Held on a beautiful autumn day, the Trust’s 2011 Winter Serenade on Sunday, 13 November provided an ideal showcase for the year’s awardees.

More than 80 attended the evening of wine, supper and song which showed supporters what positive results their financial contributions are having.

The event, held at the Craxton Studios in Hampstead, London, featured this year’s SFCT award winners: Monica McGhee, Ben McAteer and Lucy Hall as well as 2007 winner Rhona McKail.

Soprano Monica began with Puccini and Lehar, then gave a wonderful rendition of a traditional Scots song arranged by MacMillan. She was followed by Ben McAteer, whose powerful baritone suited well songs with a wintry theme by Vaughan Williams and Schumann. Rhona McKail gave a virtuoso rendition of pieces by Schubert and by Bridge.  Lucy Hall ended the programme with Mozart and perfectly captured the range of emotions in an aria from Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress.

All the performers were accompanied by pianist John Reid, whom we were delighted to have with us in place of our usual accompanist Ben Frost. John’s connection with the SFCT began in 2004 when he was the accompanist at the very first Trust concert in St. John’s, Smith Square London.

We’re pleased to report that Ben is recovering well from a recent accident that has temporarily put him out of action.  We send every good wish to Ben and give our thanks to John.

Thanks are also due to associate trustee and leading UK musician Andrew Sparling, who accompanied both Rhona and Lucy on the clarinet. Andrew also shaped the evening’s programme.

The concert was followed by a superb supper prepared by Pat Syme and the staff at Joseph Catering, to whom we are indebted. The raffle which ended the evening raised considerably more than in previous years, helped in no small way by a keenly-fought auction for the prize of a week’s holiday in Umbria.

A big thank you to all who joined us on this happy occasion and to all of you: we look forward to serenading you again next year.