Dear friends,
I am writing to you as the CEO of SOMM Recordings, a small, award-winning independent label with a great reputation for discovering and promoting lesser-known works and composers and for giving its artists the support they need in order to promote their careers. Since founding the label, 30 years ago, I have recorded well over 150 CDs of British Music in all genres by composers ranging from the 17th century to the present day. The catalogue is also distinguished by its wide range and diversity as well as by invariably excellent CD reviews. In recent years SOMM has celebrated Vaughan William’s and Holst’s 150th Anniversaries, Bruckner’s 200th and others, always with excellent results and an appreciative press.
You will be pleased to know that our aim this year, is to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the supremely talented but unjustly neglected British-African composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor by recording his music with the Ulster Orchestra and Conductor Charles Peebles. These are all first recordings which will include two works by the composer’s daughter, Avril. We will be recording these in the Ulster Hall, Belfast this June. We have managed to put together all the funding required but we still need to raise the last £5,500 required for a recording of this magnitude. If you feel you are able to help with a donation ranging from £25 to whatever you think is possible, you will be given recognition and a credit in the booklet, and gifts over £50 will receive a free CD of the recording when it is issued. Our aim is to keep British music alive and we rely on your support in order to bring this project to fruition.
UPDATE
I am delighted to share that our Coleridge-Taylor campaign has already received almost £1500 in donations, leaving us with only £4000 more to go! Thank you to the 34 people who have already joined us in support of this project.
For the next fortnight any gifts of £500 will receive an exclusive opportunity to a Luxury Tea at the Knightsbridge Hotel, Chelsea and an interview with the Conductor, Charles Peebles. For those making donations of £1,000 or more, we extend an invitation to select food and cocktails at the Revery Bar at London’s Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, with Conductor Charles Peebles and the SOMM Recording Team.