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Federation of Recorded Music Societies
(President - Julian Lloyd Webber)

Meet Julian Lloyd Webber
our President

FRMS Weekend at Ilkley

Now Postponed to Next Year!

Update 18/04/21

The committee has decided that an Autumn 2021 date for the event is still too risky at this stage of the pandemic. The event will now take place on the weekend

25–27 March 2022

Some adjustment to the programme may be necessary but we hope that all the original presenters and recitalists will be able to be with us.

The hotel has confirmed that bookings and payments may be carried forward to March 2022. As bookings were made directly with the hotel we have asked the hotel to notify participants individually. If you have not heard from the hotel please let us know by e-mail to chairman@thefrms.co.uk

The hotel can be contacted by e-mail at sales@craiglands.co.uk or by phone on 01943 430001. The postal address is Best Western Craiglands Hotel, Cowpasture Road, Ilkley LS29 8RG. It may be possible to accept additional bookings for the new dates. If you are interested please e-mail chairman@thefrms.co.uk for further information before contacting the hotel.

Programme

Annual General Meeting 2020

Because of the continuing restrictions due to COVID‑19, the AGM was conducted online this year with Zoom. While it was a lower-key event than usual, delegates appreciated the opportunity to see faces and discuss the current challenges facing societies.

You can see a snapshot of the attendees on the FRMS Events Page and refer to the agenda, minutes and reports.

Cheques

Please note that under the present circumstances there may be some delay before cheques sent to the treasurer can be banked.

New feature - stories from the societies

Click here for current stories

FRMS - WHO ARE WE?

The Federation of Recorded Music Societies (FRMS) can claim to have played its part in developing greater enthusiasm and understanding of recorded classical music over a substantial portion of the past century.

The Federation was formed in 1936 as the National Federation of Gramophone Societies. Although the title has changed to reflect more recent developments, the aims of the movement have remained basically unaltered and the attraction is still present in the 21st century as well over 100 societies continue to meet on a regular basis.

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ADVANTAGES OF AFFILIATION TO THE FRMS

The Federation was formed in 1936 as a voluntary association of societies in the British Isles for the purpose of protecting their interests and furthering their aims. Twenty-three Societies originally affiliated - now the number is well over 100. Our main function is to manage licensing arrangements with Performing Right Society Ltd (PRS) and Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL) for the licences necessary for performing recorded music in public, on terms favourable to our members. The fees are greatly reduced from those normally applied by these organisations for individual licences. A particular benefit of this arrangement is that it is the society itself that is licensed and not the premises. This means that the society is covered for PRS and PPL wherever it chooses to meet.

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FEATURED LINK

Each month we highlight below one of the links on our Links Page for your special attention:

Arts in Residence offers musical weekends discussing and exploring the music of the great composers, while staying in characterful houses and hotels, with lectures illustrated by music examples on excellent hi-fi equipment

LATEST NEWS

Farley Music Festival New Dates

The festival will now take place on 29th June–4th July 2021. Audience numbers will be reduced to allow for social distancing. The setting for the festival is All Saints Church, Farley, a few miles north-east of Salisbury.

18/04/2021

Fees and Insurance

A letter From the Chairman concerning FRMS fees and insurance during the year of the pandemic.

08/02/2021

Holst

Christmas is long past and spring is here at last. Here's an interesting article about the composer of Britain's favourite carol.

08/02/2021

Obituary

The death of John Gilks, a former Chairman of the FRMS, was announced last year. Gavin Mist of York RMS has sent us this appreciation of John.

Appreciations of several other recently deceased officers of the Society have been gathered together in our new In Memoriam page.

07/02/2012

Centenary!

FRMS Vice Chairman, George Steele, reports that the members of his society, Rochdale Gramophone Society, are hoping to celebrate their centenary later this year as and when the lockdown restrictions are lifted. Rochdale GS is the second oldest society in the FRMS.

The amusing story of their first meeting can be found on our stories from the societies page.

From that early beginning they prospered over the years, although current numbers are quite low. Like many societies their membership has grown older but is still loyal.

04/02/2021

Tony Baines

We regret to announce the death recently of Tony Baines, a vice-president of the FRMS

27/11/2020

Past Bulletins

The full set of Bulletins of the FRMS, from 1999 to the final edition in Autumn 2018, can be browsed on the previous bulletins page.

16/11/2020

Covid-19: Advice to Societies Update

15/10/2020

Newsletter Archive

Copies of previous FRMS newsletters, dating back to 2006, are now available to browse from the link in the left panel. Or just click here.

01/10/2020

Bradford-on-Avon RMS

This society has responded creatively to the lockdown by taking to the airwaves.

17/06/2020

Norwich Opera Club

celebrates 50 years in 2020

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