George Vass
@georgevass.bsky.social
Conductor, Festival Director, lover of great music, food and wine, passionate supporter of living classical composers. Spiritual home – Presteigne in the Welsh Marches.
Don't miss BSO Memorial Concert for John Tatham Sund 16 November at 3pm Clarendon Muse Concert Hall, Rickmansworth Road, Watford WD18 7JA Bizet: Jeux d'enfants Shostakovich: Piano Concerto No 2 (soloist: Annie Yim) Mendelssohn: Symphony No 3 'Scottish' Tickets available online: busheysymphony.org.uk
Listen to the 'Vivace' from Tippett's Piano Concerto - an advance release from my album of British Piano Concertos with the BBC Symphony Orchestra & @georgevass.bsky.social. The full album goes live on the 10 Oct on BIS Records / Apple Music! 🎉 🎹 bisrecords.lnk.to/2604S03
🔉 Less than one week to go! My album of concertos by Walton, Britten and Tippett with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and @georgevass.bsky.social will be released on Fri 10 October, for BIS Records and Apple Music 🎉 Pre-order at bisrecords.lnk.to/2604
OUT TODAY!! 🎉 My album of concertos by Walton, Britten and Tippett with the BBC Symphony Orchestra & @georgevass.bsky.social is now out on BIS. Praised @thetimes.com for its "crisp artistry" and Video of the Day in Gramophone, listen online bisrecords.lnk.to/2604
Very pleased to announce that I was given the @royalphilsoc.bsky.social Leslie Boosey Award at the opening reception of the 2025 Presteigne Festival. I'm honoured and completely overjoyed to receive this amazing award!
George Vass receives the RPS Leslie Boosey Award
royalphilharmonicsociety.org.uk
Very sad to say goodbye yesterday to John Tatham (5 Nov 1922 - 4 July 2025), a long-serving member of the BSO's 2nd violin section. At 102, he was still playing at the BSO's 50th Anniversary concert in May. RIP John, you'll be missed by so many
'Gentle, kind and caring' WW2 engineer dies aged 102
The family of a Second World War engineer from Croxley Green have paid tribute after he died at the age of 102.
watfordobserver.co.uk
Funerals are sad, but today was a celebration. John Tatham was 102. Was a founder member of @busheysymphony.bsky.social, which I lead. Played violin in their 50th anniversary concert A MONTH before his death. In his 90s he was still putting chairs out for rehearsals. May we all learn from his joy.
Honoured to be premiering Ninfea Crutwell-Reade's 'Scenes from Under Milk Wood' with Nova Music Opera at @spitsmusic.bsky.social on Wed 2 July. Fab cast – Rebecca Afonwy Jones, Thomas Humphreys, Osian Clarke, Madeleine Morgan and narrator David Prince. Info: spitalfieldsmusic.org.uk/events/scene...
The UK Chancellor is reviewing all public spending from scratch. Please sign the @campaignforthearts.org petition to remind the UK Govrenment that the arts make our lives happier and our communities stronger. Now is the moment to invest in them. www.campaignforthearts.org/petitions/sp...
Petition: Make the arts part of UK National Renewal | Campaign for the Arts
The Chancellor is reviewing all public spending from scratch. The arts make our lives happier and our communities stronger. Now is the moment to invest in them.
campaignforthearts.org
This is the actual current position, please can the UK media stop glorifying the Right? It is extremely misleading.
FinnMackay@finnfox.bsky.social · last yr.
The truth is finally dawning on Britain: toadying to Trump has got us nowhere | Emma Brockes
The truth is finally dawning on Britain: toadying to Trump has got us nowhere | Emma Brockes
Jolly humouring and kind words guarantee nothing from this White House. Right now Walmart has more clout than the UK, says Guardian columnist Emma Brockes
theguardian.com
Really looking forward to this - just under a month to go!
Bushey Symphony Orchestra@busheysymphony.bsky.social · last yr.Tickets on sale for Bushey SO's 50th Anniversary Concert Sunday 18 May at 3pm Clarendon Muse, Watford WD18 7JA Dvořák, Grieg PIano Concerto (soloist, Xiaowen Shang), Schumann 'Rhenish' Symphony and the premiere of James Francis Brown's 'Flourish for orchestra'. Book online now: shorturl.at/tF5xo
If you want a better world, you must behave as if you live in one.
