Wimbledon International Music Festival: Stan & Mabel and the Race for Space

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Paul Rissmann Stan & Mabel and the Race for Space

Polly Ives narrator

Age: 3-12

Join Stan and Mabel on a musical adventure for the whole family! This fun-filled concert, perfect for children aged 3+, features music by Paul Rissmann, live storytelling by Polly Ives, and animated illustrations by Jason Chapman. Escaping from the School for Wild and Dangerous Animals, Stan, Mabel and their friends go in search of a new home – learning about the orchestra along the way. Interactive and educational, players introduce their instruments and lead singalongs, making this an ideal, affordable introduction to classical music.

Canterbury Choral Society: Verdi Requiem

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Verdi Requiem

Richard Cooke conductor
Simon Blendis leader
Canterbury Choral Society

James Macmillan: Seven Last Words from the Cross with New Cambridge Singers

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Caroline Shaw To The Hands
James Macmillan Seven Last Words from the Cross

James Potter conductor
Sijie Chen leader

Poignant, heartfelt, and searingly powerful, Seven Last Words from the Cross is one of James MacMillan’s most gripping and effective works. For this special concert, New Cambridge Singers are joined by the London Mozart Players (‘unfailing professionalism, artistry, and commitment to music’) in one of Cambridge’s finest venues.  Alongside the MacMillan, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw’s To the Hands echoes the Passiontide theme and reflects on tolerance and migration in the modern world.

There will be a pre-concert talk at 6.30pm (ending by 7.15pm) and seating will be reserved for those attending – more details to follow.

A Celebration of Beethoven

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Beethoven Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61
Interval
Beethoven Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55 ‘Eroica’

Jonathan Bloxham conductor
Fenella Humphreys violin
Ruth Rogers leader

Experience an evening devoted to the genius of Ludwig van Beethoven, featuring two of his most beloved compositions performed by the esteemed London Mozart Players under the direction of Jonathan Bloxham. Joining them is the exceptional violinist Fenella Humphreys, a celebrated artist known for her expressive and nuanced performances. Winner of two BBC Music Magazine Awards (2018 and 2023), Fenella has been widely acclaimed for her compelling interpretations, particularly of Beethoven’s works.

Canterbury Choral Society: Britten St Nicolas

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Holst Psalm 86: To my humble supplication
Elgar Serenade for Strings in E minor, Op. 20
Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis
Interval 
Britten Saint Nicolas, Op. 42

Richard Cooke conductor
Canterbury Choral Society 

 

Wimbledon Music Festival: Academy Choir Wimbledon

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Taverner The Lamb
Taverner Svyati
Fauré (ed. Rutter) Requiem

Sophie Bevan soprano
Gareth Brynmor John baritone
George Inscoe conductor
Simon Blendis leader
The Academy Choir of Wimbledon

Wimbledon’s beloved Academy Choir returns with Fauré’s serene and radiant Requiem, joined by the London Mozart Players. Also featured are two works by Sir John Tavener: The Lamb, a poignant setting of William Blake’s poetry, and Svyati, a spiritual choral piece for cello and choir in Church Slavonic drawing on Orthodox funeral rites. This marks the Choir’s first performance under their new Music Director, following a distinguished partnership with the late Matthew Best.

Retiring collection in aid of Medical Life Lines Ukraine

Vinehall International Concert Series

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Mozart Serenade No. 10 in B flat major, K. 361 ‘Gran Partita’
Gounod Petite Symphonie in B flat major, CG 560
Beethoven Octet in E flat major, Op. 103

Malvern Theatres Concert Club: Mark Le Brocq & London Mozart Players

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Schubert Quartettsatz in C minor, D. 703
Vaughan Williams On Wenlock Edge
Interval
R Schumann Piano Quintet in E flat major, Op. 44

Simon Blendis leader
Mark Le Brocq tenor
Anna Tilbrook piano

Temple Music Foundation

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Mozart Overture from The Magic Flute, K. 620
Mozart Bassoon Concerto in B flat major, K. 191
Interval
Mozart Symphony No. 39 in E Flat major, K. 543

Geoffrey Paterson conductor
Amy Harman bassoon
Ruth Rogers leader

LMP Friends Coffee Meeting and Concert

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Exclusive coffee meeting for LMP Friends at Croham Hurst Golf Club, with musicians.

This coffee meeting will feature LMP musicians Katie Clemmow and Gareth Hulse (oboes), plus piano.

