About 150 concert-goers thoroughly appreciated two performances last Wednesday by the violinist Chlöe Hanslip and pianist Danny Driver, in St Mary's Church, Richmond. That's rather below our usual attendance, but an excellent turnout in a time like this. 

For most of us who were there it was the first concert we had been to in a very long time. For the musicians too; Danny Driver spoke movingly of the joy that they felt in being able to give a performance again in front of real, live people. And as the real, live people left at the end (mercifully just after a downpour) that was the theme of most of their comments. Yes, it was a joy.

An aside: the Covid distancing worked just fine. The concert was a comfortable and un-threatening experience, with cleaning and stewarding so unobtrusive that the audience could just concentrate on the music. This nice comment was emailed in afterwards: "It was beyond exquisite to sit and hear LIVE music again and the programme was superb! Thank you for looking after us all. It was much appreciated."

If you're still debating whether to come to our concert on 9 June, we hope you're reassured by this report. Delay no more! Tickets for the Gould Piano Trio are still available here, online, and there will probably be some tickets for sale at the door.