In 2019, the GAIA team and I dedicated great effort to ensure an even more lively, connected, and active Friends of GAIA circle. To support something that takes place once a year is wonderful. But to be in a position to see that one thing multiplied is even more satisfying.

It has been my wish to herald a return to salon culture, to open exchange, a sharing of ideas, and to lower the threshold of shyness that stops us from making new friends every day. Moreover, I see it as a thing of great importance that we as a society look after art and our artists to ensure a thriving, vibrant, peace-loving community unafraid to share its (carefully considered) opinion. And thus, the GAIA Circle of Friends was redeveloped and is now "Gwendolyn's Bridge Club."

The name and vision of Gwendolyn’s Bridge Club was inspired by a quote from violinist Jascha Heifetz, “When people come to play [and listen to] music as they do to play bridge, civilization will have taken the longest stride forward since the beginning of time.”

When I first surveyed people to see what they thought of the name of the club, some responded with, “Oh! That sounds rather stuffy and old-fashioned.” Others associated a ‘bridge club’ with upper-class octogenarians having tea, (gin &) tonics and a game of cards. Some bemoaned, “I would love to join but I don’t know how to play bridge!”

These responses were bewildering to me at first, but over time I grew fond of them. If classical music were to be a synonym for Bridge, then this was quite an accurate impression of what many think: classical music is seen by many to be an old-fashioned, elitist establishment, and perfectly incomprehensible for those who don’t study it.

It is my intention, and that of those who support, encourage and advise the Bridge Club, to bring music and other arts to you in a delightful, captivating way that engages as many of the senses as possible and comes from a place of passion, conviction and love. Moreover, it is my intention to present works that one can identify with, without skimping on the need for discourse around important themes which art can represent — from the collective to the individual.

Here's to building bridges!

With warmest wishes.

Yours,

Gwendolyn Masin
March 2024