title Fred and the SYWO at Snape Maltings, Snape, Suffolk - 3rd September 2023 intro It's the Suffolk Music Service's end-of-season gala concert at Snape Maltings, and Fred's there with the Suffolk Youth Wind Orchestra. We have to drop Fred off for rehearsals at 12.30, but Snape's an hour's drive away so we hang around for the few hours before the concert itself at 5pm. After a simple picnic and a poke around the shops, we decide to do a boat trip on the River Alde, which is most pleasant way to spend an hour. Then it's the concert, which as ever is excellent, culminating as it does with a stirring rendition of Nimrod from Elgar's Enigma Variations, played by the full orchestra. The evening at Snape is capped off by a small but mesmerising starling murmuration, which wheels and banks over the other side of the river in the golden and warm evening light. Finally, we swing by Woodbridge for a bit of pizza and pasta at Prezzo. imgp6512 Fred heads off to his rehearsals imgp6513 Isobel looks around in the Early Music Shop imgp6515 There's a seal in the River Alde imgp6516 We have a picnic by the river imgp6519 Harry looks at games in the fancy home shop imgp6521 The Aladdin's cave that is the Home and Garden shop imgp6523 Stained glass in the foyer at Snape Maltings imgp6524 A reclining figure by Henry Moore imgp6525 Isobel and Harry by the bridge imgp6527 In the marshes by the River Alde imgp6534 A view of the Maltings imgp6535 The Family of Man by Barbara Hepworth imgp6537 Curious metal constructions in the marshes imgp6540 There's a very high tide on the river imgp6546 We're out on a boat trip on the river imgp6549 Harry drags his hand through the river water imgp6552 One of the channel-marking navigation withies imgp6556 Snape Maltings from out on the river imgp6561 Birds fly in formation over the church at Iken imgp6563 The house which Princess Margaret used to visit imgp6573 Harry gets to skipper to tour boat for a bit imgp6584 The giant Dutch barge moored at the Maltings imgp6588 The leafy frontage of Snape Maltings imgp6590 We're in the Plough and Sail for a drink imgp6594 Isobel and Harry in the pub imgp6597 A nice old 1930s car pootles around imgp6603 The Wind Orchestra does a photo on the fire escape imgp6605 Mingling around before the gig imgp6609 The concert hall fills up imgp6611 Fred walks onto the stage imgp6619 The SYWO plays its set imgp6623 The orchestra stands up for some applause imgp6630 The two conductors imgp6632 It's interval time imgp6635 A view of the Family of Man in the marshes imgp6641 The upstairs café has amazing views imgp6642 Interval time in the upstairs bar imgp6643 A view of the concert hall during the interval imgp6652 The full youth orchestra takes a bow after their set imgp6654 The world's biggest mute sits on the stage imgp6659 There's a lovely mumuration over the marshes imgp6671 We watch the murmuration from across the river imgp6679 There's a small crowd watching the starlings imgp6689 The murmuration drifts a bit further away imgp6696 A squadron of geese fly along the River Alde imgp6701 We're in Prezzo Pizza in Woodbridge again