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This book chronicles the remarkable story of Ongar Music Club from the lounges and record players of this market town in Essex, to fully-fledged public performances, given by many of the worlds most distinguished musicians including Lord Yehudi Menuhin, John Lill CBE, Sir Peter Pears, Dame Janet Baker, Benjamin Grosvenor, Stephen Isserlis and Dame Eva Turner.
The club founded the prestigious Essex Young Musician of the Year competition in 1984 and in 1986, it formed a jazz section, which now runs independently and is one of the most respected jazz clubs in the country, having presented many of the great names from the world of jazz such as Kenny Ball, Acker Bilk, Maxine Daniels, Digby Fairweather, Cy Laurie, Humphrey Lyttleton and Ronnie Scott.
About the author
Roderick Elms studied at the Royal Academy of Music. He appears in concerts and recordings with most of Britain's major orchestras as both a principal keyboard player and soloist. He has broadcast regularly for the BBC for more than forty years and has made many solo recordings with the Royal Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, London Symphony and BBC Concert orchestras. His recording of Warsaw Concerto with the RPO remains a Classic FM favourite. For several years he was London pianist to the eminent cellist Mstislav Rostropovich and organist to the London Symphony Orchestra. As an organist, he has recorded an extensive list for EMI and Chandos. This includes all the major oratorios of Elgar and the award-winning recording of Britten's War Requiem with the LSO. A recording of organ music by Percy Whitlock was released by Herald in 2010. Television and film scores on which he has performed include Poirot, Aliens, Dangerous Liaisons and the epic The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Roderick Elms' compositions are widely performed, both in this country and North America, and are published by Camden Music, London. In 2006 Dutton-Epoch released an album of his instrumental music (A Little Fall-ish!) with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and an album of his Christmas music (Festive Frolic) was released on the Naxos label in 2007 performed by the RPO and the Joyful Company of Singers. Roderick Elms is married to the pianist Joanna Smith, for whom he wrote Paper Dances - a concert piece for piano duet and orchestra which was recorded and broadcast by the BBC in September 2008. A CD of his chamber music (Moody Moves) was released by Herald in 2012 and a new Christmas CD (A Windy Christmas) was released for Christmas 2019. More information is available at www.masterkeyboards.co.uk
