Two of our favourite, world-class soloists, 19 October

We welcome back the two Wigmore Hall regulars, Michael Collins and Michael McHale, on Saturday, 19th October. 

Use code AUTUMN24 for discounted tickets at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/twimf

Michael Collins has been described as "the world's greatest living clarinettist". He really is one of the world's top musicians, and to have him playing here in Tunbridge Wells, alongside the brilliant pianist Michael McHale, is a real privilege. 

Tickets are FREE for under-18s, as usual. A great chance for youngsters to hear great players.

COMING UP

Steven Devine will be returning to King Charles to direct a reprise of his fantastically inspiring interpretation of HANDEL'S MESSIAH, on Saturday 14th December. Tickets: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/mkctw/handels-messiah/e-ylkgzv (use code AUTUMN24 for a discount)

Other local concerts to look out for include

Sunday 3rd November, 3pm  HANDEL, DOHNANYI & DVORAK 
Assembly Hall, Tunbridge Wells, with the Royal Tunbridge Wells Symphony Orchestra
https://rtwso.org/handel-dohnanyi-dvorak/.

Friday 8th November, 7:30pm  SAM HAYWOOD, PIANO 
St Mary's, Lamberhurst
https://lamberhurstmusic.co.uk/product/sam-haywood/

Sunday 10th November, 3pm  MENDELSSOHN'S ELIJAH
Assembly Hall, Tunbridge Wells, with the Tunbridge Wells Choral Society.
https://www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk/whats-on/rtwcs-mendelssohns-elijah.html#event-datesTimes

Sunday 17th November, 3pm  VIOLIN & PIANO RECITAL   
At Rose Hill School, with Jane Gordon (violin) and Jan Rautio (piano)
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/codatw

Chamber recital by the Fidelio Trio 10 October

We're looking forward to our next recital with the Tunbridge Wells International Music Festival. The Fidelio Trio have a superb programme lined up for 7pm on Thursday 10th October. 

Tickets: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/twimf

Faure - Piano Trio in D Minor Op.120
Morgan Hayes – ‘Trans-Pose’ (world premiere)
David Gompper – ‘Stella Caeli’ 
Schubert - Piano Trio No.2 in Eb, D929

Find out more about Morgan Hayes and David Gompper. We're hoping they will both attend. 

Coming up: the Wigmore Hall duo Michael Collins and Michael McHale on 19th October. 

And Steven Devine will be returning to King Charles to direct a reprise of his fantastically inspiring interpretation of Handel's Messiah, on Saturday 14th December. Tickets: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/booking/select/RdiEJKhzXNnT (use code AUTUMN24 for a discount)

Young musicians' workshop 12 October

The Tunbridge Wells International Music Festival is inviting talented young musicians to take part in a fantastic afternoon of workshops and masterclasses. Apply before 5th October!

To apply to take part, or just to find out more, please contact info@tunbridgewellsfestival.co.uk.

The tutors are the superb teaching duo, Joely Koos (cello) and Sophia Rahman (piano).

Based on the hugely successful ‘Cello Dynamo’ sessions held annually at Warwick School, the afternoon will include a great variety of activities, including coaching on technique, working with an accompanist and performance practice. 

About the tutors

As well as being professor of cello and chamber music coach at Trinity College of Music, Joely Koos leads an active freelance musical life dividing her time between orchestral, solo and chamber work. She has been a regular guest principal with the BBC Scottish Symphony, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and the BBC Concert Orchestras and is a member of the City of London Sinfonia and the London Chamber Orchestra directed by Christopher Warren-Green. She is joint Artistic Director with Roderick Williams for the St Endellion Summer Music Festival.

Sophia Rahman is the Artistic Director of the Whittington Festival in Shropshire, UK, held annually in the third week of May. She made the first UK recording of Florence Price’s piano concerto with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, broadcast on BBC Radio 3. She has recorded Shostakovich’s piano concerto Op. 35 with the Scottish Ensemble for Linn Records and over fifty chamber music discs for a host of international labels including CPO, Guild, Resonus, Dutton/Epoch, ASV and Champs Hill. 

Sophia has appeared in recital with distinguished musicians including cellist Steven Isserlis, violinist Augustin Hadelich, oboist Alex Klein, clarinettist Karl Leister, tenor Mark Padmore and baritone Roderick Williams as well as working frequently with her partner the violinist, violist and conductor Andres Kaljuste. 

Sophia has coached junior chamber music at the Sibelius Academy, Finland and Lilla Akademien, Sweden, and on courses she has specially designed at the Arvo Pärt Centre for young Estonian chamber musicians and for those entering the new Tallinn Music and Ballet School, MUBA. 

Early booking discounts for Handel's Messiah

A limited number of discounted tickets are available for our regular Christmas Baroque concert with Steven Devine. He will be returning to King Charles to direct a reprise of his fantastically inspiring interpretation of Handel's Messiah, on Saturday 14th December.

Booking opens on 1st September at www.ticketsource.co.uk/mkctw

Use PREDEC24 before the end of October for a £3.50 discount per ticket (limited number available)

SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER CONCERTS

Before that, we'll be welcoming the Tunbridge Wells International Music Festival for some top-quality chamber music concerts. 

The opening concert, with the City of London Sinfonia, takes place on Friday 20th September. Julian Black is planning a piano recital on Saturday 21st September. Then we welcome the Fidelio Trio on 10th October, and the Wigmore Hall duo Michael Collins and Michael McHale on 19th October. 

