On 2nd April 2023, we had our free annual Cherry Blossom Concert, and it was everything we could have wanted at BCMG; a wonderful crowd of all ages and backgrounds enjoying music and nature. 

If you were there on this magical lunchtime, you will have heard music by Charlotte Bray, Hollie Harding, Dai Fujikura, and György Ligeti. This relaxing programme was inspired by nature and human experience, with a focus on Japanese composers and their iconic cherry blossoms. With Birmingham being a town originally circled with blossom, Brindleyplace was the perfect place to celebrate the return of one of nature's most beautiful and temporary joys. 

An kind attendee emailed us to let us know how they found it: 

'What a very special event last Sunday's concert was. It is one we will remember with a great deal of pleasure for some time. For us an afternoon concert is ideal. We live in mid-Wales and travel by public transport, so an evening performance involves overnight accommodation in the city and the cost is often prohibitive. This was a rare treat. A big 'thank you' to everyone who was involved, their hard work is very much appreciated.' Attendee of Cherry Blossom Concert

We were also very lucky to have many talented photographers snapping away at our concert. See if you can spot yourself in the crowd.

Photo by @kimphotography.uk 

Photos by @photosbyvaleb1

Our wonderful musicians, Oli Janes, and David BaMaung

 

Photo by @photosbyvaleb1

Our guest Sound Technician Fraser.

Photos by @photosbyvaleb1

A moment of calm before the crowds gathered. I personally took this moment to enjoy our lovely collection of hand-crafted goody bags. 

Did you grab a goody bag?

If you grabbed a goody bag at the concert you'll now be absolutely inundated with seeds! Have you planted any yet? We would love to see what you grow. Share your pics and tag us on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.

Don't worry if you missed out on the eco merch at the weekend, there will be more at our next concert.

Thanks to I Choose Birmingham for the BrumbleBee Seed recommendation! These are from Birmingham-based horticulturists Lupin and are well worth a look in. We also had some lovely National Trust branded stickers and seeds for our goody bags to make them even more special. It's working with other communities in Birmingham that really add to the excitement of what we do.  

Our brand new Communications Assistant, Anna-Mhairi during her first day with BCMG! We asked her how she found it:

'The stunning location and beautiful cherry blossom trees created an amazing atmosphere that, coupled with the live-music made the event so magical. Seeing passers-by be drawn to the concert to stop and check out what was going on was a particular highlight. Getting to photograph the event and be a part of the day was a privilege.'

Her response to seeing this photo of her at the Cherry Blossom Concert "I look like a spy."

Our wonderful Learning Trainee Abbie who listened to the Cherry Blossom dress code!

Our equally wonderful Project Manager for Concerts and Tours, Sarah, who did not listen to the Cherry Blossom dress code. 

Did you enjoy our short accessible programmes? These were printed on recycled paper and we loved seeing everyone having a read about what was happening!

Photos by Anna-Mhairi 

What a day. Thank you to all of our partners and collaborators who helped make this event even bigger and better than before, and of course, the biggest thank you to you for coming and experiencing it with us! See you next year? 

 

What else is coming up? 

Concerts  Workshops