Centenary Playday with cake!

As part of Sillars Centenary celebrations we held a playday on Sunday, 12th April and what a fabulous day Sillars Orchestra had. Starting at 10 am, 48 players, past and present, gathered together under the direction of three conductors, Zoe Clare Ramsden (conductor from 2023 to the present), Tadeusz Kaznowski (2015 -2018) and Bernard Soper (always ready to help out as a conductor or violinist).

We worked on a total of five pieces, gulping cups of tea and coffee as we went along. By lunchtime, we had pretty well nailed the pieces and spent more time polishing them before we presented the programme to an invited audience.

Of course, there was a beautiful big cake! There was a small heartfelt speech by our Chairman, Tom Herman! There were lots of photos and reminiscences as everyone mingled and compared stories. We were joined by Patrick Meehan (conductor: 2008 -2013), Roger Miller (2013 – 2015), as well as a great friend to the orchestra, Margery Baker, who has stood in when we needed a conductor in the past and has been a great supporter. We also were delighted to welcome Sheila Tuffield, a terrific encourager of AmDram in the area and, as it turned out, a violinist with Sillars when it was a mere 50 year old, performing with the orchestra throughout the 70s.

The programme was presented to the audience by our previous Chairman and indefatigable compère, Patrick Monk, who also presented a bouquet to organiser, Beverley McInnes, as an appreciative thank you from the Orchestra for all her hard work.