NEW: Elon Musk’s X has suspended accounts of Turkish opposition groups, suppressing footage of anti-government protests. So, best we share all the footage we can here! This was last night’s massive demo against Erdogan’s government, which follows the arrest of his rival Ekrem İmamoğlu. 🇹🇷 #Turkey
📣 Deadline approaching! Vaughan Williams Scholarships, worth up to £8K, replace the Vaughan Williams Bursaries previously given only for MA studies. Registrations to apply close on March 31. Get your application in now! Details here:
Postgraduate funding - Vaughan Williams Foundation
Find out about scholarships for postgraduate composers offered by the Vaughan Williams Foundation.
vaughanwilliamsfoundation.org
BREAKING: Pianist András Schiff cancels all his US engagements for 2025-26 in response to "the recent and unprecedented political changes in the United States." "Some people might say, 'just shut up and play.' I cannot, in good conscience, do that." www.kirshbaumassociates.com/agency.php?v...
Pianist Sir András Schiff Cancels U.S. Appearances for 2025-2026 Season
kirshbaumassociates.com
Peer who led government NHS review failed to declare shares in health firms
Peer who led government NHS review failed to declare shares in health firms
Lord Darzi’s undeclared interests in four companies included $500,000 of shares in US-based healthcare venture The independent peer Lord Darzi, a senior adviser to the government on the NHS, failed to officially declare shareholdings in healthcare…
theguardian.com
Fantastic rehearsal with Sarah Bennington last night on Christopher Gunning's Flute Concertino – can't wait for our concert on Sunday 16 March at 3pm Clarendon Muse, Watford WD18 7JA Please come and join us ... Book online here shorturl.at/Ekoc6
shorturl.at
Young composers, its time to apply for the 2026 @royalphilsoc.bsky.social composer programme – you may be offered the chance to write a work for the Presteigne Festival, as Electra did two years ago. It really is a fabulous scheme.
Royal Philharmonic Society@royalphilsoc.bsky.social · 2y agoWe are welcoming applications for the RPS Composer's programme until 11am on Tuesday 25 March. You can find out more about how the programme could support you and your career as a composer, and apply, on our website. royalphilharmonicsociety.org.uk/composers/rp...
We are welcoming applications for the RPS Isserlis Scholarship to study abroad until 11am on Tuesday 11 March. We offer support to enable musicians to take life-changing opportunities to study overseas. You can find out more and apply on our website. royalphilharmonicsociety.org.uk/performers/s...
RPS Isserlis Scholarship - to study abroad
royalphilharmonicsociety.org.uk
Leaders of the free world stand united in London The United States is not among them
Your dignity honors the bravery of the Ukrainian people. Be strong, be brave, be fearless. You are never alone, dear President Zelenskyy. We will continue working with you for a just and lasting peace.
I'm so glad this is being pointed out – it's something I've been banging on about for years. However, better state education in the arts surely has to be the key for future generations.
Working-class creatives don’t stand a chance in UK today, leading artists warn
Exclusive: Analysis by the Guardian shows a third of major arts leaders were educated privately
theguardian.com
So good to see this – can't wait to hear it on the radio
Royal Philharmonic Society@royalphilsoc.bsky.social · 2y agoWhat a delight to hear Ninfea Cruttwell-Reade's new Piano Concerto played spectacularly by Clare Hammond, BBCNOW and Emilia Hoving, full of vast colours and unrelenting grooves! This inventive new work is a co-commission between @bbcradio3 and RPS, with support from @EllermanUK
This is very welcome news to all of us who are part of the Welsh Arts economy.
Welsh government: Arts in Wales to get extra £4.4m funding
The Welsh government says the cash was an 8.5% increase for day-to-day spending.
bbc.co.uk
Finally!! Great news - congratulations to all who campaigned for this 👏👏Now we need to make it as inclusive as possible eg covering colleges & apprenticeships @europeanmovement.co.uk
New: Starmer ready to offer Youth Mobility Scheme
Keir Starmer's youth mobility proposal aims to strengthen UK-EU relations, addressing labour shortages and opportunities
eastangliabylines.co.uk
