Looking forward to 2017

In another busy and successful year for Music at King Charles, in 2016 we were entertained by the Chelys Viol Ensemble, the Temenos Chamber Choir, the ESK Wind Ensemble, the Orpheus Male Voice Choir, the King Charles Singers, Ellen Smith, Alex Metcalfe, the Archaeus Quartet, Christopher Sayles, Michael Bacon and James McVinnie.

What does 2017 have in store?

Plans are being made for a series of song recitals in the spring, and a further series of chamber music concerts in the autumn. We hope to work again with our friends at the Tunbridge Wells International Music Festival and Merry Opera.

Please follow this site by entering your email address on the right, or email us to join our mailing list.

We welcome any suggestions for repertoire, performers or programme ideas and we are always looking for volunteers to assist at concerts, either with publicity or helping on the day Do get in touch if you would be interested in helping out.

Contact kcmconcerts@blueyonder.co.uk
.
We wish all of our supporters and friends a very Happy Christmas and fulfilling New Year.

Michael Bacon: Organ Recital

Saturday 16 November, 7:30pm

Marking Max Reger's centenary. Programme includes Reger's 'Halleluja! Gott zu Loben', Chorale Preludes by Bach and new pieces from The Orgelbuchlein Project, together with music by Howells and Bridge.

Free admission. Retiring collection.

Michael Bacon read Music at Liverpool University, where he studied the organ with Terence Duffy, Organist of the Metropolitan Cathedral. Subsequently taking lessons with Thomas Trotter and Anne Marsden, he was for ten years Director of Music at King Charles the Martyr, where his performance of Olivier Messiaen’s Nativité du Seigneur was a feature of the Christmas celebrations. He is now Principal Organist at King Charles, and has given many recitals at the church and elsewhere, notably two concerts in France on Classical French organs in conjunction with the King Charles Singers, and as accompanist of that choir he has also become accepted to play for Evensongs at Westminster Abbey - a carefully guarded honour! In November 2013 he concluded a journey through the complete Bach organ works, having played all 300+ pieces at concerts or services. As a Sound Engineer for Radio 3, Michael has recently had particular responsibility for organ music, as well as specialising in recording early music performances.

Howells Requiem: 13 November

Sunday 13 November, 6:30pm
Evening Service for Remembrance Sunday
The King Charles Singers

Herbert Howells’ Requiem is a short work, composed in 1932 or 1933. Howells used elements of it for his Hymnus Paradisi, a much larger-scale work which he wrote in response to the death of his son Michael, aged nine, in 1935; but the Requiem itself remained unpublished until 1980, three years before the composer’s own death. The music and the choice of texts express a sense of deep sense of loss as well as hope. The climactic moments occur at ‘lux perpetua’. In the third movement, the words shimmer in chord clusters like light through stained glass. Then, in the fifth movement, the mood of solemnity is broken by a bright declamation, leading to a sense of utter peace in the final movement.

This is a church service and not a concert, but followers of Music at King Charles may be interested in attending. There is no charge for entry.

Christopher Sayles, piano: 29 October

Saturday, 29 October, 7:30pm
£12.50 (£11 in advance, tickets available here)

We are delighted to welcome international concert pianist Christopher Sayles to King Charles for a recital of Beethoven Sonatas. Through the evening, Christopher will introduce the music, talking about Beethoven's life and how he revolutionised composition for the instrument.

This is the first solo recital on the church's Yamaha grand piano since its renovation earlier this year.


Christopher Sayles was born in Caterham, Surrey in 1984 and began taking piano lessons at the age of seven. At the same time he became a chorister at St. John’s Church, Caterham Valley, where he eventually progressed to become Head Chorister, as well as obtaining the St. Nicholas Award (now Gold Award) in July 1998. Christopher was educated at St. Bede’s School, Redhill, where his passion for music greatly increased.

In 2003 he went to study music at Leeds College of Music, where he was given piano tuition by Marion Raper and Julian Cima. In 2005 he was the recipient of the Michael Grady Award for Piano Accompaniment. On completing his Bachelor Degree in June 2006, Marion Raper persuaded him to stay on to take his Masters and a subsequent career in music. His recitals of this time included Beethoven’s third piano concerto, Debussy’s “Pour le piano” and other works of reputable note.

On finishing his Masters, Christopher made his public concert debut in the Leeds International Concert Season in October 2007. His highly praised performance of the Brahms Op.79 Rhapsodies led to his being awarded the Robert Tebb Trophy for Outstanding Performance.

