Sometimes you wonder whether it’s all worth it.

Last night, I reckon that the Wessex Concert Orchestra gave one of it’s best ever performances in Chippenham with a programme of exciting and accessible orchestral music. But, despite our best efforts at publicizing the event (we even got a mention on the local TV news & weather programme) the audience totalled no more than ninety (and by my reckoning, half of those were probably friends or family of orchestra members).

Perhaps it is the venue that is putting people off. Let’s face it, we pay a considerable sum to hire St Andrew’s Church (much more in fact than for comparable or better venues elsewhere)for a venue that has only one outside toilet, no on-site parking, hard pews and a fair number of surly staff. (In fact one of the few “unloading” parking slots was taken by a member of church staff who did not have to lug a harp, a 'cello, lighting gantries, 2 heavy music-stand boxes, a set of display boards, a library box and other assorted concert paraphernalia into the church!) Thank you ever so much – and I’m sorry if our little concert inconvenienced you. The extra trek carrying all that equipment was much appreciated and made all the more pleasant by a very keen Traffic Warden hovering like a crazed wild-western gun-slinger, with ticket-pad at the ready. The only redeeming feature for St Andrew’s is the acoustic which is undeniably good. Nevertheless, I believe last night’s concert has finally forced our hand: No more Chippenham concerts for the foreseeable future. What a damning indictment on the Orchestra’s home town! I for one, as the orchestra’s manager, look forward to future concerts in Devizes, Malmesbury, Swindon and Keevil instead. In fact, anywhere but Chippenham. Although organizations like Perforum are making progress in developing the town's Neeld Hall, there is still no decent concert venue in Chippenham that has a good acoustic, is affordable, convenient, available and welcoming (and has the capacity required)!

On the positive side, the audience that did turn up will probably have enjoyed the concert. Our Musical Director, Andrew Baatz, had to rein us in on occasions – perhaps especially so during Darth Vader’s March from John Williams’ dramatic “Star Wars Suite” – the force was definitely with us last night! There was also (I like to believe) equal amounts of sensitivity – particularly in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade and in the concert's opening number, the sumptuous Tara's Theme (from Steiner's magical soundtrack to "Gone with the Wind".) Our home-grown soloists all did us proud, perhaps none more so than Nicola Ashton (leader) for whom the many, many hours of practice really paid off with a lovely series of violin cadenzas. Well done to her!

So is it all worth it? Yes, of course it is. But I sometimes depair when it is easier to get grant support for workshops on African drumming or any arts event that includes the word “youth” than it is for a community orchestra. We are clearly too old (but not old enough to attract help from Help the Aged!), too elitist (if only you know how ridiculous that idea is!) or too indigenous to attract the sort of support that other organizations get. As far as I know, the WCO has never been awarded any grant for its activities (despite numerous applications). Perhaps we should try incorporating some circus skills in our next concert (accompanied no doubt by Fucik’s “Entrance of the Gladiators”.) Quietly, but surely, a real community tradition of music making (which in the WCO’s case began in 1940) is under threat both from the grant-giving organizations and from public indifference. Rant over. I must keep taking the pills!