It's become a tradition...
...that the Hampshire Guitar Orchestra and the Cambridge Guitar Orchestra (CGO) get together each year for a joint concert.
From a hesitant beginning in 2002, this "home and away" concept has evolved into a fantastic weekend, with rehearsals, food, a concert and a massive celebration afterwards. A few "stills" can't do justice to it all, but we've had a go in our album of "serious & silly"
Our relationship goes back a long way - to 1984, when hago's Musical Director, Derek, lost Sandra, one of his best pupils, when she left Havant and set up home close to Cambridge.
Unbeknown to Derek, Sandra moved from being a pupil to a qualified teacher and took a seat in the Cambridge Guitar Orchestra. It was at the West Dean Guitar Festival in 2000 that Sandra and Derek met again and in early 2001, CGO came to Brighton to play, and we realised that joint Concerts were a real possibility.
And that's how our regular forays into each other's "territory" first started...
Visit Cambridge Guitar Orchestra on the web
2013 - at the Church of St Edward King and Martyr Cambridge
Our eagerly-awaited outing to Cambridge once again took place in the Church at Peas Hill
Saturday afternoon - is it The Hokey Hokey about to kick off, or is it a group hug?
Realising that the names on the concert programme don't quite match up with the current hago team, Lisa is shot by Colonel Mustard, in the garden, with the pistol. Order is restored.
Jana finds it hard to believe that we can get another three players in the car for the trip to the City Centre
Is it a bird? Is it a plane?
After the concert we return to the hotel for food and fun.
Caroline gets the spelling wrong and in an unfortunate homage to Frederic Bayco the composer, brings a Bayko toy building set instead.
Graham shows Heather
his roof-less, wall-less creation
Just some of the food that vanished during the evening
An unexpected winner in the "First to fall asleep" award was Jenny, gaining bonus points for making her kip look really comfortable too.
Tony the Teapot...
CGO Chairman Tony Ainsworth shows off his new bow-tie, chosen with love and affection by hago, deciding that his legendary tea-pot impression will top it off nicely.
The morning after the night before - the team after breakfast on Sunday morning
2012 - at St George's Church Portsea
This concert, part of the opening concerts of the Portsmouth Festivities, was held in the lovely St George's Church Portsea
More than that, it was hago's 100th concert - you can read more in our 100th concert page
Grub first, then concert!
hago at their soundcheck
CGO played the second half
CGO got somehow confused between century & centurion and presented hago's Musical Director Derek Hasted with a Roman Helmet...
Sing Lofty!
...whereas our gift to Peter Rueffer of an elegant Pith Helmet fitted perfectly
with our premiere of Whispering Grass, even if the helmet didn't fit perfectly.
Besides it was only fitting to give Peter the pith after years of taking it...
We don't know what made CGO think that this gift, so kindly presented, would make Derek's jokes funnier - they can judge when we meet up in 2013
As we bid farewell to our 100th concert and to our good friends CGO, enjoy this little memento - When The Guitar Sings
2011 - at the Church of St Edward King and Martyr Cambridge
Our eagerly-awaited outing to Cambridge once again took place in the Church at Peas Hill
Time for a cuppa at the Hotel before the concert
hago at their soundcheck
CGO get ready to start
CGO in full flight!
hago played the second half of the concert...
Our gift of appreciation to Peter, CGO's Musical Director, was a pair of silent practice percussion eggs in a Cambridge Blue case - the Peter Pan
After the concert it was back to the hotel for the now-traditional post-concert party...
Here is some of CGO and some of the food...
And some of hago and some more of the food! And a camera...
Winner of the "First person to fall asleep" award was the hot favourite!
2010 - at St George's Church Portsea
This concert, part of the closing concerts of the Portsmouth Festivities, was held in the lovely St George's Church Portsea
Events didn't go to plan when an electricity substation caught fire at 1am and blacked out 47,000 properties.
Gunwharf Quays and its car park remained shut all evening, but the church had power all day.
The woodcarving of St George, over the door to the kitchen
hago at their soundcheck
The view from the front of the Gallery
The gallery was pretty packed, and the acoustics up there were sublime
Derek the Chicken became Derek the Duck this year.
Here's the Peking Duck...
Accompanied by the music from The Pink Panther, our MD was presented with a fizzing "berm" as a token of CGO's affection for him...
With Gunwharf shut, the pubs that were open were rather crowded and noisy, but it didn't stop the two orchestras enjoying a drink together. In fact nothing stops the two orchestras enjoying a drink together!
The aftermath of the concert.
hago will be plotting their revenge...
2009 - at the Church of St Edward King and Martyr Cambridge
High spot of hago's year is our outing to Cambridge and this year's was quite spectacular.
There were three stitch-ups for a start...
