A selection of photographs taken by Christopher Jonas. A full exhibition of Christopher’s photos will be displayed at the Hall from September 2022.
A message of thanks from the Director
Nearly two years on from the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, we have been on an incredible shared journey. In the darkness of the pandemic, many of our comfortable assumptions have been shaken. It has been a strange time; challenging and testing, a time of isolation and loneliness, yet of palpable creativity and innovation. Our artists have shown incredible strength of purpose, and we have seen and heard some deeply moving performances during this difficult period.
I continue to be astounded by the reservoir of goodwill that has been forthcoming from our audience, new and old. Thanks to your support, over 750 events have been hosted at the Hall over this period, with millions of viewers and listeners engaging with our concerts online and on radio. All our efforts were aimed at bringing music back to the nation and into the local community, including our work with some of the most marginalised and vulnerable in our society. Your gifts and messages of encouragement have sustained us – musicians, staff, technicians, workshop leaders, presenters, and audiences – all part of the Wigmore family.
Uncertain times lie ahead and we still have a long way to go. Only 65% of our pre-pandemic capacity for concerts had been reached before the most recent surge of the virus, and the current impact of the Omicron variant has set us back significantly. It will take time for audiences to regain full confidence and to restore our depleted resources. Heartened by your generous support, we continue to stand by our artists and present a full programme of concerts. I will be launching the 2022/23 Season at the end of March and more information will follow then.
I remain grateful for your tremendous kindness. Your response to our need has been immediate, vital, and transformational – it really is making all the difference.
With every possible good wish,
John Gilhooly
Director
Branko Pajevic from Steinway deep in concentration tuning the piano ahead of a concert
Jazz pianist Jason Moran with engineer Rodrigo and House Manager Sophie, testing the mic ahead of his October 2021 performance with Christian McBride
Workshop leader Issy in an online Singing with Friends session - our choir for families living with dementia, who have remained connected via Zoom
Julia Bullock, whose November 2021 recital was a journey through the greats of Lieder, jazz, musical theatre and the avant-garde
Bach Cello Suites: Steven Isserlis and Simon Callow in rehearsal for the live streamed book launch, October 2021
Associate Artists the Takács Quartet rehearse for their two back-to-back concerts, November 2021
Ahead of her recital ‘Inner World’, soprano Marlis Petersen with live stream presenter Michael White
Manu Delago rehearsing his own works for hangdrum with VOCES8 and O/Modernt, December 2021