Dedicated to our friends – Sue Peters

BPO’s concerts in February 2020 celebrate the lives of recently departed members of our orchestra; Mike Syrett (Bassoon), Sue Peters (Bassoon), Richard Elliott (Tuba) and Tony Smith (Violin).

Performing with us for over forty-five years, Sue will be remembered for her liveliness, sense of humour and enthusiasm, qualities reflected in the music she always wanted BPO to perform, Enescu’s first Romanian Rhapsody. Sue played it aged fifteen at her principal oboe audition for the Midland Youth Orchestra and her love of the piece never left her.

Sue joined BPO as second oboe, but left to have two children. Unwilling to stay away for long, she wanted to return to the oboe section, but her place had been filled. After a stint as a percussionist, Sue discovered a spare bassoon to borrow at Redditch Orchestra, where she had continued to play oboe. Sue taught herself to play bassoon and eventually proved able enough to take up BPO’s second bassoon position, alongside Mike Syrett – a partnership that lasted twenty-five years. It was only when one of her sons moved to Peru and started a family that Sue decided it was time to leave the orchestra. Travel became very important to her, with trips to the Galápagos Islands and Ecuador, North America, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

Sue’s passion for Renaissance and Baroque music led her to become a driving force behind the Arden Consort and Lachrimae Consort, both Midlands-based ensembles focusing on music for recorders, viols, lutes and other instruments of the period; and as well as BPO, Sue was deeply involved with the Sinfonia of Birmingham as a performer, tour organiser and serving as secretary and chairman.

Thanks to Colin Butterworth for this tribute to Sue.

We will be performing our concert in memory of our friends on Sunday 2 February, 7:30 pm at Chipping Camden School (TICKETS) and on Sunday 9 February, 3:00 pm at the Elgar Concert Hall, University of Birmingham (TICKETS).

Williams – Hymn to the Fallen

Ian Rae – Pacific Concerto (first performance)

Enescu – Romanian Rhapsody No 1

Mahler – Symphony No 5: Adagietto

Elgar – Enigma Variations

 

 

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