Stroud Valleys Music Club with a selection of signature tunes from Malcolm Lewis; opera singer Lynne Plummer and a 'Ladies Night'

OUR season opened with a selection of Signature Tunes from radio and TV series in the past.

Malcolm Lewis tested our memories of not just the particular programme, but just what the music and composers were.

In return he gave some background to the music and to the actual series.

It became very nostalgic at times as memories of ‘Dick Barton’ etc flashed back.

Our second presentation took us behind the scenes at the opera.

Lynne Plummer from Cardiff had a career in music and, apart from playing a wide selection of operatic arias and music, she played some unique interviews with various directors and staff at the Royal Opera House and the Welsh National Opera.

It was a fascinating glimpse of just what is needed to stage a big opera, and how things have changed over the years.

Most recently we enjoyed a ‘Ladies Night’ when Club members Claire Govier and Jenny Buckland explored the music of women composers. Some of the names like Clara Schumann, Cecile Chaminade and Ethel Smyth were familiar but all the music was new.

Despite prodigious talents the women struggled against social prejudice to write and get their music played.

From the variety of the pieces we heard with an ‘innocent ear’ it is clear that the quality of music transcends gender.

Details of our programme can be found on stroudvmc.wixsite.com/svmc