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.