Coffee, tea and biscuits served from 10.15am

Introductions and Notices: 10.45am

Concert: 11am

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor at 150

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Coleridge-Taylor Violin Concerto in G minor, Op.80
Ryan Morgan New commission
Tunde Jegede New commission 

Braimah Kanneh-Mason violin
Tunde Jegede kora
Croydon SDA Gospel Choir
Matthew Lynch conductor

Immerse yourself in a powerful musical tribute to Croydon-born composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, 150 years after his birth. 

A pioneer who increasingly drew on his Sierra Leonean heritage in his music, Coleridge-Taylor’s legacy as a trailblazing musician who navigated the complexities of living as a Black artist within a White-dominated society lives on. 

This vibrant event features new music and performances from Tunde Jegede, whose unique approach draws on contemporary musical styles from both Europe and Africa, much like Coleridge-Taylor did. Violinist Braimah Kanneh-Mason brings fresh energy to Coleridge-Taylor’s Violin Concerto – one of the last pieces of music Coleridge-Taylor wrote before he died in 1912 – alongside soul-stirring performances of African Spiritual-inspired songs from the electrifying Croydon SDA Gospel Choir. 

With tickets from just £5, this accessible performance proudly celebrates Black identity and music in Croydon, through the lens of a composer who helped shape Croydon’s cultural personality and remains part of the borough’s DNA today. 

Presented by LMP and Croydon Council. 

St John Passion: LMP

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JS Bach St John Passion, BWV 245

Thomas Allery harpsichord/director 

Ah, my soul, where will you go; where will you find comfort? 

Bach’s St John Passion is a powerful exploration of what it means to be human – an emotional retelling of Christ’s final hours that speaks as deeply today as it did 300 years ago.  

Originally written for Good Friday, and filled with hymns familiar to Bach’s congregation, St John Passion connects with our sense of universal humanity through music which is full of heartbreak, beauty and reflection. Listeners can turn to Bach to make sense of suffering and find solace in a world that can be cruel. 

Though the Passion might not have a traditional happy ending, Bach teaches us find peace and understanding through the promise of resurrection, rather than dwelling on the pain Christ endured. 

Fowl Play: Haydn and Mozart with Cédric Tiberghien.

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Martines Sinfonia in C Major
Mozart Piano Concerto No.23 in A Major K.488
Interval
Boulogne Symphony No.2 in D Major, Op.11 No.2
Haydn Symphony No.83, ‘La Poule’ 

Cédric Tiberghein piano
Jonathan Bloxham conductor
Simon Blendis leader 

By the time they had mastered their craft, both Mozart and Haydn were ready to have a bit of fun.  

Take Haydn’s Symphony No.83, affectionately nicknamed ‘The Hen’. Though the title wasn’t his own, it’s easy to hear why it stuck. The clucking violins and oboes evoke a whole farmyard of strutting and bobbing poultry. It’s a light-hearted moment from the man often called ‘The Father of the Symphony’. 

Mozart, too, had a mischievous streak. Credited with shaping the piano concerto as we know it today, Mozart had the confidence to defy expectations in his music, like in his Piano Concerto No.23 where the final movement playfully pits piano and orchestra in a cheeky musical chase. 

Also in this concert is music from Haydn and Mozart’s contemporaries; Marianna Martines – the first woman to write a symphony – and Boulogne. 

Four Seasons across the World: Vivaldi and Piazzolla

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Piazzolla Four Seasons of Buenos Aires
Vivaldi The Four Seasons

Ruth Rogers director/violin
SDNA lighting design and production

Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is a classical music favourite, vividly capturing nature’s drama from the freshness of spring to the crackle of a summer storm. But how would these seasons sound for a climate on the other side of the world? 

Enter Astor Piazzolla – the revolutionary Argentinian composer who transformed the tango with his blend of classical and jazz influences. His Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, written 200 years after Vivaldi’s original, reflects the city’s urban charm, with sweeping melodies and vibrant bursts of those recognisable tango dance rhythms. 

Piazzolla nods to Vivaldi in his piece, but not exactly where you might expect. Living on different continents, the two composers experienced the seasons in contrast – you might hear some piercing echoes of a Venetian winter seep into the sultry heat of a Buenos Aires summer. 

To heighten your listening experience, specially commissioned, bespoke visuals will spill across the walls of St Martin’s, transporting you across the hemispheres as you’re immersed in the seasonal changes. 

Siren Songs and Serenades: LMP with Ben Goldscheider

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Anna Clyne Sirens
Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, Op.31 

Interval 

Mendelssohn Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op.11 

Ben Goldscheider horn
Laurence Kilsby tenor
Jonathan Bloxham conductor
Simon Blendis leader/director 

Music is born from the world around us – shaped by the people we meet and the stories that stir our imaginations.    

