Original typed letters relating to Derek Bell’s appointment as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE). Includes letter from William Chapman, Secretary for Appointments, 10 Downing Street, London, England to Derek Bell informing him that the Prime Minister [Tony Blair] would like to submit Bell’s name to ‘The Queen’ for the coming list of Birthday Honours. He wants to know from Bell if this would ‘be agreeable’ to him (11 May 2000); also includes a letter from Tim Hitchens, Assistant Private Secretary, Buckingham Palace to Derek Bell thanking him for his CDs, which number 10 Downing Street had passed on. Hitchens will ensure ‘that Her Majesty is made aware’ of them (22 May 2000).
Request from various organisation to Derek Bell to perform or rehearse. Includes a request from the general secretary of CEMA, Tyrone House, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast to Bell to play piano at a concert by the Lydian Singers in Neillsbrook Hall, Randalstown, [Co Antrim] ‘the work to be performed is Elijah and the conductor will be Douglas Armstrong’ (30 Apr 1958); information and script for the pre-recording of a radio programme for the Northern Ireland Home Service called ‘Music from Ulster’ with ‘Derek Bell (oboe and cor anglais), Norman Henry (baritone), Henrietta Byrne (soprano) and May Turtle and Havelock Nelson (pianos)’ (19 Jun 1958); rehearsal times and duty sheets for various orchestras including ‘City of Belfast Orchestra’ (9 Apr 1964) and ‘BBC Northern Ireland Orchestra’ (17 Oct 1967); letter from Marcella De Cray, Treasurer & 1979 Conference Director, American Harp Society, San Francisco, California, United States of America, inviting Bell to be a guest artist at the 16th Annual Conference of the American Harp Society’ (15 Jan 1979); copy of a letter from Liam Ó Conchubhair to Maureen Gallagher, Producer, BBC, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast referring to a ‘recital at Garron Tower’ (13 Jun 1992) includes a setlist of tunes and songs to be performed; an invitation from Christine Burns, Cork to Derek Bell to attend the ‘First Annual Cork Dulcimer Festival’ (Apr 2002).
Includes concert programmes, ephemera and posters relating to performances by Derek Bell on various instruments including the classical and Irish harp, piano, oboe, cor anglais and cimbalom in a number of countries including Ireland, United Kingdom, Germany, United States of America and Canada. Programmes and posters include ‘Gramophone record recitals, Belfast Public Libraries Music Library, An East-West miscellany, presented by Mr Derek F. Bell’ (12 Jan 1965); ‘Recital of music from many periods and countries by Derek Bell accompanied at the piano by Peggy Johnston and Yvonne Ruttle’ (2 Dec 1972); ‘The Mozart Society Presents Derek Fleetwood Bell’ Musgrove Plantation, Saint Simons Island, Georgia, United States of America (6 Apr 1975); ‘Brunswick Junior College presents Derek Fleetwood Bell, harp and oboe [with] Alice Applegate Smith, piano’ (13 Jan 1978); ‘60 years, BBC Northern Ireland anniversary concert, The Ulster Orchestra’ (17 Oct 1984); ‘Derek Bell in concert, Harbour Festival [Belfast] 1991’ (23 Sep 1991); ‘Music from Bulgaria: a concert of music & songs from the School of Beinsa Douno (1864-1944), St James’ Church, Piccadilly, London [England]’ (15 Nov 1994); ‘University College Dublin International Summer School, July 1998, 50th anniversary celebration concert, harp and piano recital by Derek Bell’ (13 July 1998).
This series documents the activities of The Chieftains between the years 1974 and 2002 when Derek Bell was a member of the group. The subseries contains promotional material produced by the group’s record companies, tour schedules and itineraries, performance set-lists, programmes, ephemera, newspaper clippings, reviews, articles, photographs and memorabilia. Also included are a number of awards including a Grammy Award nominee medal (DBE-239678/4/2/9) and platinum, gold and silver discs awarded to the group for achieving exceptional album sales in a number of different jurisdictions.
Framed gold disc, presented to The Chieftains by Claddagh Records engraved with the follow: ‘Presented to The Chieftains on the occasion of their 21st anniversary and on achieving sales in excess of 250,000 in Ireland’.
Framed gold disc, presented to The Chieftains by BMG, engraved as follows: ‘in recognition of achieving Gold Status for the album The long black veil ’.
Original and photocopied typescripts, programmes and newspaper clippings, and two original letters. Includes various drafts of the programme notes for ‘Symphony No. 2 in D ( The violet flame-Comte de St. Germain ) for harp obligato and large orchestra, with piano, organ and wordless choir, Derek F. Bell’. Bell concludes the discussion about the symphony in his notes as follows ‘I hope it can be easily and quickly understood by the average concert goer for it is a reactionary work and it is not an esoteric piece for the avant-garde music-specialist, but for everyone.’ [1990]; copy of programme for the première of the symphony, performed by ‘The Colchester Chamber Orchestra, (in association with Eastern Arts), Promenade concert, sponsored by Colchester and East Essex Co-operative Society at St Botolph’s Church, Colchester [Essex, England]. Leader: Beth Spendlove, Soloist: Derek Bell, Conductor: Christopher Phelps’ (7 May 1990); programmes of other performances of The violet flame by the Northern Ireland Symphony (10 Aug 1991) and (10 Nov 1991); reviews of the composition and its performance in various newspapers including the Glasgow herald (15 Aug 1991), the Sunday press (10 Nov 1991), the Gaelic daily , Los Angeles, [California, United States of America] (27 Nov 1991).
