A Crowne of sharpest Thorns

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Howard Goodall Invictus: A Passion

London Mozart Players
Ralph Woodward conductor
Kirsty Hopkins soprano
Mark Dobell tenor
Ruth Rogers leader

Howard Goodall’s Invictus: A Passion is a modern masterpiece, setting 17th-century narrative verse alongside heart-rending poetry that explores the Passion story’s great themes: compassion, courage, love. We are proud to collaborate with the London Mozart Players and two illustrious soloists (Kirsty Hopkins and Mark Dobell) in what promises to be an unforgettable performance. Because we are all still finding our feet after COVID, the audience will be socially distanced, and the performance will last only an hour. We request that audience wear masks if possible; all performers will be double-vaccinated and tested.

London Mozart Players at Chipping Campden Festival

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Mendelssohn String Symphonie No.10 in B minor
Mozart Horn concerto No.4 in E Flat K.495
Cecilia Mcdowell New commission for strings
Haydn Symphony No.44 in E minor Hob.1:44

London Mozart Players
Richard Watkins horn
Ruth Rogers leader/director

Originally this concert would have taken place on May 14th of this year, just three days before the 100th anniversary of the birth of Denis Brain. Denis came from an extraordinary dynasty of horn players, regarded by many as perhaps the greatest horn player of all time, and is particularly remembered for his 1953 recordings of the Mozart Horn concertos with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Herbert Von Karajan. His tragic death on September 1st 1957 at the age of just 36 remains one of the greatest ever losses to music. We are delighted to welcome Richard Watkins to perform the 4th concerto with the LMP, directed by our much loved CCFAO leader Ruth Rogers. This concert is also a celebration of the 70th birthday of distinguished composer Cecilia Mcdowall.

Not now, Bernard and Other Stories

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London Mozart Players
Ruth Rogers director
Polly Ives narrator
Rosie Brooks artist

Words, music, pictures and lots of laughs for children and grown-ups! London Mozart Players’ family concerts are always popular, and this will be no exception.

What would you do if you found a monster in the garden? Bernard tries to tell his parents but keeps getting the brush off – with dire consequences! David McKee’s classic story Not Now, Bernard is beloved by youngsters and has a powerful message for parents too!

Also on the programme is the thoroughly engaging Isabel’s Noisy Tummy, David McKee’s delightful laugh-out-loud story of a little girl’s gurgling tummy and how it takes her from zero to hero. While in James Mayhew’s The Knight Who Took all Day, a vain and foolish knight manages to loses both the girl and the dragon because he’s such a big show-off!

Narrator Polly Ives tells these hilarious tales with sparkling verve and energy, while Bernard Hughes’ lightly-scored and child-friendly music, performed by LMP, effortlessly builds an enchanting musical framework that anchors the stories, conveying all the necessary drama and colour. To add the pictures to the words and music, artist Rosie Brooks will sketch along to the stories live, with her illustrations projected behind the orchestra, bringing the characters to life. What an irresistible combination!

PLUS: all ticket holders can buy a copy of Not Now Bernard at Bookseller Crow in Crystal Palace after the concert – £1.50 off each copy.

Ticket prices:
Standard £15
Concessions (65+) £13
Child (under 18) £5

Carnival at Crystal Palace

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London Mozart Players
Simon Blendis leader
Alex Ashworth Noye
Kate Symonds-Joy Mrs Noye
Father John Pritchard as ‘God’
Crystal Palace Recorders
Will Vann conductor

The SE19 community comes together for an animal extravaganza at St John’s Upper Norwood.

Britten Scenes from Noye’s Fludde
Saint-Saëns Carnival of the Animals

An incredible tempest, a massive boat and an angry God take centre stage in this imaginative, community opera re-telling of the biblical story of Noah, his family, and their unlikely cargo of animals as they fight for survival for 40 long days and nights on the ark.

After the animals have alighted the ark, they’ll make their way to the centre stage to showcase their mischievous personalities in Carnival of the Animals, accompanied with poems written by Martin Smith.

