Tasting Notes: Barnes Music Festival
London Mozart Players
Simon Blendis director
Latimer Vintners
Michael Stobbs director
London Mozart Players
Simon Blendis director
Latimer Vintners
Michael Stobbs director
Mendelssohn Excerpts from A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Bloch Schelomo (arr. George Morton)
Bloch ‘Prayer’ from From Jewish Life (arr. Christopher Palmer)
Mendelssohn Symphony No.4, ‘Italian’
Sheku Kanneh-Mason cello
Jonathan Bloxham conductor
Mendelssohn Excerpts from A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Bloch Schelomo (arr. George Morton)
Bloch ‘Prayer’ from From Jewish Life (arr. Christopher Palmer)
Mendelssohn Symphony No.4, ‘Italian’
Sheku Kanneh-Mason cello
Jonathan Bloxham conductor
Haydn Symphony No. 44, ‘Trauer’
Mozart Oboe Concerto
Mozart Violin Concerto No. 3 in G
Mozart Symphony No. 29 in A
Ruth Rogers director
Armand Djikoloum oboe
Mendelssohn Overture & Nocturne from ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’
Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings
Mozart Symphony No. 41 in C major, ‘Jupiter’
Orlando Jopling conductor
Simon Blendis leader
Ben Goldscheider horn
James Gilchrist tenor
Beethoven Missa Solemnis
Oxford Bach Choir
Simon Blendis leader
Benjamin Nicholas conductor
Claire Rutter soprano
Susanna Spicer mezzo
Justin Lavender tenor
Mark Stone bass
Mozart ‘Hoffmeister’ Quintet, K. 497
Brahms Sextet in G, Op. 36
Enescu Octet, Op. 8
Mozart ‘Hoffmeister’ Quintet, K. 497
Brahms Sextet in G, Op. 36
Mendelssohn Octet, Op. 20
Enescu Octet, Op. 8
Mozart Divertimento in D, K.136
Holst St. Paul’s Suite
Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending
Elgar Introduction and Allegro
Bach Concerto for Two Violins in D minor
Montgomery Starburst
Schubert Mass No. 2 in G major
Mozart Anthem
A Christmas Carol
Tama Matheson
Haydn Symphony no. 104
Noke Koi Fire Song
Piazzolla Libertango
Piazzolla Oblivion
Anderson The Waltzing Cat
Anderson Plink, Plank, Plunk
Barber Adagio for Strings
Villoldo El Choclo
Albéniz Tango
Piazzolla Four Seasons
Copland Hoe Down
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Did you know that all the different parts that make an instrument come from all over the world? The violin, for example, sings through its bow which is crafted from the Brazilian Pernambuco Tree, otherwise known as the ‘Tree of Music’.
Inspired by the history of the Brazil tree, LMP (London Mozart Players) perform an array of tango music that highlights the violin’s Southern American roots and celebrates the culture that it comes from, including a Buenos-Aires imagined version of The Four Seasons and some spicy rhythms from a Libertango.
Community groups in Darlington are also working with LMP to compose a brand new piece of music for the concert inspired by the story of the ‘Tree of Music’, Brazil’s Pernambuco tree. Through workshops exploring conservation and sustainability, we’ll be making our own instruments along with new music.
Highlighted as London’s Borough of Culture for 2023-24, we’re celebrating all things Croydon with two flagship performances of the Oratorio of Hope, a brand-new commission which puts the Croydon community at the heart of the music. This double-bill concert showcases the very best of Croydon’s young talent through music, spoken word, song, dance, film and visual art.
Saturday 1 April Oratorio of Hope 7pm
Croydon’s poet laureate Shaniqua Benjamin will take a lead on the poetry and spoken word to share stories of hope for the future, while Grammy-nominated, Croydon-educated Tarik O’Regan will lead on the composition of the music alongside composers Sarah Freestone, Fiona Brice and Jeff Moore, working with local musicians and arts groups. The choreography will be led by Agudo Dance Company, alongside Subrang Arts and local young people. A host of schools in Croydon will be involved in the creation and performance of the piece, including hundreds of singers and instrumentalists from Croydon Music and Arts and a mass finale celebrating the very best talent Croydon has to offer.
Sunday 2 April – Free performances in Fairfield Halls from 2-6pm, Oratorio of Hope 7pm
We’re hosting a FREE afternoon showcase in the public open spaces of Fairfield Halls featuring local talent from across Croydon, including choirs, sea shanties, solo performers, dance groups and bands.
