News & Events
Drummossie Hotel Supports TTO Charity Christmas Concert for 2010!
April 8th 2010
Last December the TTO (and it's audience, we hope..!!) enjoyed a hugely successful evening at the Drumossie Hotel, Inverness, which raised over £2000 for "Place to Be" and the Inverness MS Centre.
The 2010 Concert is planned for Tuesday 14 December and the Drumossie Hotel have very kindly not only allowed us to return but are again sponsoring us by providing the venue free of charge. This is fantastically generous of the hotel and we're very grateful to them for all their support!
TTO Supports Petition to Stop Music Tuition Funding Cuts
March 17th 2010
Throughout Scotland, Councils are having to make big cuts in their budgets – and school music tuition is an all-too-easy target. Here in the Highlands, councillors could save just under £600,000 a year by axing instrumental music and support for school orchestras and bands. That’s a tempting target for councillors, who have to save huge sums this year.
Truly Terrible Chairman Anni Cole-Hamilton called on music lovers throughout the Highlands to help keep Highland music teachers in work. “Music, and the Arts, should be at the heart of every school’s life. We Terribles, in our youth, were all inspired by wonderful music teachers and, although you mightn’t think it from listening to us, we all have a deep love and appreciation of music. I would hate to think that, quite soon, youngsters in the Highlands might not get that vital early introduction to music.
“Please, please, don’t let this happen - you can sign an online petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/handsoffhighlandyoungmusicians/and – perhaps even more effective - contact your local councillor direct and tell him or her just why music is so important. Act now – or future generations of Highland musicians will be Terrible indeed.”
A Truly Terrible Win!!!
March 16th 2010
Well, you can’t say we didn’t warn you! Stay away from Eden Court on Tuesday night, we said. Just don’t go there. But loads of you turned up to cheer on five fantastic school orchestras . . . and The Truly Terrible Orchestra.
And, oh! The horror of it! The adjudicator, Alan Fernie, seemed entirely sober and sane. But he awarded top prize and the Laoureux Challenge Trophy to The Truly Terrible Orchestra!! Handing it over to Truly Terrible Chairman, Anni Cole-Hamilton, he did murmur that he might never be able to visit the Highlands again.
Anni introduced their performance by telling several hundred local schoolchildren that the Terribles were about to provide their best ever music lesson: keep practising, or one day you might end up among their number.
Inverness Music Festival 2010
February 2010
The Truly Terrible Orchestra are back competing in the Inverness Music Festival for a third amazing (!?) year. We are performing in the Orchestra Music class on March 16th 2010 at 6.30pm in Eden Court, Theatre.
Our first attempt at the Festival saw us come first in our class (we won't mention the fact that we were the only entrants in that class...) and last year we came a respectable third place, competing against hordes of fantastically talented school pupils!
Do come along to cheer us on to victory!!
Second successful Christmas charity concert!
December 2009
Last Christmas 2008, the TTO attracted an audience of 120 discerning music lovers who kindly donated £650 to CLICSargent. This year, on Tuesday 15 2009, at the Drumossie Hotel, the audience figure was doubled, with some 240-250 people demanding seats, and they donated £1,352 to Place2Be and £633 to the Inverness’s MS Therapy Centre, tripling last year’s donations.
If the quality of the music was doubtful, the evening’s entertainment was deemed worthy of a standing ovation by dozens of members of the audience, some of whom were not even related to the players. The TTO had to admit that some of that applause was due to its Special Guest Stars, In Cahoots, led by Margaret Rae, the stellar singing teacher who can actually sing in tune.
Jon Hall, the Truly Terrible Music Director, did try to abandon ship at the halfway stage but was tempted back by his Christmas present from the TTO, a case of red wine, only some of which remained by the end of the evening.
Incredibly, large numbers of our audience have demanded another Concert next year. Watch this space!
