Music lovers in Kirklees are being asked to vote with their feet to help save the annual classical concert series in Huddersfield and Dewsbury Town Halls.
Launching the programme for the new – and possibly last of its kind – series, which starts in September, the director of the Orchestra of Opera North, Phil Boughton, says: “We are fighting for its existence. We are fighting for classical music.”
Phil took up his post in September last year and is determined to do what he can so that public performances of classical music can continue at the two town halls.
He says that Opera North and Kirklees Council are currently engaged in talks to see what can be done. “I arrived at a troubled time,” he explained.
“On day one I was told that there is no concert series after this one and we are not sure what is going to happen. Kirklees is in a difficult position, because we are not going to win the debate over essential services; we will never win over potholes and hospitals. But there is a commitment from Kirklees to make it work, although any future series will be different from what we have now.”
In the meantime Opera North has planned a programme packed with popular classical music in a bid to attract bigger audiences.
As Phil says: “There is work to be done to reach more people. Classical music is often accused of being elitist - and it’s true that the players have to be the elite in order to maintain the high standards. The performers need to be at the top of the game, but anyone can listen to them.
“Everyone knows a piece of classical music. Sometimes the audience looks at a title and doesn’t know what the piece is going to sound like, but then we hear a sigh at the point where they recognise it. We have decided to bring some of the more popular repertoire back into the concert hall.”
The prestigious arrangement between council and opera company, which brings world-class musicians to the town halls and subsidised ticket prices, began in 2002, continuing the long tradition of public concerts at the venues.
However, swingeing council budget cuts have to be made, including in the arts.
Already, the Kirklees Music School has suffered cutbacks.
One of Phil’s Opera North colleagues, cellist Jessica Burroughs, spoke out against the loss of music services at a concert in Huddersfield Town Hall earlier in the summer.
She made the point that free music lessons as a child had enabled her to pursue a career as a professional musician. Phil, who is a trombonist, says that he is also the product of a time when music provision was considered important enough to be funded by education authorities.
“I am from Humberside and grew up in Scunthorpe,” he said.
“Music lessons were provided there and if you got to grade 8 with a distinction you could have lessons from the performer of your choice.” He chose to travel to Opera North for trombone tutorials.
Phil believes that getting young people interested in classical music is one of the keys to securing the future of concerts.
“Every concert in the new season will have an afternoon rehearsal and there is no reason why we can’t invite schools to come and listen,” he said.
“We need to make more of the schools and community work in Kirklees, rather than just coming, doing a concert, and leaving. We need to let people know what we’re doing and people need to vote with their feet.”
The new season launches at Huddersfield Town Hall on Thursday, September 17, with a rousing programme of Wagner and Strauss by the Orchestra of Opera North.
The October concert, by the Royal Northern Sinfonia, is a Paddington Bear Family Concert, a work that Opera North also performs and is, says Phil, a perfect introduction to the orchestra for children.
In December the Orchestra of Opera North will be taking a Viennese Whirl - always one of the most popular concerts in the season - and there’s a Christmas concert planned for Dewsbury Town Hall earlier in the festive season.
Dewsbury’s programme of four concerts opens on Thursday, October 15, with what Phil calls a “real barnstorming” concert of Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. The series also includes lunchtime concerts.
Kirklees sells season tickets for the series, from £25.50 at Dewsbury and £37.50 in Huddersfield for all concerts at the individual venues (they go on sale from July 27).
Single tickets, which cost from £9 or £10 can be bought for any of the concerts.
There are also concessions - with tickets for just £1 for children under 13 and £4 for the 14 to 26-year-olds.
For details visit www.kirklees.gov.uk/townhalls or call 01484 223200.