Who’s Involved in Oratorio of Hope
Shaniqua Benjamin (Croydon’s Poet Laureate) Jonathan Bloxham (conductor) Crisis Skylight Croydon Singers
LMP
We are London Mozart Players (LMP) and we’re Croydon’s resident orchestra, based at Fairfield Halls. You’ll see us on stage in every movement and we’re excited to be performing alongside talent from across the borough in this celebration of Croydon’s creativity.
Agudo Dance Company
Agudo and composer Sarah Freestone have created a movement inspired by Shaniqua Benjamin’s specially commissioned poem, For Us and We. It explores the cycle of life, and ends full of hope for the future.
Subrang Arts
Subrang Arts are one of the borough’s leading cultural organisations, showcasing South Asian arts and heritage. Expect dancing, traditional Indian instruments including tabla, sitar and Indian flute, and lots of colour!
Croydon Music & Arts (CMA)
Over 250 students from schools across the borough will perform a spectacular finale by composer Jeff Moore, with players from CMA ensembles and a mass Children’s Chorus.
Silvastone
Silvastone is a Croydon-based Afrobeats artist/producer whose unique sound is a creative hybrid of influences from his West African heritage, UK upbringing and international travels. He has worked with composer Fiona Brice to write a song for the Oratorio celebrating all that Croydon has to offer.
Tarik O’Regan
Tarik is a Grammy-nominated, Croydon-born composer who has also been commissioned to write music for His Majesty the King’s coronation. He’s written the musical theme on which the whole Oratorio is based.
Composers
Fiona Brice, Sarah Freestone, Jeff Moore, Tarik O’Regan
We want to ensure that as many people as possible can access and enjoy this important opening event for London Borough of Culture. As such we have made tickets available from as little at £5.50*.
Of course this price does not reflect the real cost of putting on an event like this which includes so many talented artists who need to be paid fairly for their work.
If you are able to purchase a £15* or £29.25* ticket, we would encourage you to do so. These tickets better reflect the value of the artistic contributions being made and will support the ongoing financial stability of our work.
Polo Piatti Libera Nos
Simon Blendis leader
London Mozart Players
Hastings Sinfonia
London Euphony Choir
St Richard’s Catholic College Choir
Libera Nos Chorus
Derek Carden conductor
Anne Rebecca Højlund soprano
Eleanor Grant junior soprano
Rebekah Jones alto
Matthew Pochin alto
Stephen Holloway bass
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We’re premiering Polo Piatti’s Libera Nos: the very first multi-faith oratorio to be performed anywhere in the world. This monumental work was originally commissioned by the Musica Sacra organisation and took over three years to be researched and completed. This major new work comprises 60 original vocal and instrumental compositions structured into four main sections: Creation, Law, Obedience, End of Time and Reconciliation and Salvation.
Libera Nos, meaning ‘Deliver Us’ in Latin, aims to convey and unite the traditional beliefs and spiritual messages of the world’s largest religions: Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Talking about the story behind the work. Polo Piatti says: “The oratorio’s main objective is to convey a simple message: as long as people remain segregated from each other, the world will continue to be an unjust and unhappy place. Only by looking for common ground and universal similarities, we will be able to find understanding and, in doing so, contribute to a better life for all of us on this planet.”
At the helm, Derek Carden will conduct LMP, an all-star cast of talented local soloists and over 100 musicians and singers from local orchestra Hastings Sinfonia, London Euphony Choir, St Richard’s Catholic College Choir and the specially formed Libera Nos Choir.
Our lunchtime series with pianist Howard Shelley is back and better than ever. This year, we’re turning our attention to the (17)80s classics when Mozart was at the top of his game in Vienna, composing reams of piano concertos for the finest instrumentalists of the day. Make the most of your lunch-hour with a Viennese whirlwind of music and insightful introductions as Howard plays 6 of these concertos in St Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge.
We have it on the highest authority (Classic FM’s Hall of Fame) that No. 21 is the nation’s favourite Mozart Piano Concerto. Delicate, playful and well-balanced, it’s the Mozart we know and love at his very best. Its nickname ‘Elvira Madigan’ comes from its inclusion in a 1960s Swedish film, which tells the story of a tragic love affair between a circus performer and nobleman. A much happier relationship exists between us and Howard Shelley, with whom we recorded this concerto way back in 1995. Do join us as we reunite for a live performance, 28 years later.
Since you’ll be in the area, why not pre-book lunch at the Alfred Tennyson pub and restaurant which is just three minutes away? They’ll offer you a free drink (wine, Prosecco or beer) with a pre-booked meal, as long as you show proof of ticket purchase.
If you are a student, then you can get our ‘Education’ tickets 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 well as over the phone and online.