Happy New Year to you all

[Alex Timmerman]

Hello All,

here 2009 just started! And we wish you all the best in 2009!

Cheers,

HET CONSORT

[etbarbaric]

Thanks Alex, and Happy New Year to you!

IMHO, 2008 cannot leave quickly enough... good riddance!

Eric

[Plamen Ivanov]

Happy New Year, dear mando friends!!!

Let us hope that 2009 will be a better year than 2008 for everyone personally and for the mankind as a whole!

Best Wishes,
Plamen

[Joel Spaulding]

Happy New Year to all!
2008 was just fine to our family and we count all our blessings! - have been able to enjoy watching a curious newborn become a VERY curious little girl. And, as a bonus, I have become better (subjectively) on the Mandolin.
Any year I can draw breath on this planet is a good year - though I'm not opposed to other planets - just find me one with an agreeable atmosphere!

[John Craton]

And a Happy New Year to one and all on both sides of the Big Pond! You've been in 2009 a little longer than we have, Alex. How's it look so far? It seems all years have some good and some bad, so why complain ... as long as we still have mandolins and music!?

[Alex Timmerman]

Hi John and all,

It has been a good year for us and a very good year for our CONSORT mandolin activities! We have given quite a number of concerts, among which where those together with the Providence Mandolin Orchestra here in the Netherlands, premiered compositions that were written for us - including your wonderful 'Flowers of Spain', the double concerto for two guitars and mandolin orchestra with Mark and Beverly Davis - etc. etc. and of course our 3rd CD 'Music for Mandolin Orchestra' came out with no less than four first recordings, of wich three were even dedicated to the orchestra.

Future activities and plans? Jip; we are in the middle of rehearsing a theater/Dance/Film and Music production that will be staged tomorrow. It is a kind of 'Multi Art' thing with the mayor giving his yearly speech in Zwolle's biggest Theatre. Great fun for all involved and good PR for the mandolin!
The photo shown above is of one of the rehearsals we have had sofar.

For our first ("normal") concert we have plannend to premier your really wonderful 'Ancient Dances' , a new work for mandolin orchestra that I am sure will be played by many orchestras around the World! But more on that later, I'll keep you informed! So 2009 looks fine already!


Warm greetings and all the best for you and your family,

Alex