On March 18th, Saddleworth Concert Society (SCS) celebrated 50 years of concerts spanning across jazz, classical, folk and contemporary music genres.
Formed by Roger Tanner and Ruth Gillespie in 1975, the society’s aim was to curate classical music concerts by professional musicians, contributing to the local cultural scene in Saddleworth. Throughout the years, concerts have been given by musicians and ensembles such as the Lindsay Quartet, the King’s Singers, the Brodsky Quartet, and Paul Lewis; SCS are also proud to support early-career performers, including students from the Royal Northern College of Music.
For their 50th birthday, the society wanted to curate a concert which reflected on Saddleworth’s history, landscape, and atmospheres, whilst providing a platform for local music artists. They therefore reached out to Saddleworth composers Alan Williams (Professor of Collaborative Composition, University of Salford) and Hannah Siddiqui, commissioning new pieces for flute, viola, and harp.
The evening consisted of two world premieres, vibrantly performed by the Claremont Ensemble (Conrad Marshall, Becky Gould, and Lauren Scott), alongside additional pre-existing pieces by the composers, and music by Claude Debussy and Arnold Bax.
William’s new piece detailed the history of Saddleworth Moor from neolithic times to present day, drawing upon the songs of commonly found birds such as red grouse, skylarks, and pheasants. On the other hand, Siddiqui’s piece articulated the moors as a sense of spirituality, blending invented folk tradition with music inspired by northern folk tunes, Saddleworth’s landscapes, Ammon Wrigley’s sense of “wind-song”, and Hindustani and Buddhist concepts. Interweaving between the musical items in the programme were poems by the famous Saddleworthian poet, Ammon Wrigley – read by actor Ian Perks – and original contemporary poetry, providing a range of past and contemporary perspectives on the area through different mediums.
The evening was a great success, and the society were pleased to welcome many locals and friends of Saddleworth, including the Mayor of Oldham, and Ammon Wrigley’s relatives. One audience member remarked that they came with an open mind and found “the inter-weaving of local poetry, well known music and new compositions to be a lovely balance, offering something for all tastes in the audience.”
Others highlighted the “beautiful music on the important theme of the fragility and beauty of nature” in a “deeply satisfying” experience, as well as how the concert celebrated local talent, and was “so clearly and closely connected to Saddleworth”.
SCS is grateful to all the audience members, and to the creative and organisational team and committee for all their work towards making this memorable and joyful evening , and to looking ahead to many more pieces and performers in the future!
On that note (pun intended), the SCS’s next season will be announced soon. We are planning to try a few new ideas like some Friday evening concerts.
The AGM is on Mon 2nd June at 4pm in the bar. The meeting will review the events last year and consider how they can continue to grow and celebrate live music at the Millgate.
In the meantime you can follow our social media channels for announcements and check the Millgate Arts Centre website for more details in the coming months.