Ticket prices:
Priority £25 (includes reserved seating, interval drink)
Standard £18
Concessions (65+) £16
Young Person (16-25) £10
Child (under 16) £5

Christmas Classics at Crystal Palace

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Programme includes:
Traditional Once in Royal David’s City
Traditional Silent Night
Traditional Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Barnes Let the Carols Ring (new commission)
Traditional 12 Days of Christmas
Traditional De Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy
Strauss Pizzicato Polka
Strauss Blue Danube
Anderson Sleigh Ride
Anderson Waltzing Cat
Elgar Salut d’Amour
Tchaikovsky excerpt from The Nutcracker
Handel Pifa from Messiah

London Mozart Players
Ruth Rogers director
with
Cypress School
The Hive & Welcome Choirs
Skylight Singers

Whether you love traditional carols, yuletide songs, or just mulled wine and mince pies – this Christmas concert has something for everyone! Full of the music we all turn to at this time of year, this fun and informal concert will be a wonderful opportunity for families and friends to gather at St John’s in SE19 to share the joy and memories that these melodies evoke. Festive favourites Sleigh Ride, The 12 Days of Christmas and The Nutcracker will get us in the Christmas groove, alongside perennial favourites Silent Night, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, and many more. We also have an exciting première of a newly commissioned seasonal piece by young local composer Georgia Barnes.

We love to involve as many musicians as possible in our Christmas concert at St John’s, and after a reduced gathering in 2020 due to Covid, we are pulling out all the stops to bring you a packed programme for 2021 that reflects the extraordinary talent of this wonderful community. The concert includes side-by-side performances with pupils from local schools, while the Welcome and Hive choirs will dial the choral Christmas cheer up to eleven in a cornucopia of festive fun.

It’s never too early to make plans for the festive season, and the London Mozart Players’ annual Christmas concert in SE19 is always a sell-out, so do book early! Dig out your Santa hats and Christmas jumpers and we’ll see you under the church’s magnificent Christmas Tree!

Ticket prices:
Priority £25 (includes reserved seating, programme, interval drink)
Standard £18
Concessions (65+) £16
Young Person (16-25) £10
Child (under 16) £5

LMP at the Crystal Palace Tango Café

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London Mozart Players
Ruth Rogers director & violin
Sebastian Comberti cello
Leroy Tango Cat & Emma Lucia Reyes tango dancers

Programme includes:
Piazzolla Four Seasons of Buenos Aires
Piazzolla Libertango
Piazzolla Oblivion
Piazzolla Grand Tango
Sting El Tango de Roxanne
Albeniz Tango
Villoldo El Choclo
Rodrigo La Cumparsita
Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 5
Copland Hoedown

Tango! It’s sultry, it’s seductive and it’s coming to SE19! Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla reinvented the genre of his homeland into ‘tango neuvo’, and in his centenary year, London Mozart Players and tango dancers Leroy Tango Cat and Emma Lucia Reyes, bring Piazzolla’s Latin infused rhythms and melodies to their ‘Tango Café’ at St John’s, Upper Norwood – for one night only!

Dim the lights, pour the wine, sit back and relax in the intimate atmosphere of our very own cabaret style ‘milonga’. The heat and passion of Buenos Aires will be channelled through the spinetingling sensual sound of this tense, passionate music, which cleverly combines electrifying jazz improvisation with intimate chamber music. Highly respected professional tango dancers Leroy Tango Cat and Emma Lucia Reyes will bring this slinky, sensuous music to life, demonstrating the passion of the dance with elegance and expertise in a showcase of authentic tango moves.

Tango classics such as Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, Libertango and Oblivion are on the menu, with other tango inspired works by composers such as Rodrigo and Villoldo, and a special performance of Sting’s El Tango de Roxanne from the iconic film Moulin Rouge.

Join the London Mozart Players at SE19’s cosy and atmospheric pop up Tango Café for a night of hot and cool music that will have you reaching for your dance shoes, and a dancing partner!

Ticket prices:
Standard: £25
Concessions (65+): £20
Young People (16 – 25): £10

South Facing Festival: LMP presents… Strictly Strings!

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London Mozart Players
Simon Blendis (director)

LMP is delighted to be performing in the Sundown Sessions at Crystal Palace Park as part of the South Facing Festival. Relax in the sunshine in the Crystal Palace Bowl as LMP string players serenade you with Strauss, perk you up with Piazzolla and get you moving with Mozart! Dance melodies abound in this cornucopia of Classical delights from the London Mozart Players – Crystal Palace’s very own orchestra. Bring your dancing shoes!

FREE fun entertainment for all the family. No tickets required, just turn up!

Programme includes:
Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Brahms Hungarian Dance
Strauss Pizzicato Polka
Strauss Blue Danube
Bartok Romanian Dances
Piazzolla Libertango
Jaffa – Fascination + Jura Jura
Copland Hoedown

…and much more!

For more info about the South Facing Festival Sundown Session, click here.

A Prom at Crystal Palace!

