ealing North: Horsenden Hill (where I use to fly my kite as a boy); Pitshanger Park (where I used to collect conkers with my grandmother 30 years ago); the greenery along the River Brent; and Northala Fields.
I also managed to mention some of our local community groups and places of faith who have already invited to meet them. If you’re reading this and would like to invite me to any group you’re involved with, please get in touch.
As I said in my maiden speech, I will work for you day in, day out – and I am determined to do all I can to build a fairer future for Ealing North, our country, and our world.