Within sight of our last concert of the season, we shall have played six concerts under five different conductors (our December concert had no conductor).

It is part of the philosophy of this self-governing orchestra that this diversity of conductors enhances our musical development.

We receive lots of "cold calls" from conductors who want to conduct us, but we would much prefer to engage them on the personal recommendation of members. Therefore, if you have played elsewhere under a conductor who impressed you, please let anyone on the Admin team know, so that he/she may be considered.

The most recent conductor to join our "panel" in this way was Rufus Frowde, our conductor in Harpenden in March.

Provisional details overleaf.

For your diaries, the first rehearsal will be Thursday 6 September 2007.

We have some adventurous works planned for 2007/8, and we shall welcome back Penny Manning, a co-founder of this orchestra, as oboe soloist.

More Grade 8+ string players would be welcome; please invite any you know!

The "centre of gravity" of our members and audiences is approximately St Albans, and three of our six concerts in 2007/8 will be there.

However, there is a great deal of competing high-quality musical activity in St Albans - two other concerts clashed with ours this May. We are therefore trying out a new non-St-Albans venue next season, namely St Mary’s Church Hitchin. This church overlooks the market in the centre of this fine and musically aware town, which is home to Benslow adult music college and to firms of wind and string instrument dealers.

Reverting to St Albans, many of us were impressed by Homewood Road Church (where we played in May) for its acoustics, comfort and reasonable parking nearby. By the time of that concert, our plans for 2007/8 had been fairly well fixed, but that venue may well figure in future seasons.

On this theme, a big word of thanks to those of our loyal members and supporters who do not live in or near St Albans and who travel considerable distances to participate in our activities.

Because of the increasing standard of some other orchestras in the county, the Committee has been considering ways in which the Herts Phil can remain distinctive, and one idea has been to feature less-commonly played composers.

This might be box-office suicide, of course, and therefore (the idea is) we would first approach supporters’ societies of such composers, with a view to their sponsoring concerts promoting their heros’ works. The AGM on 20 September would be a good place to air your views on this idea.

You will be very welcome if you want to take an active role, perhaps by attending Admin meetings or putting yourself forward for election as a trustee at the AGM… Just to reassure you if you do, the Herts Phil carries the usual public-liability and employers’ liability insurances, to protect us all.

Trustees (until the AGM):

But you don’t have to be elected as a trustee to help! The following are some of our volunteers, and we welcome all help:

Fixers: (see current rehearsal schedule)

Front Of House: John Cox

This is your notification that the Herts Phil's AGM, to look at this season's results and to elect next season's trustees, will be at Applecroft School, WGC, at about 9pm on Thursday 20 September 2007. That night’s rehearsal will be shortened accordingly.

All rehearsals (unless otherwise announced) are at Applecroft School, Applecroft Road, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire AL8 6JZ., from 7.30pm to 10.15pm

All concerts start at 7.30pm and are preceded by a final rehearsal, at the concert venue, 2.30pm-5.30pm.

CONCERT 6 October 2007: Conductor: Jacques Cohen

St Saviours Church, Sandpit Lane, St Albans AL1 4DF (Sandpit Lane near Walton Street).

Rehearsals: Thurs 6 Sep, 13 Sep (sectionals), 20 Sep, 27 Sep, 4 Oct.

St Saviours Church, Sandpit Lane, St Albans AL1 4DF (Sandpit Lane near Walton Street).

Rehearsals: Thurs 22 Nov, 29 Nov, 6 Dec

St Mary’s Church, The Walk, Potters Bar EN6 1QQ (near eastern end of The Walk).

Rehearsals: Thurs 10 Jan, 17 Jan(sectionals), 24 Jan, 31 Jan, 7 Feb

St Marys Church, Hitchin SG5 1HP (Church Yard, centre of town, west of Queen Street / market).

Rehearsals: Thurs 21 Feb, Thurs 28 Feb, 6 Mar, 13 Mar: (chamber concert - therefore no sectionals)

St Saviours Church, Sandpit Lane, St Albans AL1 4DF (Sandpit Lane near Walton Street).

Rehearsals: Thurs 10 Ap, 17 Ap(sectionals), 24 Ap, 1 May, 8 May

St Mary’s Church, The Walk, Potters Bar EN6 1QQ (near eastern end of The Walk).

Rehearsals: Thurs 5 June, 12 June(sectionals), 19 June, 26 June, 3 July