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London Mozart Players
Ruth Rogers (leader)
Christina Johnston (soprano)
The Central Band of the Royal British Legion
David Cole (conductor)

The bunting is up! After 18 months of performing under Covid restrictions, Crystal Palace’s resident orchestra, the London Mozart Players, is back with a bang! The orchestra kicks off its exciting six-concert SE19 season with a concert packed with the best-loved works in the classical repertoire. In the cherished tradition of the ‘Last Night of the Proms’, St John’s, Upper Norwood, will resound with all your orchestral favourites: Elgar’s ‘Nimrod’ and ‘Pomp and Circumstance March’, Holst’s ‘Jupiter’, Walton’s ‘Crown Imperial’, Vaughan Williams’ ‘Greensleeves’ and much, much more.

Stunning coloratura soprano Christina Johnston will entertain with beloved songs from her opera and theatre repertoire, including Mozart’s incredible ‘Queen of the Night’ aria and musical theatre classic ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’. This magical musical extravaganza has something for everyone.

We have all missed the sheer joy of live music so much. Bring your flags, your voices and your friends! SE19’s very own classical ‘Prom’ is perfect for all the family!

Programme includes:

Walton Crown Imperial
Vaughan Williams Greensleeves
Mozart Queen of the Night
Elgar Enigma Variations ‘Nimrod’ & Pomp and Circumstance
Holst The Planets ‘Jupiter’
Handel Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Arlen Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Rodgers & Hammerstein You’ll Never Walk Alone
Wood – Fantasia on British Sea Songs
Parry Jerusalem

Ticket prices:
Priority £25 (includes reserved seating, programme, interval drink)
Standard £18
Concessions (65+) £16
Young Person (16-25) £10
Child (under 16) £5

Chamber Classics at St Mary’s

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Beethoven Trio in C minor, Op.9 No.3
Dohnányi Serenade in C major for violin, viola, and cello, Op.10
Mozart Divertimento for violin, viola and cello in E flat, K.563

London Mozart Players Chamber Trio
Ruth Rogers violin
Fiona Bonds viola
Sebastian Comberti cello

London Mozart Players brings perfection in triplicate to the beautiful church of St Mary’s, Putney, this September, with the LMP Chamber Trio performing three of the repertoire’s most celebrated string trios in an intimate and elegant chamber concert.

The concert opens with Beethoven’s Trio in C minor, in which the composer’s unmistakeable personality shines through as he masterfully weaves together an engaging battle between the major and minor keys of C. The dramatic tension of the first movement contrasts sharply with the heavenly slow movement in C major, followed by a rhythmic minor Scherzo, a major Trio and a final scampering Presto. It’s one of Beethoven’s best early works and points to his more serious later endeavours.

Composed in 1788 when Mozart was at the height of his powers, the divertimento K.563 was written as ‘entertainment music’ – a mixture of sonata form and dance-like movements. Mozart certainly mixes things up, with the masterful Allegro followed by a lyrical Adagio then a Minuet written in the manner of a lively peasant dance; this is in contrast to the song-like Andante which precedes yet more dance themes in the Allegretto Minuet, before the final Rondo ending with fanfares. It’s a complete concert within one work and undoubtedly one of the most accomplished pieces in all chamber music.

Beethoven and Mozart provide the classical framework surrounding Ernö Dohnányi’s late 20th century masterpiece. With echoes of Mozart, Schubert and Brahms, Dohnanyi’s passionate and evocative Serenade remains true to the nineteenth century serenade tradition, and yet its concise, spare form and its many references to Hungarian folk music, hint at what is to follow in the next century.

A trio of trios! Join Ruth Rogers (violin), Fiona Bonds (viola) and Sebastian Comberti (cello) in the heart of Putney for this sublime showcase for the string family.

Storytime for Under-5s at Crystal Palace Park

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Discover woodwind, brass and string instruments and share in the joy and fun of music making, as the London Mozart Players take you and your children on an interactive musical journey featuring favourite nursery rhymes. LMP is delighted to be part of Crystal Palace Park Trust’s Summer of Play, and looks forward to meeting some of SE19’s youngest music lovers!

