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.

King Charles Festival 2016

As part of the annual commemoration of the death of King Charles I, who was executed on 30 January 1649, we present two special concerts of music of his time, as well as two organ recitals celebrating the recent renovation of the church's splendid Walker organ.

Sunday 24 January 5:30pm: Organ Recital by Michael Bacon

Saturday 30 January 7:30pm: Music of the Stuart Age

Saturday 6 February 7:30pm: Masters of the Baroque

Sunday 28 February 3pm: Organ Recital by Jamie McVinne

Booking information will be posted here in January.

Past Performers 2006-2016

Music at King Charles has been privileged to host so many distinguished artists over the last ten years. As a matter of record, they are:

Adriano Graziani  | Aiso Quartet  | Alessandra Testai | Alex Metcalfe | Amanda Pitt | Anthony Zerpa-Falcon  | Archduke Trio | Barbirolli Quartet | Callum Smart | Cambridge Taverner Choir | Cantabile | Cellists of the RPO | Charles Wiffen | Chelys Viol Ensemble | Chris Hatt | Clio Gould | David Campbell | Daniel Tong | David Owen-Norris | David Maw | David Owen Norris | Decimus Consort | Dulcinea Quartet | Eleanor Alberga | Ellen Smith | English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble | Felicity Lott | Follia | Frances Yonge | Gary Branch | Giles Davies | Gilfillan family | Greg Tassell | Guy Johnstone | Jamie McVinnie | Jane Gomm | Jennifer Snapes | Jong-Gyung Park | Karina Lucas | Kate Semmens | Katie Stillman | Kokoschka Trio | Konevets Quartet | Ken Aiso | King Charles Singers | Lianna Jeffrey | Liz Partridge | London Bridge Ensemble | Margaret Faultless | Martin Fogel | Matchbox Opera | Michael Bacon | Michael Collins | Michael Grant | Michael McHale | Nigel Clayton | Owen Rees | Paul Clark | Paul Jeffrey | Paul Guinery | Pentagon Ensemble | Peter Arnold | Peter Barker | Rachel Stroud | Raphael Wallfisch | Richard Egarr | Richard Uttley | Robin Jeffrey | Roselyne Martel-Bonnal | Rose Trio | Sara Lois Cunningham | Sarah Stuart-Pennink | Sasha Grynyuk | Simon Lane | Sophia Lisovskaya | Steven Devine | Temenos Chamber Choir | Teresa Caudle | Tim Gill | Tim Lines | Tom Bowes | Tom Foster | Trajecti Voices | Unexpected Opera | Yeo Yats Soon | Yukiko Shinohara

Ellen Smith and Michael Grant 12 Dec 2015

Music at King Charles is delighted to recommend a lovely concert at St Luke's church in Tunbridge Wells on Saturday 12 December, at 7pm.

The wonderful harpist and soprano Ellen Smith, who is a regular performer at King Charles, is joining saxophonist Michael Grant to play Christmas favourites, folksongs and other classics.

Definitely a great evening's entertainment!

St Luke's church is on St Luke's Road, TN4 9JH. Tickets are just £10 including refreshments and are available from the church or from Britten's Music, or on the door.

Meanwhile, details of concerts in early 2016 at King Charles will be released very soon.

Concerts this Autumn

As well as another superb line-up of concerts at King Charles, we look forward to similarly high-class chamber concerts at nearby venues by our friends in neighbouring venues.

Music at King Charles

Saturday 19 September: Music by the Bach Family, with Margaret Faultless and Rachel Stroud (violins) and Tom Foster (harpsichord).

Thursday 24 September: Recital by Felicity Lott, Michael Collins and Michael McHale (in partnership with Tunbridge Wells International Music Festival)

Saturday 10 October: "Evening in the Palace of Reason" - Johann Sebastian Bach at the Court of King Frederick the Great, with "Follia" (flute, violin, viola da gamba and harpsichord.

Saturday 17 October: Carl Nielsen 150th Anniversary Recital, with Peter Arnold (piano) and Liz Partridge (violin).

Booking information at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/mkctw


Tunbridge Wells International Music Festival

TWIMF is in full swing from 11 September with a jazz concert at Trinity, and including on Sunday 4th October the RTW Symphony Orchestra with Leonard Elschenbroich (cello) at the Assembly Hall Theatre featuring Dukas - Fanfare for La Peri; Dvorak - Cello Concerto; Holst -The Planets.


CODA at Rose Hill School

Sunday 13 September: recital by James Noble (clarinet) and Simon Callaghan (piano) presented by CODA.


At West Malling

20-27 September: 'Music at Malling' festival includes a number of Bach Pilgrimage recitals, concluding with a Family Concert 'Nordic Myths and Legends' on Sunday 27 September.


