PRESIDENT John Williams OBE
PATRONS Frankie Armstrong * Michael Berkeley * Wissam Boustany * Martyn Brabbins * Billy Bragg * Phil Collins * Sir Mark Elder * Bryan Ferry CBE * Dame Jane Glover DBE * Julian Jacobson * Dame Emma Kirkby * Ralph McTell * Colin Matthews OBE * Riccardo Muti * Michael Nyman CBE * Mary O'Hara * Sir Simon Rattle * Peggy Seeger * Roger Vignoles * Judith Weir CBE
PAST PATRONS Steuart Bedford OBE * Leonard Bernstein * Sir John Dankworth * Sir Colin Davis * Antal Dorati * Sir Charles Groves * Lynn Harrell * Emanuel Hurwitz * Kay Hurwitz * Dame Cleo Laine * Nona Liddell * Ewan MacColl * Sir Neville Marriner * Sir Peter Maxwell Davies * Jessye Norman * Sir Peter Pears * William Pleeth * Bernard Roberts * Robert Simpson * Sir Georg Solti * Ronald Stevenson * Sir Michael Tippett * Paul Tortelier * Stan Tracey CBE
Musicians for Peace and Disarmament was founded in 1983. Originally known as MANA, Musicians Against Nuclear Arms, it was the brainchild of a group of musicians and music lovers who had the idea of organising concerts by professional musicians to raise funds for the peace movement. Since then it has donated over £75,000 to organisations within the peace movement. Over the years many leading conductors, soloists, orchestral players and chamber musicians have taken part in our regular concerts, and continue to do so, with everyone giving their services for free. At most of our concerts a speaker is invited to give a short address. As well as our musical activities we produce a quarterly newsletter. MPD's president is the distinguished guitarist John Williams and our patrons are all prominent and influential figures drawn from many different areas of the musical profession. Our new name, MPD, was adopted a few years back to reflect today's wider but still urgently relevant concerns for world peace. MPD is affiliated to CND and Network for Peace and membership is open to anyone with an interest in music and a desire to further the cause of peace.
Dates For Your Diary
Sunday 2nd November 2025, 3pm
Lauderdale House, Waterlow Park, Highgate Hill, London N6 5HG
Autumn Concert For Peace presented by the MPD Chamber Ensemble
The Autumn Concert for Peace's programme is full of joy and optimism. In its blending of expressive melodies with masterly control in combining the three instruments, Schubert’s youthful String Trio recalls Mozart’s masterpiece, the Divertimento K 563. Three duos for clarinet and bassoon have been attributed to Beethoven, but their origin is not completely clear. Whoever the composer, they abound in good humour and witty interplay between the instruments; No. 2 is typical, and contains a particularly touching slow movement. Nielsen’s music is often quirky and original; the Serenata in vano portrays a group of musicians who attempt to serenade a lady, but when that fails, they go home playing a jaunty tune. Beethoven’s Septet achieved immediate success – something he later resented, when the public failed to appreciate some of his more serious and profound works. It is genial and uncomplicated, and provides opportunities for each player to shine. The final movement ends with a breathless flurry of triplets for the violin. Interval speaker: Dr. Swee Chai Ang Co-Founder, Medical Aid for Palestinians |
| Programme | |
| Schubert | String Trio in B-flat, D 471 |
| Beethoven | Duo in F for clarinet and bassoon |
| Nielsen | Serenata in vano |
| Beethoven | Septet in E-flat major, Op. 20 |
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