Open Meeting on the future of telephone boxes next Monday 3 October 7–8 pm at The Highgate Society, 10a South Grove.

“Piano star to play in Highgate”

On Saturday 15th October the pianist Martin James Bartlett, winner of the BBC’s Young Musician of the Year Competition in 2014,will be giving a recital to celebrate the Highgate Society’s 50th anniversary at the United Reformed Church, South Grove, Highgate N6 6BJ at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £15 and can be obtained from The Gatehouse (020 8340 3488), Brooksby’s in Highgate High Street (cash only) or by post from the Highgate Society,  10a South Grove N6 6BS (cash or cheque in a sae).

This exceptional budding pianist will be playing an ambitious programme consisting of classics as well as modern music from both sides of the Atlantic. Martin, who is still only 19, is currently studying at the Royal College of Music whose magazine recently described him as “one of the greatest young up and coming piano talents in the music world”.  

He will open the concert with the Mozart sonata in A minor. This will be followed  by pieces from Ginastera and Granados, whose Goyescas  have been described as “extremely difficult to master”. As a jazz fan he loves playing their syncopated rhythms. In contrast to these flamboyant pieces, Martin will be playing an amorous Widmung which Schumann wrote for his beloved bride Clara. He will continue with Burlesque by Sir Arnold Bax, which he performed earlier this year before the Queen as part of her 90th birthday celebrations.

This concert is part of the Music in Highgate Homes series which the Highgate Society has been promoting for many years showcasing the talents of a welter of multi talented young musicians, many of whom have gone on to make distinguished careers for themselves.

Camden and Haringey Councils' consultation on the Highgate Neighbourhood plan begins today. The councils' are seeking views on the plan from today until November 3rd. See the plan and supporting documents at www.haringey.gov.uk/neighbourhoodplanning or www.camden.gov.uk/neighbourhoodplanning

The Plan sets out a range of planning policies on matters including design, open space, retail and transport which will apply to the designated Highgate Neighbourhood Area. If adopted, the Highgate Neighbourhood Plan will be a statutory planning document and will form part of Camden and Haringey’s development plans.

This Walk takes place on Sunday October 9 starting at 2.30, led by Ruth Hazeldine and Zeb Soanes. This is the second of the walks taking place in this 50th Anniversary year. Ruth leads us to the sites associated with literary figures in Highgate and gives a potted biography of each one. The walk is approximately 45 minutes and down hill! Only 20 places - to the first come ........

Tickets are £12 to include a cream tea. Cheques should be made out to the Highgate Society and sent with s.a.e for return of tickets to Ruth Hazeldine c/o 10a South Grove N6 6BS.

As a further part of our 50th anniversary celebrations we are putting on an exhibition, Highgate Modern Homes to showcase some of the more contemporary architecture in Highgate. The historic village of Highgate and its surroundings is the location for perhaps the largest concentration of modern homes in the UK. Because of the historic context and the pressure on land many are hidden away. Despite this, there is a tradition of building modern houses and flats, private and public, combining advanced design with advanced ideas about living, and there is some iconic architecture within this remit, like the unmissable Highpoint by Lubetkin.

It will celebrate the Highgate Society’s commitment to upholding high design standards. It will be held in the Museum of Highgate School, itself an active promoter of architectural quality with related talks and discussions held at the Highgate Society’s premises at 10A South Grove, from 15th to 30th October 2016, inclusive.

Other things were happening in 1966. Michael Hammerson, totally oblivious of the birth of the Highgate Society, went on his student trip to America, covering 15,000 miles and seeing more of it in three months than many see in a lifetime. 50 years later, as a follow-up to talks given earlier in the year by Catherine Budgett-Meakin and Richard Webber, about their more recent visits to America, he will reminisce about that memorable journey in an illustrated talk. Sunday November 13, 2016, 3.30 p.m. at 10a South Grove.