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News
We will post news here to keep
you up-to-date with the competition activities,
meetings and other related information.
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We are
now using shop2fundraise.co.uk to raise extra funds, which
means that if you shop online you could help us raise funds
and it won't cost you a penny more. You won't even need to
register and with over 1000 online shops to deal with there
is plenty of choice (including major brands like Amazon, M&S,
Sainsbury's and Boots).
So if
you would like to help us just follow these simple steps:
1. Go
to the 'shop2fundraise' website
2. Click
on 'Pick your Charity' and enter 'Dudley International Piano
Competition'
3. Search
for the retailer
4. Buy
as normal
Please
help us - it's extremely easy!
The
2011 AGM
will be held on Thursday 3rd
March 2011 at 7pm
in room F1, Castle Suite, Dudley
College of Technology, The Broadway, Dudley.
Chairman's
report
My last report in 2010 was written with a Labour government
in power; we now have a Conservative/ Liberal Alliance whose
primary objective is to reduce the public deficit. This, as
we are seeing has profound implications for everyone in society
(except bankers it seems) and no sector will be immune from
the financial implications of the cuts. For us the most direct
result is the 2.5% increase in VAT but a deeper fear might
be a reluctance of organizations and the local authority to
back the Dudley Competition in a way which will guarantee
its long term future. So far these fears have not been realized
and I am heartened to report that Yamaha will continue to
support us with a £5000
donation and the provision of their concert piano throughout
the competition. Also, significantly, that Dudley Council
will allow us free use the Concert Hall for the finals on
October 16th. Dudley College of Technology, so long at the
hub of this competition remains gratifyingly freely for use
also providing us with a magnificent hall and a fine infrastructure.
So, we look forward to an exciting competition in October
with the CBSO, our orchestra in residence for the
finals on October 16th. Its fee has increased to £13000
(plus vat) and it is this component which swallows up most
of our financial reserves. At the moment it looks as if we
could fund a 2013 competition but thereafter the future is
distinctly uncertain. I am grateful to a magnificent committee
for its unstinting hard work and enthusiasm and extend a warm
welcome to two new members Margaret Birch and John Thwaites
(newly appointed Head of Piano at Birmingham Conservatoire).
My gratitude goes to the Harding Trust for its continuing
and generous support and also for anonymous private donations.
Please might I urge everybody to advertise the competition
in any way they can and to persuade, bribe, cajole, threaten
friends and neighbours to support us on October 1st/2nd and
the finals in particular on 16th October (4pm). Finally I
need to acknowledge the work of our secretary, Margaret Fisher
whose efforts on behalf of the competition over many, many
years have guaranteed its survival. Without her contribution
this competition would cease to exist.
Posted
:15 February 2011
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