Player information

25th November 2024

Hello everyone

Everyone in this first Shostakovathon update has filled out my little form and is therefore considered up for the challenge! 

Paul and I have had a meeting recently with Turner Sims and its game on, full steam ahead. There's some good energy to bounce off with this one and hopefully some momentum going forward. TS has gone through a full rebrand, they've launched their 50th anniversary season and we're confident that we'll be among the first orchestra celebrating and performing Shostakovich's music in his anniversary year.

What's next? Spread the word! Full saturation of social media and your music friends inboxes! Links to TS ticket sales and Facebook Events below. If you're on Facebook please like, share, say you're "going" and invite people. 

Shostakovathon | Concert 1 - Turner Sims

Shostakovathon | Concert 2 - Turner Sims

Shostakovathon | Concert 3 - Turner Sims

Shostakovathon Family Concert | Tahiti Trot! - Turner Sims

Shostakovathon Family Concert | Tahiti Trot! | Facebook

Shostakovathon | Concert 1 | Facebook

Shostakovathon | Concert 2 | Facebook

Shostakovathon | Concert 3 | Facebook

The wonderful Jill Sainsbury is producing some publicity but we'll only be doing a small run on physical copies, so will be a big online push.

Music is becoming available but its all come from Boosey & Hawkes and must be looked after, we can not stress that enough. If you need parts in advance Paul and I will endeavour to scan them out depending on how the condition is already.

We will be working on a comprehensive seating plan that will be shared when complete, hopefully at the start of January.

Likewise the next update will include details of confirmed rehearsals and locations.

Lastly, once we have received some final details from the UoS Centre for Immunology we can set up a JustGiving 'team' and get that rolling.

So, buckle up, lets enjoy what's going to be another wild musical ride!!

Hello everyone,

Welcome to Shostakovathon update #2! Where's #1 you may ask!? Some of you may have joined our happy band since the last update. However, we're keeping them stored on the website so you can check back. Go to www.shostakovathon.com and click on 'For players'.

Tickets have been on sale for a week or so, and people are buying, so we've got a show to put on! A reminder of links for tickets as well as the Facebook events are below. Please share widely!

New this month is our publicity is now available digitally (attached) and hard copies. If you would like to pick some copies up, or sent to you, please just let me know and I'll endeavor to oblige! 

We also have set up a JustGiving page www.justgiving.com/page/shostakovathon  to generate direct funds for the Centre for Cancer Immunology. The page is in my name, but I've listed everyone as a 'team' so please do send that to friends, family, work colleagues, bosses and boards! The beauty of this is that they don't have to like Shostakovich! Sell the marathon element and the charity and I believe we can hit the ambitious target. 

I think that's it for now,

Best wishes,

Craig & Paul

Shostakovathon | Concert 1 - Turner Sims

Shostakovathon | Concert 2 - Turner Sims

Shostakovathon | Concert 3 - Turner Sims

Shostakovathon Family Concert | Tahiti Trot! - Turner Sims

Shostakovathon Family Concert | Tahiti Trot! | Facebook

Shostakovathon | Concert 1 | Facebook

Shostakovathon | Concert 2 | Facebook

Shostakovathon | Concert 3 | Facebook

Hello Team Shostakovathon,

Welcome to 2025 and less than 2 months to our epic marathon! If you've recently signed up to play and are wondering where update #1-2 are, you can find those and other relevant information on the players page of our website here.

​The most important piece of information for everyone now is the confirmation of the rehearsal venue which will be Cantell Secondary School, near to the University of Southampton. The website details address, parking and instructions to the hall.

Paul and I are prioritising the wind/brass seating this week. Most parts are available now from Paul. If you are given parts, please look after them and only mark in light pencil, if at all. The libraries are incredibly draconian on this and we had unfortunate repercussions from the Tchaikathon! 

Our JustGiving page www.justgiving.com/page/shostakovathon is looking a bit anemic so please consider sending this out to friends, family and colleagues - this money goes straight to the charity so important that as much goes there.

Links to Turner Sims tickets per concert along with the Facebook events are below. Please like, share and saturate the web!

I think that's it for now,

Best wishes,

Craig & Paul

FIRST REHEARSAL - Friday 24th January

Shostakovathon | Concert 1 - Turner Sims

Shostakovathon | Concert 2 - Turner Sims

Shostakovathon | Concert 3 - Turner Sims

Shostakovathon Family Concert | Tahiti Trot! - Turner Sims

Shostakovathon Family Concert | Tahiti Trot! | Facebook

Shostakovathon | Concert 1 | Facebook

Shostakovathon | Concert 2 | Facebook

Shostakovathon | Concert 3 | Facebook

​Hello everyone,

We look forward to seeing lots of you this Friday at Cantell School from 7pm. Over this rehearsal and Saturday we'll be aiming to break the back of; Symphony No.10, 15, October and the Kirghiz Overture.

The website now has a seating plan which we hope will be acceptable. There is also a short form to declare you have taken parts. Please complete this if you have been given original parts or complete after the rehearsal this week. 

We will have flyers to take and distribute over the weekend and at all rehearsals until they're gone! 

The last thing to mention is tickets, tickets, tickets! 

Have a good week, and see you all soon,

Craig & Paul

Hello Team,

Great start to our rehearsals this weekend, we hope you enjoyed getting to know or revisiting some of Shostakovich's seminal works.

The players page of the website is again updated with the plans for works to be looked at over the next rehearsals. 

It has also been good to see an increase in the monies via JustGiving, this money goes straight to the charity. The link is www.justgiving.com/page/shostakovathon 

If you have taken parts, please use the short form on the website to let us know what parts you have. 

We're running a little tournament called the "DSCH Cup" on Facebook for a bit of fun, engagement and a nod to Shostakovich being an avid football fan. There are 'matches' all the way up to and including the concert day. Please consider having a look and comment, share.

Lasty, we all love playing as a group, but it's even more fun when there is a large audience to play to and take energy from! If you've got people thinking of going or will get tickets later why not encourage them to get tickets now!?

We look forward to continuing the DSCH journey with you all!

Craig & Paul

Shostakovathon | Concert 1 - Turner Sims

Shostakovathon | Concert 2 - Turner Sims

Shostakovathon | Concert 3 - Turner Sims

Shostakovathon Family Concert | Tahiti Trot! - Turner Sims

Shostakovathon Family Concert | Tahiti Trot! | Facebook

Shostakovathon | Concert 1 | Facebook

Shostakovathon | Concert 2 | Facebook

Shostakovathon | Concert 3 | Facebook