The Friends of Music have announced that after their next concert on April 15, they will suspend operations.  Their announcement says that “There will not be a 2018-19 concert season. Instead, the FOM Board will seek a new direction for the organization.”  The problem was financial due to declining audiences and rising costs.  Their demise follows on the heels of the shutdown of the Shelter Valley Folk Festival and Port Hope Jazz Festivals last year – although neither of these were Cobourg based, their audiences included a large number of Cobourg people. (The Port Hope Jazz Festival may yet be resurrected).  To many, the thought that Friends of Music would shut down would be a shock since they have presented… Read complete articleAnother Cultural Icon Closes Shop