Commissioned by the legendary horn player Dennis Brain, Britten’s Serenade wasn’t just written for his performer – it was written with him. Britten and Brain’s personalities both shine through, showing off how the creative dialogue has been woven in, making it as much of a reflection of the performer as the composer himself.  

The spirit of collaboration continues in the world premiere of Sirens by GRAMMY-nominated composer Anna Clyne. Dedicated to tonight’s horn soloist Ben Goldscheider, the music draws on the myth of the sirens who lured sailors to their doom with their irresistible voices. Working closely together, Anna and Ben pushed the boundaries of the horn to conjure the sirens’ hypotonic sound world; ethereal, beguiling and completely entrancing.   

Adding to the drama of this concert is Mendelssohn’s fiery Symphony No.1, written early in the composer’s life and packed to the brim with energy. 

Piano Explored with Howard Shelley

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Howard Shelley piano

Programme to include
Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op.15

Ever wondered what makes a great concerto so powerful? Get up close and personal with the most well-loved piano works at Piano Explored where Howard Shelley provides a unique window into the inner workings of the music.  

These one-hour concerts are ideal for a midday culture fix. Howard acts as your musical tour guide, starting things off by talking you through the music, sharing stories, fun facts and moments to listen out for.  

Next, it’s time to sit back and enjoy the concerto, with Howard’s world-class playing alongside a full orchestra. And with two concertos each concert, it’s a great chance to hear a long-time favourite as well as discovering something new. 

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a classical connoisseur or completely new to the genre – no prior knowledge is needed. Expect electrifying performances, fun-filled storytelling, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere.  

Anyone studying or working at school or university can get an ‘Education ticket’ for £10. Please bring suitable ID with you on the day to show at the door. All tickets can be bought on the door, as well as online. 

Doors will open at 12.30pm for a concert start time of 12:45pm. Please note that you will not be able to enter the church before 12.30pm. As there is very limited space to wait indoors, we would encourage you to arrive as close to 12.30pm as possible. 

Piano Explored with Howard Shelley

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Howard Shelley piano

Programme to include
Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat Major, Op.19

Ever wondered what makes a great concerto so powerful? Get up close and personal with the most well-loved piano works at Piano Explored where Howard Shelley provides a unique window into the inner workings of the music.  

These one-hour concerts are ideal for a midday culture fix. Howard acts as your musical tour guide, starting things off by talking you through the music, sharing stories, fun facts and moments to listen out for.  

Next, it’s time to sit back and enjoy the concerto, with Howard’s world-class playing alongside a full orchestra. And with two concertos each concert, it’s a great chance to hear a long-time favourite as well as discovering something new. 

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a classical connoisseur or completely new to the genre – no prior knowledge is needed. Expect electrifying performances, fun-filled storytelling, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere.  

Anyone studying or working at school or university can get an ‘Education ticket’ for £10. Please bring suitable ID with you on the day to show at the door. All tickets can be bought on the door, as well as online. 

Doors will open at 12.30pm for a concert start time of 12:45pm. Please note that you will not be able to enter the church before 12.30pm. As there is very limited space to wait indoors, we would encourage you to arrive as close to 12.30pm as possible. 

Piano Explored with Howard Shelley

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Howard Shelley piano

Programme to include
Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op.37

Ever wondered what makes a great concerto so powerful? Get up close and personal with the most well-loved piano works at Piano Explored where Howard Shelley provides a unique window into the inner workings of the music.  

These one-hour concerts are ideal for a midday culture fix. Howard acts as your musical tour guide, starting things off by talking you through the music, sharing stories, fun facts and moments to listen out for.  

Next, it’s time to sit back and enjoy the concerto, with Howard’s world-class playing alongside a full orchestra. And with two concertos each concert, it’s a great chance to hear a long-time favourite as well as discovering something new. 

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a classical connoisseur or completely new to the genre – no prior knowledge is needed. Expect electrifying performances, fun-filled storytelling, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere.  

 

Anyone studying or working at school or university can get an ‘Education ticket’ for £10. Please bring suitable ID with you on the day to show at the door. All tickets can be bought on the door, as well as online. 

Doors will open at 12.30pm for a concert start time of 12:45pm. Please note that you will not be able to enter the church before 12.30pm. As there is very limited space to wait indoors, we would encourage you to arrive as close to 12.30pm as possible.