In the years following his studies at Leeds, Christopher moved back to Caterham, and was very active as a concert pianist, giving solo recitals in famous London churches, various music societies and cathedrals nationwide. In 2008 and 2010 respectively, he gained his Licentiate and Fellowship Diplomas at Trinity College of Music with distinction.

From 2009 to 2011 he was Director of Music at the United Reformed Church, Caterham. Christopher moved to Berlin in 2011 with his then girlfriend, now wife, Linda. There he continues his concert career, giving recitals in Berlin and Brandenburg, as well as teaching piano at the Musikschule Landkries-Oder-Spree, Schöneiche.

Programme
Sonata No.2 in A Major, Op.2 No.2
Sonata No.9 in E Major, Op.14 No.1
Sonata No.13 in E Flat Major, Op.27 No.1
Sonata No.14 in C Sharp Minor, Op.27 No.2 'Moonlight'

The Schubert Ensemble, 13 October

Tunbridge Wells International Music Festival presents the world-famous Schubert Ensemble on Thursday 13 October at 7:30pm

We are delighted that the TWIMF return to King Charles to host this concert. Tickets available here at the discounted price for advance booking. Tickets for under-18s are just £5.

Since its first concert in January 1983 the Schubert Ensemble has established itself as one of the world's leading exponents of music for piano and strings. Regularly giving around 50 concerts a year, the ensemble has performed in over 40 different countries, has over 80 commissions to its name and has recorded over 30 critically acclaimed CDs. In the past few years the Ensemble has enjoyed a busy international schedule, with performances in Romania, Norway, Spain, Holland, Bermuda, the UAE and the USA, as well as a first visit to China. Two of its recent recordings were chosen as CD of the month by the BBC Music Magazine.     

This concert takes place in the middle of the Ensemble's series of piano quintets at Kings Place in London.

MORE INFORMATION
You can contact Music at King Charles by email at kcmconcerts@blueyonder.co.uk for tickets or if you wish to leave/join our mailing list. You may also follow this website to be sent updates - see the right-hand side of the page.

Archaeus Quartet: 8 October

Saturday 8 October, 7:30pm

Tickets available from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/mkctw with a discount for pre-booking.

This concert is part of the Archaeus Quartet's three-year cycle of Beethoven's string quartets, demonstrating, as they put it, that "Beethoven journeyed further in his lifetime expressively, conceptually and emotionally than any other composer".

Formed in 1990, the Archaeus Quartet has performed in music clubs and arts centres throughout the UK, and at the Wigmore Hall and Purcell Room in London.
-----

Beethoven String Quartet in C minor Op.18, No.4
It has been suggested that Beethoven's C minor quartet is based on material from his earliest period in Bonn; whatever the truth, the work represents him at full power so far as he had evolved it around 1800, when the six Op.18 quartets were being composed.

Beethoven String Quartet in E minor Op.59, No.2 (1806)
The second Rasumovsky quartet gives vent, perhaps, to some of the nervous tension that begins
to show itself in the scherzo of the first. Like another even more tense later quartet, Op. 132, it has
a deeply contemplative slow movement.

Beethoven Quartet in F major, Op.135 (1826)
Apart from the second finale of Op.130, the F major quartet is the last substantial work Beethoven
finished. It is smaller in scope and lighter in character than the other late quartets. Profundity is not
always weight or elaboration, and the Lento is a piece as deep as it is seemingly simple.

(Extracts from notes by Robert Simpson)

Music Festival news

Michael McHale

The Tunbridge Wells International Music Festival returns this year at the end of the month, kicking off with the Tunbridge Wells Symphony Orchestra on 2nd October at the Assembly Halls. More information. And on 9th October, there's a chance to hear the fantastic pianist Michael McHale, playing a Mozart concerto with the London Sinfonia. Michael accompanied Felicity Lott in a recital at King Charles last year, and he was sensational.

The Festival is well worth supporting, so see their full programme here.

Music at King Charles has its own concert on Saturday 8th October, with three seminal Beethoven quartets played by the Archaeus String Quartet. Buy tickets here.

King Charles church is then the venue for the Festival concert on Thursday 13th October, when the world-renowned Schubert Ensemble will play piano quintets by Bruch and Schumann. Buy tickets here. And the church also hosts a special Flute Masterclass with Karen Jones, professor at the Royal Academy of Music, on Saturday 29th October.

