The Thiepval Memorial to the Missing lists over 72,000 soldiers and officers who disappeared during the Battle of the Somme. The memorial is now 90 years old and has recently been restored. Emma was invited by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to sing at the reopening ceremony last September, which was cancelled due to the period of national mourning.
With Len Fox, whom we remembered during the ceremony in Grebbeberg.
On 12th September, Emma joined trumpeter Melissa Venema to provide music for a remembrance ceremony for Second World War veterans, organised by the Stichting Nederland-America. The ceremony took place at Grebbeberg war cemetery, a Dutch military war cemetery with 800 graves. During the ceremony we remembered veterans who had passed away. In particular, Emma remembered Len Fox, who was also a singer, and who sang with her on ITV and the BBC World Service during the 75th Commemoration of D-Day.
Here is a short news report.
Emma was the guest soloist in a military tattoo in Purmerend, the Netherlands. This took place just after the death of HM Elizabeth II. To show their respect, the orchestras took a moment’s silence and Emma sang “Amazing Grace.” It was moving to experience the support of the largely Dutch audience for the late queen.
The windband “Harmonie Katwijk” recently celebrated their 125th anniversary. They organsied an outdoor concert in Katwijk, the Netherlands, in the extravagant style of Andre Rieu, with popular and classical music. Emma sang as a guest soloist: the repertoire included opera, musical theatre, popular and film music. The orchestra was conducted by Rob Balfoort, and Emma also collaborated with top pianist/organist Hugo van der Meij.
This year marks the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation’s 25th anniversary in Mongolia, and to celebrate the anniversary and raise funds for a kindergarten, CNCF organised a gala dinner in Ulaanbaatar. I joined CNCF children on stage to sing “You Raise Me Up.” I think we all had Christina in our hearts as we sang.
Christina Noble arrived in Mongolia in 1997 and witnessed the devastating living conditions following the withdrawal of the Soviet Union. Children were forced to live underground in manholes to attempt to survive the harsh winters, where temperatures can plummet to -40. Some were imprisoned for acts which we, in the West, would not even consider to be a crime. Many were sick, abandoned, and destitute.
Christina set up the Blue Skies Ger Village, giving homeless children a home, an education, rehabilitative care, and most important of all, love, confidence, and respect. She has helped thousands of children and families break the cycle of poverty and grow into confident young adults. At the 25th anniversary gala dinner, we heard some of their stories.
Please consider supporting CNCF. We have seen first hand the work they are doing. We have visited the Blue Slies Ger Village and felt the love and warmth of the safe environment provided for homeless children. We have helped a family build a home, a ger (a traditional Mongolian tent home) as part of the “Give a Ger” scheme. We have met children and their sponsors. We have even visited a boys’ prison and seen for ourselves the education and rehabilitation projects being carried out. From helping individual children to working with the government, CNCF is empowering lives.
Supporting the foundation can be through a one-off donation, sponsoring a child, or even buying a ger for a family in poverty.
With thanks to Gonchig Lkhagva and all the staff at CNCF’s office in Ulaanbaatar. It was an honour to sing with the children, to sing in the prison / rehabilitation centre, and to join the children to perform during the gala dinner.
Emma will be recording a new work for mezzo, clarinet, and piano by John Macfarlane. Hein Putter will play the piano, and John Macfarlane the clarinet. The recording will be produced by Hans Bemmelen. Emma has performed several times with Putter and Macfarlane as “Trio Colla Voce.”
Macfarlane’s arrangements are published by, among other, Boosey and Hawkes and Donemus.
The Battle of the Somme was one of the deadliest battles in human history, with over one million casualties, many of whom simply went missing.
This year marked the 106th anniversary of the battle. Emma travelled to the Somme to sing during ceremonies at the Ulster Tower, Northern Ireland’s National War Memorial, and at the Orange Memorial in Thiepval, and at the Memorial to the 16th Irish Division in Guillemont. There was a strong representation from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, as well as France, Britain, the US, and the Commonwealth.