Piano Explored: Shostakovich & Franck

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Shostakovich Piano Concerto No.2 in F major, Op.102
Franck Symphonic Variations for Piano and Orchestra

London Mozart Players
Howard Shelley piano
Simon Blendis leader

This will be Howard Shelley’s final concert for LMP’s Piano Explored series, and he has chosen a very special concerto that perfectly showcases his stylistic elegance and profound musicality. Shostakovich’s second piano concerto, written as a gift for his son Maxim, is perhaps best-known for its lush slow movement, which recalls the tender, longing themes from Rachmaninoff’s own beloved second piano concerto. But it is also full of jaunty energy and Shostakovich family in-jokes, including an arpeggio passage similar to the finger exercises that fledgling piano students suffer. Howard Shelley and the London Mozart Players will whisk you through an exciting deconstruction followed by a full performance of the work.

As a rich counterbalance, we will also hear César Franck’s rarely performed Symphonic Variations. It has been described as one of the most perfect pieces ever written for piano and orchestra and, like a mini concerto, allows a piano virtuoso to show off their flair as these imaginative and romantic variations unfold.

Howard Shelley’s formidable musical talents will be on display in both these works, and aficionados won’t want to miss Howard’s final Piano Explored lunchtime performance.

 

Piano Explored: Mendelssohn Violin & Piano Concerto in D minor

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Mendelssohn Violin & Piano Concerto in D minor

London Mozart Players
Howard Shelley piano
Simon Blendis violin
Sijie Chen leader

For the penultimate 2021 Piano Explored concert, Howard Shelley will be joined by LMP leader Simon Blendis for a performance of Mendelssohn’s Violin and Piano Concerto in D minor, written when the composer was just fourteen years old. It would be a remarkable work whatever the age of the composer, as the music is simply extraordinary, particularly the sensitivity with which Mendelssohn balances two such different instruments. The relationship between the violin and piano changes constantly throughout the work, sometimes mirroring each other, at other times playing in rhythmic unison, or duetting against an orchestral accompaniment of brilliance and beauty.

The concert includes an illuminating introduction of the piece by Howard Shelley, followed by a full performance of the work where he directs the London Mozart Players from the piano. Whether you are working in London or just visiting, an LMP Piano Explored concert is truly the best way to spend your lunch hour. This beautiful work is not programmed often, so don’t miss the opportunity to hear it performed by these exceptional musicians.

 

Piano Explored: Mozart Piano Concerto in C major, No.25

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Mozart Piano Concerto in C major, No.25, K.503

London Mozart Players
Howard Shelley piano
Simon Blendis leader

LMP’s October Piano Explored concert focuses on a magnificent work that will fully demonstrate Howard Shelley’s lifelong affinity with Mozart. Mozart’s C major piano concerto is the longest and one of the most magisterial of his piano concertos. The grand opening has a rugged strength worthy of Beethoven – certainly Beethoven references this work in his own Fourth Piano Concerto, and the famous motif of his Fifth Symphony can also be heard. The slow movement is lyrical and touching and leads into an animated finale that recalls the gavotte themes from Idomeneo and his Concerto for Flute and Harp. This incredible work was just one of twelve superb concertos Mozart wrote in a three-year period.

Howard will give an insightful introduction to the work, giving the context of its composition as well as an exploration of the many themes and subjects that the concerto embraces. It’s simply the perfect way to spend a lunch hour!

 

Piano Explored: Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor

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Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor, Op.16

London Mozart Players
Howard Shelley piano
Ruth Rogers leader

The eighth and final season of Piano Explored opens with a virtuosic work that showcases the consummate musicianship of LMP’s Conductor Laureate Howard Shelley OBE. Before a full performance of Grieg’s beloved Piano Concerto in A Minor, Howard will unravel what makes this exhilarating piece one of today’s most recognised works for piano. Few, if any romantic compositions are as immediately identifiable as the Grieg concerto. The opening timpani roll and massive A minor chords cascading from top to bottom of the keyboard have been featured in countless concerts, films and even comedy sketches (who can forget that Morecambe & Wise classic?). Its relaxed, uncomplicated lyricism shines through in each movement, particularly in the central D flat major romanza, which was perhaps inspired by Grieg’s own romance with his wife Nina.

Howard’s deconstruction of the piece will reveal the influence that Norway’s folk music had on the composer, and may touch on Grieg’s lifelong insecurities, which meant that this, his most famous work, was constantly being revised. The last of these revisions was completed in the final year of Grieg’s life – all the right notes, in the right order.

Spotlight On… 3 concert package

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The 3-concert package is no longer available.

Please note our ‘Spotlight On…’ videos are only available for 30 days from date of initial broadcast. Once you have purchased your package, click the link below to watch the film.