Just coming up, meanwhile, over at West Malling, we recommend the music series 'Music at Malling' with a variety of high-class performers from the classical scene. This runs from 23rd September to 1st October. A particular highlight will be the complete sonatas for violin and harpsichord performed by Steven Devine and leading Baroque violinist, Richard Gwilt, on Tuesday 27th September at 1pm. But there is much more, as you can see from the Music at Malling website.

Do keep an eye on the Beult concert series, too. There's a great jazz concert coming up on 1st October, and the CODA chamber music series' next event on 16th October at Rose Hill School in Tunbridge Wells.

To keep in touch, why not FOLLOW this blog? Just click on the button down on the right hand side of the page on the web version of the site.

Schubert Piano Trio

Saturday 17 September, 7:30pm

A piano and piano trio recital of late works by Franz Schubert.

Tickets available (discount for advance booking)from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/mkctw or from the performers directly.

Katy Johns - violin
Miriam Cox - cello
Alex Metcalfe - piano

Programme:
Impromptu in Ab D.935/4
Four Impromtpus D.899
Trio in Eb, D.929

Katharine Gorsuch Johns (violin) was a member of the prize-winning Bronte String Quartet from 2001 to 2006 and now works as a freelance violinist. Having studied with Itzhak Rashkovsky and Miriam Fried, her playing career has taken her to venues such as Wigmore Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, and St David’s Hall. She has also performed at IMS Prussia Cove and on BBC Radio 3. Her recent work includes performances with Independent Opera at Sadler’s Wells and English Chamber Orchestra.

Miriam Cox (cello) studied at the Junior Academy under Robert Max and later at the Royal College of Music with Alexander Boyarsky. Since 2009 Miriam has been heavily involved in the Kent original music scene, playing with several groups and singer songwriters. She wrote and recorded, along with her husband, drummer James Cox, for Frances Yonge’s recently released third album Stonewaller. Miriam and James also feature in the loosely labelled ‘folk’ band Son of Kirk, who regularly play in London and the South East and with whom she will soon be recording a second E.P.

Alexander Metcalfe (piano) studied at the Royal College of Music under Raymond Fischer and was subsequently awarded a Nelly Ben-Or foundation scholarship to study the application of Alexander Technique to piano playing. He has performed at many prestigious venues throughout the UK and Europe (including LSO St. Luke’s, the Royal Albert Hall and King’s Place) and played with a variety of orchestras and ensembles (including London Sinfonietta and London Symphony Orchestra). He has given lecture recitals on many of the great masterpieces of the Classical and Romantic eras (such as Liszt’s B minor sonata, Schumann’s Fantasy in C and the last 3 piano sonatas of both Beethoven and Schubert.) His debut CD, a collection of works by Erik Satie, was released in 2014.

'Voice of the British Isles': 11 Sept

Ellen Smith and Michael Grant open the 2016 Music at King Charles series with a luscious collection of folksongs, at 3:30pm on Sunday 11 September. Admission is free and there is a retiring collection.

You can get a taste of their music in this short selection of extracts on YouTube.

Inspired by the haunting sound world of Jan Garbarek, Ellen and Michael have reinterpreted some of the most enduring folk melodies from across the British Isles for the unique combination of voice, harp and soprano saxophone.

Ellen Smith graduated from University College London with a first class honours degree in Classics before pursuing a Masters in Music Performance at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she specialised in Early Music. Particular career highlights include London performances of the Handel harp concerto with the Clemens non Papa Consort, Britten's Ceremony of Carols at Westminster Cathedral, The Chapel of the Savoy and St. James’ Piccadilly with the English Chamber Choir, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms with Vox Cordis at Holy Trinity Kensington and Ravel’s Introduction and Allegro in Blackheath. Frequent orchestral concert and tour engagements have taken her to the Salzburg, Istanbul and Gran Canaria Festivals, and further afield, to Beijing with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife. A regular guest solo artiste aboard Cunard’s fleet since 2004, she has performed extensively throughout Europe and worldwide onboard Queen Elizabeth 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2.

Michael Grant is an international cabaret entertainer, multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, teacher and composer. After studying at the Royal College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, he went on to perform in many musicals and concerts in London’s West End and across the world. As a classical soloist he has performed in most of the UK’s most prestigious venues, including Wigmore Hall, Britten Theatre, Barbican, Queen Elizabeth Hall, St. Martin-in- the-Fields, St. James’ Piccadilly and the Queen’s Hall Edinburgh. As a jazz musician and cabaret entertainer Michael regularly performs his own swing show around the world as a guest artist for Cunard and P&O Cruise Lines. He has written three ballets, two musicals and several song cycles continuing the English song tradition of the early 20th Century.

