Concerts
Our 2019/20 season features six classical concerts and a lunchtime workshop.
Click here for details of the 2018/19 season's concerts.
Sunday 13 October at 3.00pm
John Paul Ekins (piano)
John Paul Ekins' scintillating, communicative and sensitive performances have drawn praise from audiences and critics alike. In great demand as a recitalist, concerto soloist and chamber musician, he has given performances throughout the UK, Northern Ireland and overseas and was recently appointed as piano teacher at St. Paul's School, London.
- Haydn – Andante and variations in F minor Hob. 17/6
- Mozart – Sonata in C minor K.457
- Liszt – Harmonies du Soir
- Liszt – Cantique d'amour
- Mussorgsky – Pictures at an Exhibition
Sunday 10 November at 12.00pm
The Carducci String Quartet
With breadth of experience in working with young people, the Carducci String Quartet will tutor young musicians from the Elgar School and Severn Arts. Free Entry to under 18s and those with a ticket to the afternoon concert (otherwise £5).
Sunday 10 November at 3.00pm
The Carducci String Quartet
Matthew Denton (violin), Michelle Fleming (violin), Eoin Schmidt-Martin (viola) and Emma Denton (cello)
Described by the 'Strad' as presenting 'a masterclass in unanimity of musical purpose, in which severity could melt seamlessly into charm, and drama into geniality', the award-winning Carducci Quartet is internationally acclaimed as one of the most accomplished and versatile ensembles of today.
First in a series of three concerts each containing a Bartok String Quartet
- Beethoven – String Quartet no. 11 in F minor, Op. 95 'Serioso'
- Borodin – String Quartet no. 2 in D major
- Bartok – String Quartet no. 1 in A minor Sz 40
Sunday 8 December at 3.00pm
The York Waits
Make We Joy Now in this Fest
Festive music for Advent and Christmas performed on period instruments by The York Waits, with singer Deborah Catterall. The Waits explore the wide diversity of medieval and renaissance music from across Europe – fifteenth century English carols, Lutheran chorales, French noels and Mediterranean lullabies. They perform on a vast array of wind, brass, strings and percussion, including shawms, sackbuts, curtals, crumhorns, recorders, flutes, fiddles, rebec, gittern, harp, vielle, bagpipes and portative organ.
They are fantastic live... Brilliant musicians playing unpretentious good-time music that they obviously get a huge kick out of playing. – David Williams
Sunday 26 January at 3.00pm
The Gildas String Quartet
Christopher Jones (violin), Gemma Sharples (violin), Kay Stephen (viola) and Anna Menzies (cello)
The Gildas String Quartet have performed to critical acclaim at major venues and on BBC Radio 3. Praised for their 'energy, verve and refreshing approach', their bold and explorative approach to performance has been recognised by International Franz Schubert & Modern Music Competition, Graz, where they won the Audience Engagement Award, 2018.
- Mozart – Quartet in C major 'Dissonance'
- Janacek – Quartet no. 2 'Intimate Letters'
- Beethoven – Quartet in A minor, Op. 132
Sunday 23 February at 3.00pm
The Frith Piano Quartet
Benjamin Frith (piano), David Le Page (violin), Robin Ireland (viola) and Richard Jenkinson (cello)
The Frith Piano Quartet was formed in 2000 and have performed the complete piano quartets of Brahms, Dvorák, Fauré, Mozart and also not-so-often-heard gems such as Frank Bridge, Arthur Bliss and Richard Strauss.
- Mozart – Piano Quartet no. 2 K.493 in E flat major
- Turina – Piano Quartet in A minor, Op. 67
- Brahms – Piano Quartet no. 1 in G minor, Op. 25
Sunday 29 March at 3.00pm
Lecture / Recital on the historic Nicholson organ of 1840
Christopher Allsop
Christopher Allsop is Assistant Director of Music at The King's School, Worcester. He founded the New Birmingham Scholars chamber choir, taught at Birmingham Conservatoire, played for numerous choirs and has been organist for five Worcester Three Choirs Festivals.
An illustrated lecture exploring the history and sound-world of this small and beautiful instrument, featuring music by English composers as well as by Bach, Mendelssohn and Guilmant.
