From a young age I took part in lots of concerts, big, small and very small indeed. How I wish now that I had kept all of the concert programmes! Some of the soloists that sang with the orchestras in which I played are now very famous and it would have been fun to look over the old concert lists now. I have kept a few of the festival lists in which I have entered pupils but not all by a very long way. If you are starting out on your playing careers in whatever way do keep your programmes. They will be so lovely to look at when you are old and grey.

Absolutely!

A couple of years ago, I inherited all of the old concert programmes for Valhalla Choral Society. We had some excellent soloists at the start of their careers, and if only we could afford Thomas Allen or Philip Langridge now <sigh>

I always try to produce a really nice programme even for the little events that we hold in my house, and I know that some of the parents keep them all in a file. It's nice to look back in later years even if they never make it professionally.

Yes, it's lovely to look back on old concert and festival programmes . I've kept all the programmes for my own pupils' concerts, and for concerts which my children took part in at school and at the local Music Centre, and the ones I've taken part in (including the programmes from our very own Forums concerts!) as well as Festival syllabuses and programmes going back for many years.

I cleared out a lot of my Concert Programmes recently. Now I mainly have those that I have written. It is great to have a record of what you've achieved, and I had the pleasure of writing Programme notes for a number of departmental concerts when I was an undergrad. I will definately keep my next Concert Programme. I also kept all my Undergraduate essays, usable notes and dissertation, things that I still use for refrernce even though I graduated in 1991.

Yes, I have kept the programmes from every concert I've ever played in from the age of about 12 - that's an awful lot of concerts! It is lovely to look back over them and remember...

W

I love to keep them so I don't forget what I have played at things!

Luckily, my mum bought me a file when I was small - and I've got a lot of concert programmes in that. It's great to look back on as a record.

I love to have a look a my concert programms every while...
Brings back good memories , not only what I had played in these concerts ,but also how I felt and the atmosphere of each concert.

I file them all - got a great kick out of looking through my old RAH programmes. One of the singers they had as a guest is now my singing teacher, some of the old principals now take my sectionals and it felt really strange seeing all these people who are now principals of the whole organisation back in the lowest bands! It really brings back memories and makes me feel old

Not only because they are great to look back on and remember and show yourself how far you've come, but also if you put them down as achievements, etc. on an application form, sometimes, they want proof!

I wish i'd have kept mine now!

I never kept any

That's a pity Nicia

But at least you are now inspired to keep all the programmes from the concerts you do from now on.

I think I don't have any programs because my mum threw them away

I have kept all mine bar one! I'm really glad about that!