This recital is part of a long-term recording project for Ellen and Michael. Their repertoire draws on a wealth of traditional song from across the British Isles but, with an unusual combination of harp and soprano saxophone, their collaboration has brought together traditional and modern influences, some unfamiliar tunes and complex harmonies. Inspired by the sea in his home town of Hastings and influenced by the strong English style of composers such as Vaughan Williams and Finzi, Michael has also composed a song cycle with words from John Masefield’s Salt-Water Ballads which will be premiered at this recital.

Where to find King Charles church.

Booking open for Autumn series

How to book:

ONLINE: Tickets for Music at King Charles concerts may be booked here, https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/mkctw. Prices are discounted when you book in advance, and there is no charge for under-18s.

BY EMAIL: contact us at kcmconcerts@blueyonder.co.uk for tickets or if you wish to leave/join our mailing list.

Tunbridge Wells International Music Festival
We are delighted that the TWIMF return to King Charles to host a concert by the amazing Schubert Ensemble, on Thursday 13th October at 7:30pm.  Book tickets for the Schubert Ensemble here: tickets are £15 on the door but just £13 when booked in advance.

Autumn series 2016

To be added to our mailing list, email kcmconcerts@blueyonder.co.uk

Sunday 11 September, 3:30pm: Voice of the British Isles
Folk songs re-imagined for harp, soprano and saxophone Tunbridge Wells harpist and soprano Ellen Smith is joined by Michael Grant (clarinet & saxophone) for an afternoon of inspiring new folk song arrangements.

Saturday 17 September, 7:30pm: Alex Metcalfe (piano), Katy Johns (violin) and Miriam Cox (cello)
Interludes for piano, and the Piano Trio in E Flat (D.929) by Franz Schubert

Saturday 8 October, 7:30pm: Archaeus String Quartet
Featuring Beethoven’s very first quartet (Op,18 no,4) and his last (Op.135), as well as Op.59 no.2 from the Razumovsky cycle of his ‘middle’ period.
Formed in 1990, the Archaeus Quartet has performed in music clubs and arts centres throughout the UK, and at the Wigmore Hall and Purcell Room in London. Ann Hooley, Rosemary Lock - violins Elizabeth Turnbull - viola Martin Bradshaw - cello

Saturday 29 October, 7:30pm: Christopher Sayles - piano recital
The official opening recital on the church's renovated Yamaha grand piano, by international concert pianist Christopher Sayles, who is based in Germany.

Sunday 13 November, 6:30pm: Howells' Requiem
The King Charles Singers will perform the sublime Requiem by Herbert Howells as the evening service on Remembrance Sunday.

Saturday 26 November, 7:30pm: Michael Bacon - organ recital
Michael Bacon is the Organist of King Charles the Martyr church, and he will be marking the centenary of the death of Max Reger with a short recital.

Male Voice Choir fund-raiser

Saturday 25 June, 7:30pm

We are delighted that the Royal Tunbridge Wells Orpheus Male Voice Choir is helping us to raise funds for the recent renovation of the grand piano at King Charles church.

We look forward to a great evening's entertainment, with a wide range of songs - including extracts from The Mikado, Les Miserables and My Fair Lady, together with hymns and spirituals.

Director: Richard Walshaw
Piano: Adam Crane
Guest soloist: Caroline Walshaw

Save by booking in advance
Buy your tickets online here for just £10
(They will cost you £12 on the door)
There is no charge for under-18s.

About the choir
The RTW Oprheus Male Voice Choir has been performing for 78 years for churches, charities and businesses to help with fundraising projects and to entertain customers. About 48 strong and growing, the Choir performs the year round. It has won several musical awards and has sung in the Royal Festival Hall, Royal Albert Hall & The Guildhall and toured abroad many times.

Thank you for helping us to raise money to pay for our concert grand piano's renovation, which will enable us to continue to provide high-quality chamber music at this fabulous venue.

Informal piano recital 12 June

Paul Clark will be giving a short recital on the afternoon of Sunday 12 June from 2pm. This is the first opportunity to hear the church's Yamaha grand piano after its recent renovation. It's free and all are welcome!

