A light-hearted introduction to chamber music has been created to help raise funds for musicians whose lives have been undermined by the pandemic.
The 76-page book written by Roger Higson and Roger Chapman, with illustrations by Chapman, covers everything you need to know on the subject – including musical instruments, ensembles, famous chamber works, venues, music societies, music festivals and much more.
Roger Higson says: ‘All of us who work with musicians are very aware of their dire plight following the almost complete shutdown of the music industry in the Covid pandemic. Very many music societies around the country have had to cancel concerts and we are very aware of the financial hardship that so many of our musicians have been facing. We felt that this would be a good way of supporting them as well as spreading the message about the joys of chamber music’.
The book costs £12 and is available here.
'Informative, entertaining, and thoroughly useful. Just wish we could have had it two years ago when we started to get interested.' JA
Roger Higson was a GP in Masham for 40 years with a lifelong interest in music. On retirement he took over as chairman of Ripon Concerts (formerly known as the Cathedral Concert Society), which stages monthly chamber music concerts from October to March in Ripon (when there isn’t a pandemic!).
Roger Chapman served with the Green Howards before leading expeditions to remote parts of the world. He then became director of The Green Howards museum in Richmond. He has written and illustrated books about his expeditions, military history and guides to Yorkshire Brass band music, Military Brass band music and a short guide to the orchestra.
The book was written during the first lockdown and published in early October. Higson says: ‘Our rationale was to use the caricatures of musicians that Roger Chapman drew during each of our concerts to produce something that introduces people to chamber music in a lighthearted and accessible way. At the same time we want to raise money for musicians at this difficult time - the book has been self published and production costs covered so that ALL money from sales goes to the charity Help Musicians UK’.