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Benslow Music Open Day and Instrument Loan Scheme Celebration

The marvellous Benslow Music opened their campus to spread the word about the Benslow Music Instrument Loan Scheme on Sunday 27 April 2025. A concert in the afternoon was a celebration of the ILS, with an orchestra of very impressive senior borrowers.


Hilary with Benslow Music Chief Executive Michael Duffy

A series of talks and the opportunity to tour around the Benslow campus made it an engaging day for visitors. A Brief Introduction to Stringed Instruments, was presented by members of the British Violin Making Association, instrument maker, Kai-Thomas Roth, and bow maker, Tim Baker. Cellist Joely Koos was also speaking, alongside violin dealer and maker, Adam Whone. A panel and Q&A session was hosted by the ILS head Nick Evans-Pughe with Adam Whone and the BVMA's Julian Pindar to a packed hall.

The afternoon concert, conducted by Howard Williams, featured a range of gifted musicians currently borrowing instruments from Benslow's ILS. It was a fascinating programme that had been well-selected, prepared and rehearsed. Mozart's Divertimento in D Major, K136 was followed by the gorgeous Serenade for Strings in E Minor, Op 20 by Edward Elgar. To bring us nearly up to date, Daw Wiren's Serenade concluded the concert, after Howard Williams had explained that, although many of the players knew the Mozart and the Elgar very well, only one of they had performed the Wiren.

The playing was stunning and it was good to chat with Benslow Music's Chief Executive Michael Duffy, as well as Nick Evans-Pughe, head of the ILS.
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