Autumn concert dates, and a Christmas Messiah

Once again this Autumn, we are hosts to the Tunbridge Wells International Music Festival for some top-quality chamber music concerts. 

The internationally-acclaimed Fidelio Trio

The opening concert, with the City of London Sinfonia, takes place on Friday 20th September. Julian Black is planning a piano recital on Saturday 21st September. Then we welcome the Fidelio Trio on 10th October, and the Wigmore Hall duo Michael Collins and Michael McHale on 19th October. 

 And we're very excited to give you advance notice of our regular Christmas Baroque concert with Steven Devine. He will be returning to King Charles to direct a reprise of his fantastically inspiring interpretation of Handel's Messiah, on Saturday 14th December.

Concert 7 June: Phantasie - English works for piano trio

Friday 7 June, 7pm
Ensemble Kopernikus

Tickets £18 in advance (£20 on the door): under-18s free

Highly recommended! A magical summer programme including Delius' Caprice and Elegy, Phantasie by John Ireland, and the piano trio by Percy Hilder Miles.

Kasia Ziminska (violin)
Alice Purtin (cello)
Ian Tindale (piano)

In 2021 Ensemble Kopernikus recorded their debut album: a collection of previously unrecorded works by British composer Percy Hilder Miles. Featured on BBC Radio Three Record Review. “Always expressive and communicative…a composer with much to say through music..well-worth discovering,”  Colin Anderson, editor of Classical Source. 

Find out more here.

Book tickets here. 

Concert 19 May: Music for Pentecost from the European Renaissance

Sunday 19th May, 7pm - Cambridge Renaissance Voices

Music from the height of the Renaissance in Europe by the great composers Palestrina and Tallis, to celebrate the season of Whitsun. Singers in this well-established choir first came together as the Cambridge Taverner Choir, and are steeped in music of the 16th and 17th centuries. They are conducted by Rupert Preston Bell, who is director of music at King Charles the Martyr and chair of the Tunbridge Wells International Music Festival. 

Tickets with a discount for advance booking at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/mkctw (under-18s free)

The programme includes one of the most sublime mass settings of the repertoire, and some lively and intricate motets responding to the story of the coming of the Holy Spirit to the disciples as a rushing wind and in tongues of fire.

Thomas Tallis (c.1505-1585): Loquebantur variis liguis (SSAATBB), If ye love me (AATB), O lord give thy holy spirit (SATB), Suscipe quaeso Domine (SSAATBB)

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c.1525-1594): Missa Papae Marcelli (SATTBB), Dum Complerentur (SAATTB)

Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625): O clap your hands together (SSAATTBB)

Jacobus Clemens Non Papa (c.1510-1555/6): Non relinquam vos (ATTTB)

Robert Parsons (c.1535-1572): Iam Christus ad astra (SATTBB)

Concerts in April and May 2024

Plans are well under way for a mini-series of concerts after Easter. Further details will be published soon! But here are the main details for your diary.

Saturday 27th April, 7pm - Opera Classics

Matchbox Opera present a fundraising concert of favourite arias and ensemble items in memory of Dr Mark Pasolo, with proceeds going to Mental Health Resource. This is a FREE concert with no ticket sales, but with a retiring collection. Popular Tunbridge Wells pianists Jong Gyung Park and Anthony Zerpa Falcon are the guest star accompanists. 

Sunday 19th May, 7pm - Cambridge Renaissance Voices

Music by Palestrina and Tallis to celebrate the season of Whitsun, under the direction of Rupert Preston Bell.

Tickets at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/mkctw

Friday 7th June, 7pm - Phantasie: English works for piano trio with Ensemble Kopernikus
[NEW DATE: RESCHEDULED FROM MAY]

This is a wonderful English programme featuring music by Holst, Delius, Ireland and the little-known Kentish composer Percy Hilder Miles (1878-1922), whose works could be as beautiful and evocative as those of his more famous contemporaries. Get a taste of it here. 

Tickets at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/mkctw

King Charles Festival Epiphany Concert

Saturday 27th January, 7pm 

Experience music from the period when the chapel at the Wells dedicated to King Charles had recently been built, and Tunbridge Wells was beginning to flourish as a hyper-fashionable retreat for those in Society. 

Book discounted tickets here 

This concert forms part of the King Charles Festival, in which the church marks the anniversary of the execution of King Charles I (30th January 1649). Nowadays, this festival includes an annual lecture and special services, celebrating the life of the parish, rather than the sombre services of repentence that originally took place on this date! 

We are excited to welcome the Baroque ensemble 'Dei Gratia'. They describe themselves as "a collective of professional musicians who specialise in Baroque (17th- and 18th-century) music on period instruments. Much well-known Baroque music, (e.g Handel's Messiah or Bach's John passion) was originally composed for performance in a Christian context and Dei Gratia seeks to return to this spirit of worship, breathing life into their performance of these works as an act of praise.  The members of Dei Gratia are all active Christians with a heart for using their musical gifts to serve churches and communities, and to encourage performers and audiences alike to think again about the glorious inspiration of these masterpieces."

Their programme celebrates the epiphany season through arias, duos and instrumental items with readings. Music by Bach, Handel, Buxtehude, Telemann, Locke and Green.