Nicola Lisle reports on Witney Music Society’s upcoming performances

History will be repeating itself when the Witney Music Society’s 50th anniversary season gets under way next week.

Pianist Martin Jones – who was born in Witney and was a chorister at Magdalen College School – played in the society’s inaugural season in 1965, returning to play again in 1975 and 1977.

Now he is coming back to play in this season’s opening concert and he is celebrating a rather special anniversary of his own.

“We had been wondering if there was anybody around who had performed during the first season,” says chairman Tom Jones. “And it seemed that Martin Jones, who has had a very distinguished career as a pianist, had performed in that first season.

“Then, out of the blue, came an email from his agent saying that Martin was doing a 75th birthday tour and he would love to include his birthplace in his tour. So that was perfect.

“He’s a most exciting pianist, who plays a lot of virtuoso stuff, so we’re looking forward immensely to having him open our season.”

The official anniversary concert follows on November 13, the closest to the date of the first-ever concert, and features five members of the seven-strong Aronowitz Ensemble.

“We thought that would be the concert to centre things around, and we thought we would get a very special group for this concert,” Tom says.

“We have followed the Aronowitz Ensemble with great interest for many years, partly because it includes Tom Poster, who comes from Oxford and has played for us before.

“Also, Tom Hankey, the viola player, is from Standlake. He performed for us when he was 10, and gave a most accomplished performance.

“Apart from those local connections, the Aronowitz did seem to us to be one of the best chamber music ensembles in the country at the moment.

“They’re giving us the ideal concert, because they like to work in different combinations. So in the course of one evening we will have a string quartet, a cello and piano sonata and a piano quintet.”

Fortunately, Tom is not in the least bit superstitious about the fact that the concert will take place on Friday the 13th.

“We always have our concerts on the second Friday of each month, so we’re used to it,” he chuckles. “It happens quite often!”

Rounding off the season next March is another man with local connections – Oxford Lieder Festival founder Sholto Kynoch, who was born near Burford, and who will be performing with his own ensemble, the Phoenix Piano Trio.

In between are three concerts featuring a crop of rising stars, all winners of prestigious awards.

“We always take prize-winners from the Countess of Munster Musical Trust and the Making Music Philip and Dorothy Green awards,” explains vice chair Jean Richards.

“They’re younger artists so they’re less expensive, but they are of known quality. We’ve never yet had a bad one from these awards – they’re always outstanding.”

This year the young performers include soprano Alison Rose and pianist Matthew Fletcher.

Where and when
50th Anniversary Season 
Opening: Martin Jones
Wood Green School
Friday, October 9, 7.30pm
witneymusicsociety.org.uk