Some of the team enjoying the sights before the concert
CGO were rehearsing furiously when we came into the Church
Stitch-up number one - hago's rehearsal lasted 2 minutes - a cold and calculated move to unsettle the hosts and get to the food quicker.
And it worked - CGO were seen to have a SECOND rehearsal in the time we freed up! We were so quick, there was no photo...
Stitch-up number two came with hago's unprogrammed performance of Left Bank Two (see hago on YouTube) accompanied by a display of tasteful and stylish hand-drawn pictures of CGO's Musical Director
Back in the hotel, Peter Rueffer was presented with our efforts. It was much appreciated as you can see from his strained smile...
Avril proudly showed off her new slim and lithe guitar, which has been on the Atkins Diet
Stitch-up number three - CGO's MD hadn't seen what was on the T-shirt when we got him to pose...
Winner of the third hago award for sleeping at the party is Tracy, who lost the will to live just as Mike finished his 30-minute shaggy dog story
2008 - at St George's Church Portsea
This concert, part of the opening celebrations of the Portsmouth Festivities, was held in the lovely St George's Church Portsea
It's no good - we just HAD to eat first!
Here's hago performing in the first half of the concert
Our post-concert party was in the Customs House at Gunwharf
And of course Derek was there...
2007 - at the Church of St Edward King and Martyr Cambridge
hago returns to Cambridge eager to exact revenge for Derek the Chicken
CGO in concert
CGO in close-up
hago in concert, with our new music stand covers adding more red, black and white
Back in the hotel we've apparently over-catered a bit!
Tracy says "Gimme Five minutes and I'll eat the lot"
Janet's leaving presentation
CGO players recoil in horror at Peter Rueffer's new look.
Derek with Peter Rueffer, CGO MD, pictured wearing a wig and being the worse for wear all in one go - yes, hago present him with a fetching black rockstar hairdo.
Apparently, anyone who's anybody is wearing a rockstar hairdo this year...
From Cher to Queen Victoria in 4 easy stages...
Later, Derek was nearly given a First Class Stamp before being rescued in the nick of time...
Winner of the second hago award for sleeping at the party is Lisa!
More winners in future years...
2006 - at St Agatha's Church Portsmouth
In 2006, we returned to the magnificent Church of St Agatha, in central Portsmouth.
Food came first (and what's wrong with that), before an enjoyable concert was taken down a peg or two by the appearance of CGO's new mascot - a furry
creature with a large beak which they called Derek. Can't think why. Except that it's very irritating and noisy.
Food, fun and friendship!
CGO working hard on some last minute polishing
hago playing Dr Who
CGO getting ready for their next piece
The post-concert wind-down was at Southsea on a gloriousy balmy evening.
Avril gets confused over which Derek is which and tries to strangle the wrong one.
2005 - at the Church of St Edward King and Martyr Cambridge
We returned to the lovely Church in the very centre of Cambridge for another concert and more food!
CGO rehearsing
hago rehearsing
Back at the hotel, Avril can't conceal her disappointment
Some of hago decide to try freestyle wrestling...
...while others decide to wear the contents of the Pot Pourri
And it all proves too exciting for words...
Winner of the first hago award for sleeping at the party is Heather!
More winners in future years...
2004 - at All Saints Church Portsmouth
For Cambridge's second visit, we moved to a slightly more modest and less reverberant venue.
We were joined by one of our players' other ensembles, the Crofton Guitar Ensemble.
The tea, between rehearsals and the concert started to set the tradition that food and friendship are the two reasons for our concerts!
Our concert opened with the Crofton Guitar Ensemble
led by hago player Amber Saunders
whose items included Machado and Metallica
hago were on next - we're pictured here rehearsing
CGO closed the concert - again seen here rehearsing
And here we see what has become the tradition of a post-rehearsal pre-concert feast, provided by the home team
2003 - at the Church of St Edward King and Martyr Cambridge
Our first visit to Cambridge ended with CGO joining us for our final item - a 35-strong rendition of a fun little piece.
The final item in hago's set was called
Ballo Dell'Impedimento Del Trattore a Cingoli
More about the story of the Ballo here!
Here's hago - ready to roll
hago take a bow at the end of their set
The concert concluded with a massed item - Isle of Capri -
with 35 players
2002 - at St Agatha's Church Portsmouth
A chance meeting at West Dean between our MD Derek and a former student of his, now playing in CGO, resulted in the first of what has been a remarkable and happy series of joint concerts, in Portsmouth on the even numbered years, and in Cambridge on the odd.
Our first concert, played to an audience of almost 190 people, was in the magnificent St Agatha's Church Portsmouth
hago playing our first set with CGO
Job done - hago enjoying the applause!
And CGO returning the volley...
More about Cambridge Guitar Orchestra
Visit Cambridge Guitar Orchestra on the web