By Effie Miskouri (mother of Konstantinos, Kindergarten class)

My four year old son and myself started taking lessons in the Kindergarten class with Agnes a few months ago and this sunny Saturday morning we were on our way to our very first Suzi Gold Memorial Workshop, all four of us - including my husband and younger son - dressed in the white BBCM t-shirt, not knowing what the day had in store for us.

As we approached Clair and Mogadon's lovely home, who ever so kindly offered it to the BBCM Workshop for yet another year, we saw a few familiar faces from the Kindergarten class also arriving. Everyone was getting out of their cars, dressed in the same white t-shirt, holding a home baked dish for the truly international feast that would traditionally follow the workshop.

Even before entering the house, one could get a taste of what was to follow as a piano was passionately played by, we later found out, the conductor Michael Alexander Young, an ex BBCM student. United by the music, many children of different ages, different nationalities gathered around the piano. Michael's hand would occasionally wave in the air, contacting the children rehearsing one of their songs. No one could mistake how hugely important music was for everyone in the house; it was more than just a weekly, thirty minute Saturday class. The concentration in the children's eyes betrayed their genuine interest in what they sang.

Once Agnes entered the room, the workshop started in earnest with a speech about Suzi Gold’s life and contribution to BBCM, especially her insistence in creating a Kindergarten class. All were humbled and moved by the way Suzi's memory lingers on through the years and, in a way, still influences BBCM’s work with a brand new Kindergarten class starting in September. Appropriately, the music that followed was an ode to Suzi's life and her contribution to BBCM. The Kindergarten class kicked off the singing with a performance of the 'Pease Pudding' song accompanied by the voice orchestra of the older children singing 'Ram Sam Sam'. As the workshop continued, we were introduced to the guests of the day, Helen and Teresa, both ex BBCM students, as well as Hester, also an ex BBCM student who was delighted to be serenaded in sol-fa for her birthday. Among the songs we sang were Haydn's Harmony, a three-part song, Hungarian Folk songs, such as the Mosquito song, the ANC anthem Nikosi Sikelel  I-Africa with the BBCM 'house-band' on instruments and a Quadlibet, three German songs in three-part rounds producing a nine-part piece. Two beautiful Bartók violin duos followed, No. 6 performed by Scipio and Tilia and No. 14 by Maggie and Francesca.

Two of Francesca's compositions, composed especially for this Workshop, left everyone in awe: the Quintet performed by Clara (voice and flute), Scipio (violin), Francesca (violin) Juliette (piano), and the piano Sonatina in C Minor performed by Francesca herself. We then moved on to songs from Hans Krasa's opera Brundibar with Michael Alexander Young at the piano: "Ducks and Geese" with Clara and Juliette, Scipio's solo operatic debut performance of "Brundibar's Song" and the "Finale" from the same opera performed by all of the workshop participants. Everyone joined in the singing of the Finale of Benjamin Britten's opera Noah's Fludde (eight-part arrangement of the Tallis Canon). Listening to a 'family number,' which was prepared and performed by Tilia and her friend visiting from France, was truly lovely.

Afterwards, while the children played in the beautiful garden, the parents chatted inside, and we ended the day with the communal feast consisting of an impressive amount of homemade food. Everyone who met in that house came to experience the music and to celebrate a year's work with Agnes, all the while Suzi's spirit embraced us all, and everyone had a fantastic day. I feel incredibly lucky to have attended this year’s workshop, and I’m already looking forward to next year's Suzi Gold Workshop.

Guest participants included:

Hester Goodsell attended BBCM classes from age 5 to 18. She is now Head of Music in a Berkshire school, teaching children from ages 5 to 18. While an olympic rower (representing Great Britain), Hester organised and conducted a choir consisting of Olympic competitors.

Michael Alexander Young attended BBCM classes 2004 – 2008, while a post-graduate and fellow at various London music colleges. He is a distinguished conductor (and a prize winner of several international conducting competitions).

Helen Karikari and Teresa Karcher are singers. They attended BBCM classes for short periods.

Programme

Three-part warm up

Pease Pudding/Ram Sam Sam

Haydn: Harmony (three-part song)

Nkosi Sikelel I-Africa (ANC anthem)
BBCM 'houseband' on instruments, others singing

Bartók violin duo No. 6 - Scipio and Tilia Zampari
Bartók violin duo No. 14 - Maggie Ketteridge and Francesca di Ceccio
Mosquito song

Composition by Francesca di Ceccio for members of her class: Clara Heck (voice and flute), Scipio Zampari (violin), Francesca di Ceccio (violin) Juliette Majid (piano)
Sonatina in C Minor by Francesca di Ceccio - Francesca de Ceccio (piano)

Quadlibet - three German songs in three-part rounds simultaneously (producing a nine-part piece)

Songs from Hans Krasa's opera Brundibar (with Michael Alexander Young at the piano):
Ducks and Geese: Clara Heck and Juliette Majid
Brundibar's solo: Scipio Zampari
Finale: workshop participants