After that, our next concert is when we welcome the Tunbridge Wells Orpheus Male Voice choir on June 25th. They'll be helping us raise money to pay for the work on the piano.

And in October, we will hear concert pianist Christopher Sayles in our series, as part of his Beethoven Sonatas tour of the UK.

Spring Concert with the ESK Ensemble

Saturday 21st May, 7:30pm

The ESK Ensemble celebrates Entente Cordiale with an entertaining programme of English and French music for wind trio.

Listen to a clip from the concert

Programme
Edward Elgar: Chanson de Nuit
Henri Tomasi: Concert Champetre
Pierre-Max Dubois: Alla Breve
Henry Purcell: Fantasia No.1
Jacques Ibert: Cinq Pieces en Trio
Richard Walthew: Triolet in E Flat
Louis Cahuzac: Arlequin
Edward Elgar: Chanson de Matin
Bennjamin Britten: Six Metamorphoses after Ovid
Joseph Canteloube: Rondeau a la Francaise

The ESK Ensemble
KATE ANDREWS – OBOE
Kate read music at King's College, Cambridge, before undertaking a postgraduate diploma at the Royal Academy of Music and Sydney Conservatorium. She has worked extensively in West End productions, including Sweeney Todd, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Oliver, The Wizard of Oz and Carousel. Kate has made many recordings, ranging from the cast album of 2012's production of Sweeney Todd, to film soundtracks and pop albums - she appeared as part of Michael Buble's band for his UK filmed Christmas Special. Kate is an ABRSM Examiner.

STEVE PIERCE - CLARINET
Since leaving the Royal College of Music Steve has played for most of the major British Symphony Orchestras (including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra under André Previn and Michael Tilson Thomas). At present he is a member of the London Concert Orchestra and plays regularly with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Chamber Music, from duo to octet, has formed a large part of his professional life. His wind octet Harmoniemusik of London released a CD of octets by Mozart and Myslivecek (on Virgin Classics) and has played at the Wigmore Hall. As a recording artist he has played on countless CDs - and on TV and film scores as diverse as Poirot, Marple, The Golden Compass and Mama Mia. In the theatre he has worked for the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre, and many West End Productions. He was the original clarinettist in Phantom of the Opera, and features on the CD.

DAVID CHATTERTON – BASSOON
David studied bassoon at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, He plays with the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Tafelmusik in Toronto. David was contracted to the BBC Symphony Orchestra for 2 years then left to join the RPO - a position he held for 20 years. He has made numerous recordings on CD, TV and film and has worked in the West End in many Musical Theatre productions including Oliver at Drury Lane. A keen promoter of the 'Early Music Revival' David enjoys playing Classical and Baroque bassoon and contrabassoon with the Orchestra for the Age of Enlightenment, the Gabrieli Consort, the Academy of Ancient Music and Orchestre Revolutionaire e Romantique. David is an Honorary Associate of the Royal Academy of Music where he has been a Professor for 35 years.

Handel's Messiah, staged. 9 April

BIRTH. DEATH. RESURRECTION.
In the Merry Opera Company’s acclaimed dramatic staging of Handel’s Messiah, twelve strangers seek spiritual comfort in their struggle to understand their troubled lives.

Through the words and music of this most beloved oratorio they inspire each other to look to the future with hope.

Find out more about the production here.

Saturday 9th April 2016, 7pm
Tickets £12 (£8 - under 18s) Book online here

"Bringing the singers out from behind their scores brought out the human character of this music.” Opera Now

“Imaginative new staging ... worked beautifully ... creating a wall of sound with the power to move every spectator.” British Theatre Guide

“We have never experienced anything so moving and exciting as your performance last night ... we wanted everyone to have heard it. Thank you so much. We cannot stop thinking about it.” Saffron Walden

Director: John Ramster. Music Director and Conductor: Stephen Hose. Costume Design: Michelle Bradbury. Wardrobe: Pedrick Moore. Organist: Ben Comeau.

Cast includes: Christopher Faulkner, Lucilla Graham, WeiHsi Hu, Roderick Morris, Gemma Morsley, Lawrence Olsworth-Peter, Matthew Quirk, Daniel Roddick, Eleanor Ross, Jenny Stafford, Glenn Tweedie, Emily Vine.

28 Feb: James McVinnie

Opening Concert of the Refurbished Organ
Sunday 28 February at 3pm

Admission free: retiring collection for the organ fund
More information about the organ appeal and the organ at King Charles.

