"This is a great day in the short history of The Arthur Bliss Society. To have a Lunch, and one so well attended, at a Three Choirs Festival, in honour of our esteemed composer, is a tremendous privilege."  - our Chairman's opening words in the Lunch souvenir programme.

94 members and friends met together on a lovely summer day to enjoy an excellent lunch in the most convivial atmosphere of the Wyastone marquee, before crossing to the Concert Hall to hear Bliss's Music for Strings and works by Finzi, Julian Phillips and Shostakovich, played by Orchestra of the Swan, conducted by David Curtis. We were pleased that David was able to join us for lunch after rehearsing.

Perhaps the occasion was made all the livelier by the Gewurztraminer kindly donated by Lady Bliss. Gerald said that Lady Bliss had often told him that Sir Arthur liked a glass of this before a concert, and then allowed her to adjust his bow-tie.

During the lunch Gerald welcomed everyone and introduced Andrew Burn, Head of Education and Ensembles with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, and a member of The Bliss Trust. His talk, illustrated with musical examples, was called "The Golden Decade: Bliss’s Music in the 1930s". Terry Barfoot, who has featured Bliss several times in his highly popular Arts in Residence courses, closed the proceedings.