Music at King Charles

10.3.26

Villiers Quartet to play at KCM

We're delighted to announced that the Villiers Quartet will be playing a concert on Saturday 17th October 2026, featuring the music of Frederick Delius and Ailsa Dixon. Find out more about the quartet in this little clip...

28.2.26

Coffee Concert 14th March

Saturday 14th March 11am: Coffee Concert for Spring.

Seasonal music for all the family with the Lyndon Trio and others; a diverse mix including pieces for piano, violin and cello, from Beethoven to Piazzola. 45 minutes of great music in a relaxed format, with tea and coffee available.

Programme inludes movements from Beethoven's Archduke Trio.

Free with retiring collection.

1.2.26

International piano duo to visit in July 2026

Very excited to announce the return of Richard Egarr, with his duo partner Alexandra Nepomnyashchaya, for a fantastic summer concert on Friday 3rd July.

Here them this Tuesday (3rd February) on BBC Radio 3's In Tune.

Their programme includes a wonderful arrangement of Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony. Booking opens on 1st March.

Find out more.

4.1.26

Hear a winning pianist!

On Friday 23rd January, the Tunbridge Wells International Music Competition host a concert at King Charles the Martyr to raise funds towards the 2026 competition. Winner in 2024, pianist Xu Peng returns to Tunbridge Wells to showcase the phenmomal talent that amazed the judging panel.

Hear him for yourself! Tickets available now.

Xu Peng started playing piano at the age of four. In 2008, Xu entered the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, where he studied with Zhang Zhiwei. He received his MM and BM from the class of Jon Kimura Parker at Rice University (Houston, TX), where he also graduated with a Minor in French Studies and a Special Distinction in Creative Research.

Having completed his AD at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London) under the tutelage of Noriko Ogawa and Ronan O’Hora in May 2025, Xu is currently pursusing a Research Degree at the same institution, with a thesis on Debussy and Jankélévitch.

Xu is the winner at the Tunbridge Wells International Music Competition and the Macau-Asia International Piano Competition. Recently, Peng was also awarded the Golden Hand Prize with Special Jury Mention at the Carlos&Sofia Piano Competition, and Second Prize at the William Knabe Piano Concerto Competition.

Xu has performed recitals at notable venues, including the Barbican in London, the Stoller hall in Manchester, the Stude Concert Hall in Houston, and the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing. His interest in contemporary music has led to collaborations with composers and visual artists, presenting new compositions in thematic recitals and interdisciplinary productions at the Moody Center for the Visual Art in Houston. Xu made his concerto debut in 2019 with Khachaturian’s Piano Concerto in D-flat Minor.

31.12.25

Past performers 2006-2025

Happy New Year! This is an annual post, celebrating the growing list of eminent musicians we've had the privilege to welcome to King Charles since Rupert Preston Bell took over as Director of Music in 2006.

6.12.25

Two brilliant concerts in the New Year

Friday 23rd January 2026, 7pm
Xu Peng, piano recital

In support of the Tunbridge Wells International Music Competition, we welcome the overall winner in 2024, Xu Peng, with a great programme of Beethoven, Liszt, Albeniz and more.

Booking information.

Saturday 7th February 2026, 6pm and 8pm
Classics by Candelight

We welcome back Harriet Mackenzie and the Celoniatus Enseble for another classical spectacular, presented by the charity Music in Action.

Two one-hour events to choose from, allowing for pre- or post-concert dining, featuring well-known masterpieces by Bach and Mozart.

Booking information

4.12.25

Concert going ahead despite water issues!

Tunbridge Wells has been suffering from a severe lack of water for the week leading up to our December concert (so ironic for a spa town, of course!) but the loos are flushing again, so the show can go on without discomfort. Just in case, we have also hired a couple of portable toilets.

However, we have been advised to boil the tap water before drinking, and we have decided not to offer interval drinks for this event. Members of the audience are nonetheless welcome to bring their own.

With less than three days to go, there remain a few tickets on sale, and we expect a full church.

More about our December concert.

Book tickets.

See what else we have coming up.

25.11.25

All-star cast for Bach's Magnificat

Bojan Čičic [photo Nick Rutter]

Leader of The Academy of Ancient Music, Bojan Čičic, takes part in our performance of Bach's Christmas Magnificat on Saturday 6th December, with Steven Devine directing from the harpsichord.

Last few tickets available here.

Watch Bojan in action in this beautiful video.

Also taking part:

Kate Semmens, soprano
Diana Moore, mezzo
Archie Inns, tenor
Trevor Eliot Bowes, bass

"Bojan Čičić's interpretations are both visceral and thoughtful, underpinned by a magisterial virtuosity" ... BBC Music Magazine

"Čičic has mastered the illusion of musician as conduit - the music just seems to pour out of him, and his playing conveys that he has to do very little to make it work so well. Excellent and always stylish ornamentation is the most obvious evidence of this - there's not even the trace of wet ink in these embellishments: rather, they are thrown out as corporeal gestures - a flick of the hair here, a shrug of the shoulders there - and it's enviously spontaneous and carefree …" Gromophone

"Diana Moore is a singer to cherish, with a genuine contralto tone not often heard outside recordings of Ferrier or Janet Baker." The Times

[Diana Moore] "A mixture of intelligence with musicianship and beauty of tone and perfect restraint that highlights the emotional depth of each moment." The Guardian

Kate Semmens sings widely as a soloist and has also sung with some of the most eminent choirs and consorts, including the Monteverdi Choir, Dunedin Consort, Gabrieli Consort and Eric Whitacre Singers. She has been closely involved with education projects working with The Orchestra of Age of Enlightenment and is increasingly known for her teaching and coaching skills.

Archie Inns' roles include Alfred in Die Fledermaus (WOCO), Mopsa & Phoebus in The Fairy Queen (Gabrieli Consort), and other Purcell roles, with appearances as an Emerging Artist for Westminster Opera Company, Vache Baroque and as an Associate Artist with Oxford Opera.

Trevor Eliot Bowes' recent opera performances have included Basilio/ Il Barbiere di Siviglia at Longborough Festival Opera, Antonio/The Marriage of Figaro at ENO, Haydn's Paukenmesse with the LPO and Vladimir Jurowski, Bartolo/Le Nozze di Figaro with The Mozartists, Collatinus/The Rape of Lucretia. Father Trulove/The Rake's Progress, Seneca/L'incoronazione di Poppea, Colline/La Boheme with English Touring Opera, Alidoro/La Cenerentola with Nevill Holt Opera, Sergeant of Police/The Pirates of Penzance with Opera Holland Park, and Father Trulove/The Rake's Progress with the Munich Philharmonic.

Steven Devine is renowned as a keyboard player specialising historic instruments and a Music Director who has worked with many of the leading musicians and groups around the world. His repertoire encompasses a huge variety of music from the 15th century to the present day. He is Principal Keyboard Player for the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (OAE) and Director of their hugely successful “Bach, the Universe and Everything” series. In addition he is Artistic Advisor of The English Haydn Festival and Music Director of New Chamber Opera, Oxford. Recent releases have included Bach Harpsichord Concertos with the OAE (Res10318), the complete harpsichord music of Bach’s favourite student, Johann Ludwig Krebs and Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, Books 1 and 2. Steven teaches harpsichord, fortepiano and continuo at the Royal Academy of Music and is Early Keyboard Consultant to the Royal Welsh and Royal Birmingham Conservatoires.