Some years ago, a Sevenoaks schoolboy appeared at KCM hoping to practise the organ here. He went on to study at the Royal College of Music before becoming Organ Scholar at St Alban's Abbey, Clare College Cambridge and St Paul's Cathedral, and being appointed Assistant Organist at Westminster Abbey. During his time there he played for many important state services including the Royal Wedding in 2011.

By that time, James McVinnie had won a reputation as one of the country's best solo organists as well as being an excellent continuo player in several leading baroque ensembles both here and abroad. He made his debut at London's Royal Festival Hall in March 2014, giving one of the six opening recitals on the refurbished iconic 1954 Harrison & Harrison organ. He made his solo debut in the Salzburg Festival at the age of 26, performing alongside the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra under Ivor Bolton, and more locally to Tunbridge Wells he was on stage in Barrie Kosky's production of Handel's Saul at Glyndebourne in 2015.

James always plays interesting music. His recent sell-out concert at the Festival Hall included folk, electronics and improvisation as well as Bach. On 28 February he will be playing a couple of pieces so early they were written by "anon", than an early 17th century piece from Amsterdam by Sweelinck, the massive Prelude and Fugue in E Flat by Bach and ending with a transcription of the end of Stravinsky's Firebird.

James has been a particular champion of the music of Nico Muhli and we are lucky to be able to hear a new piece dedicated to the memory of John Scott, former Organist of St Paul's Cathedral, who died very suddenly last year.

Michael Bacon, Organist, King Charles the Martyr

Masters of the Baroque

Saturday 6 February, 7:30pm
Temenos Chamber Choir, director Charles Vignoles

Temenos return to King Charles the Martyr with a sparkling programme of Baroque masterpieces, which range from the early Venetian Gabrieli's eight-part Jubilate to Bach's most exuberant motet Singet dem Herrn, and culminating in Monteverdi's spectacular 1640 Magnificat. Superb motets by English composers Blow and Purcell are also included.

Temenos are joined by the talented Ensemble Hesperi on period instruments, directed by Thomas Allery (organ). They will be playing Handel's Opus 5 Trio Sonatas, and sonatas by Turini and Uccellini.

Tickets are £12 (£6 for students) on the door or by phone 01732 452715.

King Charles Festival concerts

Sunday 24 January, 5:30pm: ORGAN RECITAL by Michael Bacon
First concert on the newly restored organ. Dupre, Durufle, Whitlock and Bach. Admission free

Saturday 30 January, 7:30pm: MUSIC OF THE STUART AGE
The Chelys Consort of Viols, with the King Charles Singers
Music from Lawes to Purcell, from the reigns of the Stuart kings in the 17th century, including Dido's Lament and final chorus of Dido and Aeneas.
Tickets £12 (£6 students) online here (discounts for advance booking) or call 01892 547835

Saturday 6 February, 7:30pm: MASTERS OF THE BAROQUE
Temenos Chamber Choir, with Ensemble Hesperi
Bach Singet dem Herrn, Gabrieli Jubilate for three choirs, Monteverdi Magnificat a 8, Blow Salvator mundi, Purcell Jehovah quam multi sunt
Tickets £12 (£6 students) from 01959 523765 or visit Sevenoaks Bookshop

Presented as part of the annual King Charles Festival, which marks the commemoration of the execution of Charles I in 1649.

The completion of the renovation of the church's fine Walker organ will also be marked by a celebrity organ recital by Jamie McVinnie on Sunday 28th February, at 3pm.

Temenos chamber choir started life in 1988 as the Sunday Singers, a group of ten singers singing motets and madrigals in the village of Shoreham, near Sevenoaks, in Kent. Since then, the choir has extended its repertoire from early music up to that of the present day: from Guillaume de Machaut to James MacMillan. Concerts are held in the Sevenoaks area and further afield. The choir is directed by Charles Vignoles.

The members of the Chelys Consort trained at Trinity College of Music, London, and the Royal Academy. All are now experienced and enthusiastic players and teachers, and their busy concert schedule has recently taken them to the Holywell Music Room in Oxford, Fitzwilliam College Cambridge, and the Worcester Early Music Festival. The word 'Chelys' is derived from the ancient Greeks and referred to a bowed lyre, said to have been invented by the god Hermes. The players are active in the wider early music world, playing with leading ensembles such as the Rose Consort of Viols, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Phantasm and Charivari Agreable.