From: Brian Foster [info_at_oxfordmaymusic_dot_co_dot_uk]

Sent: 26 January 2018 15:29

Subject: Oxford May Music Festival, May 3rd - 7th, 2018

Dear Friends,

        Jack and I are pleased to send you details of the 11th Festival programme in the attached flyer. We are pleased that the Festival will again be completely at St John the Evangelist, Iffley Road. The extensive and flexible facilities there mean that we can continue to expand the Festival in new directions. This year we will have an exhibition of folios and gouaches created by George Nama in response to Alfred Brendel's poetry (previously read by the author at the festival in 2014). Their first collaboration, Devils' Pageant was created in 2001, marking the beginning of an artistic partnership and an enduring friendship. The two artists have since worked together on four folios featured in this exhibition. We hope that George will be able to join us for the opening of the Festival and the Exhibition.

There is good news and bad news. The bad news first: we regret that continuing difficulty in raising corporate sponsorship means that we have had to increase prices across the board for Festival events in 2018. In addition, we have decided to shorten the Festival by one day, so that the events will now begin on Thursday May 3rd. This will produce a further necessary saving in costs. We are very grateful for the numerous Friends who have come forward either to renew their subscriptions early and/or to donate very substantial sums for the Festival. Without this help, it is doubtful that we would have been able to hold the 2018 Festival. If you have not already, please consider becoming a Friend in order to safeguard the Festival's future. Details can be found at http://www.oxfordmaymusic.co.uk/become-a-friend/

The good news is that Oxford May Music will once again be bringing science, music and the arts together in creative harmony in 2018. As usual, the format will consist of lectures generally starting at 5:30pm and recitals at 8:00pm, except for Bank Holiday Monday, when the events are at 4pm and 6pm. In addition, there are early afternoon concerts on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Other good news is that we have decided to make all events once again free for young people between the ages of 8 and 25, irrespective of whether the concerts qualify for Cavatina Trust funding. The support of Cavatina is continuing, for which we are most grateful. Lecturers this year include well-known author and broadcaster, Professor Frank Close, who will be telling a fascinating true story of scientists, spies, MI5 and music, all taking place in the environs of Oxford.  We are delighted to welcome internationally acclaimed artists visiting the Festival for the first time, such as Julian Bliss (clarinet), Craig Ogden (guitar) and the Silver-Garburg piano duo. A host of other distinguished musicians are returning to the festival including Thomas Carroll (cello), Danny Driver (piano), Simon Oswell (viola), Filipe Pinto-Ribeiro (piano) and Sasha Sitkovetsky (violin). Further details on the Festival and the programme can be found on our web site http://www.oxfordmaymusic.co.uk/ , which is now updated and live.

Once again, please consider whether  you can help to secure the Festival's future by becoming a Friend. We expect Tickets Oxford to be selling tickets by next week but you can purchase tickets from now via http://www.oxfordmaymusic.co.uk/tickets , where further details on free tickets for young people and concessions are available. The free tickets for young people can only be booked through our web site.

We look forward to seeing you at the Festival; please reply to this email if you have any questions.

Best wishes,

Jack & Brian

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Brian Foster OBE, FRS
Donald H. Perkins Professor of Experimental Physics

Room 611
Denys Wilkinson Building

University of Oxford,
Keble Road,
Oxford OX1 3RH
tel: +44 1865-273323
fax:                 -273417