I am delighted to present the Annual Review of activities for our 2009/2010 season.

Our Music Club Awards Scheme auditions took place in early October 2009. 13 chamber ensembles were chosen for audition following applications from almost 40 groups. The number of concerts awarded was 20 for the 2010/11 season. The principal Award Winners chosen were the Idomeneo Quartet (string quartet), Nephele Ensemble (flute and string trio), Ashok Klouda and Joseph Middleton (cello & piano duo) and the Piatti Quartet (string quartet). A full list of forthcoming concerts can be seen under by clicking here.

The Music Club Awards Scheme season given by our 2008 Award Winners got under way in November 2009 and was completed in February 2010. It was a record season for the Trust supporting six groups in a total of 33 concerts. All six 2008 Award Winners, the Bozza Ensemble, the Dyad Percussion Duo, the Finzi Quartet, Higham/Lane Duo, Hoot & Liquid Architecture were much enjoyed in Music Clubs from Dumfries in the Borders, Inverness and Thurso in the North, to Skye, Islay and Arran in the Western Isles.

The 2010 Blair Atholl Showcase took place from the 1st to 8th May at Lude House, Blair Atholl. 14 wonderful young musicians attended this year’s event. Thanks to typical generosity from the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation in particular, the event broke even this year. Audience numbers were healthy and all the young musicians benefited hugely from our wonderful Tutors’ care and support.

The 2011 Blair Atholl Showcase will take place at Lude in Blair Atholl from 18th to 26th June.

Fundraising in 2009/10 proved more successful than during the tricky preceding year. Support for the Awards Scheme continued from the Samuel Gardner Trust and the D’Oyly Carte Trust. We were delighted that after a break of some years that the Radcliffe Trust supported the Awards Scheme with a very generous grant of £4,000. Funding for the Blair Atholl event continued from the ever supportive Esmee Fairbairn Foundation. Generous help was also forthcoming from the PF, Lendrum and Bacher Trusts. Individual donations were also most generous during the year. We are extremely grateful to all who have supported the Trust over the past year.

Whilst the Trust ran a small operating loss during the year it is hoped, given the positive notes on fund raising in year, that we are successful in raising suitable funding for the core activities in 2010/11.

Our 2010 Auditions for the Music Club Awards Scheme took place on 13th October 2010 in London. We are delighted to announce that the Fournier Trio (piano trio), Greenwich Trio (piano trio), Nemtsov Duo (cello & piano) and the Renard Ensemble (wind trio) have been awarded 20 concerts between then for the 2011/2012 season.


Jonathan Tunnell artistic director