WATCH – Spotlight On … Isata: No longer available
WATCH – Spotlight On … Jess: available from Wednesday 15 September at 10am
WATCH – Spotlight On … Leia: available from Tuesday 19 October at 10am

A note on ticket prices:

The 3-concert package is only available while the Isata concert is online (ie until 11:59 BST Saturday 7 August). You only need 1 ticket per concert per household and can pay the Standard £25 package price to access each concert. If you would like to pay a higher amount that equates to your usual ‘live concert hall’ price, and by doing so kindly support the LMP, then choose the £50 ‘Supporter’ or £75 ‘Premium Supporter’ packages. You can also add a donation (which will attract gift aid) during the payment process. Please choose your ticket price in the dropdown menu above before you click the ‘Buy & Watch’ button.

A Musical Getaway at the Grand Hotel Eastbourne

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Programme Wednesday 20 October

Mozart / Wilby Trio in G major K.562e
Beethoven Trio in C minor Op.9 No.3
Dohnanyi Serenade for String Trio

Programme Thursday 21 October

Devienne Bassoon Quartet in G minor No.3, Op.73
Klein String Trio
Beethoven Septet in E flat major, Op.20

Music by Mozart and Beethoven feature alongside some more unusual choices which chamber music enthusiasts will love. In
Wednesday’s concert you’ll hear Mozart’s Trio in G, Philip Wilby’s completion of a fragment of material left by Mozart. There’s also Beethoven’s dark and dramatic Trio in C minor, which perhaps served as inspiration for Dohnányi’s Serenade, written just over a century later and one of the great string trio masterpieces.

Thursday’s concert includes a beautiful and evocative trio composed by Gideon Klein while in Terezín concentration camp, as well as Beethoven’s Septet, which was apparently modelled on Mozart’s D Major Divertimento, and certainly it retains the light-hearted mood of Mozart’s work. The opening piece is Devienne’s Quartet for bassoon, violin, viola and cello which may be new to many, but it is a stunningly beautiful work that demands virtuosity from all the players – something LMP musicians have in abundance!

Regular attendees will be delighted that LMP principal cellist Sebastian Comberti will present a diverting illustrated talk on
Thursday morning – ‘Joining the Dots’ – about the challenges of completing composers’ unfinished works.

Enjoy this wonderful musical getaway along with the Grand Hotel’s first-class accommodation, exceptional dining and great company.

Booking is now open to all by ringing the Grand Hotel direct on 01323 412345.

St. Joseph’s College with the London Mozart Players

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Grieg Holberg Suite, Mvts. 1, 2 & 5
Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21, 2nd Mvt.
Johann Strauss Emperor Waltz
Ewald Symphony for Brass (3rd Movement)
Jeremiah Clarke Prince of Denmark’s March (solo trumpet and strings)
Ennio Morricone Gabriel’s Oboe (solo oboe and strings)
Copland Hoedown
Louis Upton Wheeler The Caledonian Canal (Premiere)
Vivaldi Gloria

London Mozart Players
Students from St. Joseph’s College, Reading
Thomas Rotheray piano
Simon Blendis director

St. Joseph’s College are delighted to be hosting a concert with the London Mozart Players, offering students from the school an unparalleled opportunity to perform alongside, and be inspired by, some of the country’s finest musicians. For this performance, LMP will present a selection of well-known orchestral items as well as accompanying the school choir in Vivaldi’s Gloria. The programme will also include Johann Strauss’ Emperor Waltz played by the London Mozart Players alongside the school orchestra and LMP will be accompanying one of the students from the school in Mozart’s Piano concerto No. 21.

Spotlight On… 4-concert package

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The 4-concert package is no longer available. The best value way to watch our Spotlight On… concerts is with our three concert package.

Please note our ‘Spotlight On…’ videos are only available for 30 days from date of initial broadcast. Once you have purchased your package, click the link below to watch the film.

WATCH – Spotlight On … Sheku: No longer available
WATCH – Spotlight On … Isata: No longer available
WATCH – Spotlight On … Jess: available from Wednesday 15 September at 10am
WATCH – Spotlight On … Leia: available from Friday 15 October at 10am

A note on ticket prices:

The 4-concert package (4 concerts for the price of 3) is only available while the Sheku concert is online (ie until 11:59 BST Saturday 24 July). You only need 1 ticket per concert per household and can pay the Standard £30 package price to access each concert. If you would like to pay a higher amount that equates to your usual ‘live concert hall’ price, and by doing so kindly support the LMP, then choose the £60 ‘Supporter’ or £90 ‘Premium Supporter’ packages. You can also add a donation (which will attract gift aid) during the payment process.