Dear members of the Circle of Friends
It's no ordinary start to the season for us this year. Yes, we're facing a season with a great programme of
many rehearsals in DR-Byen and regularly with extra offers outside. Just like we usually do. But as
towards the end of 2018, DR decided to cut the formal connection and division of labour that
was previously between the institution and our association.
So we are now members of an organisation that still aims to support DR's choirs and orchestras,
but does not take care of the practicalities of attending rehearsals in the Concert Hall,
DR has also taken over responsibility for catering on these occasions and for the sale of CDs etc.
at the concerts themselves. Don't be surprised when you see the organisation's talented general manager at rehearsals in the future
and concerts, because she's doing the same thing as before, just with a DR hat on. At the same time, she continues
being your daily contact to the Friends and wearing the association's cap.
We've had an excellent co-operation with DR over the years, and I'm sure we'll continue to do so
in the season we are now embarking on. DR has promised that the formal separation will not affect ticket prices, and that we will
It doesn't feel like there has been a change behind the scenes at all. The board hopes that it is also
members' experience from the past six months and that it will continue in the coming season.
For the Friends, there are definitely benefits to the separation. We get rid of a number of administrative tasks,
just as it's no secret that on the financial side, there have been major problems in realising
Make the association's and DR's systems work together.
Most importantly, the Friends can now fully focus on what we were created to do: to connect
between DR and our many members, to support ensembles in public and directly through
grants and scholarships for the choirs and orchestras as a whole - and for individual musicians and singers. And to be able to
offer our members great musical experiences.
As for the support for the ensembles, before the summer holidays, the board decided to grant a generous subsidy to
The Girls' Choir is travelling to Paris in October. Here, the choir will perform in connection with a large-scale cultural and
business promotional campaign led by the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. Crown Princess Mary is patron of
Girls' choir.
The Friends have previously supported the Symphony Orchestra with a set of bells, and now that we have also received the
other DR ensembles into the ”family”, it seems a natural decision to also give the
Girls' Choir a substantial support. All the more so as we have been able to realise that our members have
welcomed the organisation's offer to attend rehearsals with the talented girls under Philip Faber
inspiring leadership. We want to give our members an exclusive insight into this. More about it
later.
In general, the board will do our utmost to ensure that the 2019/20 season will offer a rich variety of
musical experiences for the Friends' hundreds of loyal members.
See you in the world of tones
Mogens Rubinstein