Buxted

Saturday 26 September: The King Charles Singers present 'Music of the English Cathedral Tradition' at the church of St Mary the Virgin, Buxted.


Marden

Friday 2 October: Jazz at the Oast presented by Beult Concerts.

Music by the Bach Family

Saturday 19 September, 7:30pm

Music for Awhile - Margaret Faultless and Rachel Stroud (violins) and Tom Foster (harpsichord) -  present music by JS Bach, his sons, cousins and extended family.
Tickets £15.00 (£12.50 in advance)
Book tickets here

Since its first performance in 1996, and continuing under its Artistic Director Margaret Faultless, Music for Awhile continues to inspire audiences and performers alike with concerts in a variety of venues and at its own Summer Festival in the magical setting of All Saints, Alton Priors. Musicians from Europe's most acclaimed ensembles come together to perform a wide range of repertoire spanning over two centuries. Music for Awhile has specialised in performing English Opera from Purcell's time and thanks to sponsorship from the Cecil King Memorial Foundation it also features the music of J S Bach in churches around the country. Tonight's recital is one such concert. Music for Awhile expands to form a larger orchestra enabling it to perform major works in venues such as Westminster Abbey, Bath Abbey, Exeter, Gloucester, Hereford and Bristol Cathedrals. It also has its own chamber music series, formerly held at Conock Manor.

Margaret Faultless is co-leader of The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and regularly directs the orchestra. For twelve years, Margaret led the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra under Ton Koopman, as concert-master and soloist in their ten-year project to perform and record J.S Bach’s Cantatas. She is a regular director of the European Union Baroque Orchestra (for whom she is Director of Studies), Philharmonie Merck, and is the Artistic Director of Music for Awhile. A passionate chamber musician, she was a member of the London Haydn Quartet for ten years. A graduate of Clare College, Cambridge, she is Director of Performance Studies at the Faculty of Music at the University of Cambridge, Artistic Director of the University Collegium Musicum, a Bye-Fellow of Girton College, and Musician in Residence at St John's College. She is an Honorary Fellow of Birmingham Conservatoire and Head of Historical Performance at The Royal Academy of Music.

Dame Felicity Lott

Thursday 24th September, 7:30pm

With the Tunbridge Wells International Music Festival we are immensely privileged to present a unique opportunity to hear three of the country's most eminent and celebrated stars of the classical music world, with a stunning programme tailored for this intimate, historic setting.

One of Britain’s best-loved sopranos, Dame Felicity Lott, will be joined by world renowned clarinettist Michael Collins and accompanied by the brilliant Irish pianist Michael McHale.

Their programme includes music by Schubert (The Shepherd
on the Rock), Spohr, Poulenc, Saint-Saens and Offenbach.  This will be a very special evening of exceptional music.

Book your tickets here
£15 (£13.50 in advance, with a limited number of £5 tickets for under-18s)

Evening in the Palace of Reason

Saturday 10th October, 7:30pm
Follia

Chamber music by J S Bach, C P E Bach, Quantz, F Benda, Janitsch and Frederick the Great, performed by Follia

Tickets: £14 on the door, £12 in advance
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/EKEHLM

William Summers (baroque flute)
Diane Moore (baroque violin)
Ibrahim Aziz (viola da gamba)
Yeo Yat-Soon (harpsichord)

In 1747 the aging Johann Sebastian Bach visited the cosmopolitan court of the young and highly musical King Frederick the Great of Prussia. This was the catalyst for the composition of his great late work Musical Offering dedicated to the king. This programme explores the contrasting styles of Frederick’s court composers, including Bach’s son Carl Philipp Emmanuel and the king himself. It culminates with Bach’s monumental Trio Sonata from Musical Offering.

FOLLIA is a baroque ensemble with a flexible combination of instrumental and/or vocal musicians as appropriate to the repertoire being performed. It is made up of experienced specialists in their respective fields. Programmes are based on specific themes drawing on the fascinating links between the music of each period and the historical context of contemporary thoughts, events and developments in the other arts. The music performed ranges from the early 17th century to the late 18th century.

Carl Nielsen 150th Anniversary Recital

Saturday 17th October, 7:30pm
Peter Arnold (piano) and Liz Partridge (violin)

This celebratory concert has been compiled specially by local musician Peter Arnold to showcase a wide range of works for piano by Denmark’s greatest composer. Each period of Nielsen’s varied and interesting life is represented.

Tickets £12 on the door, £10 in advance from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/EKEHMH

Peter Arnold was born in North London and studied at Trinity College of Music with John Bingham where he won several prizes for piano. The award of a Hungarian Government scholarship provided him with a further two years of study, at the Liszt Academy in Budapest. He has played in master classes for Vlado Perlemuter, Tamas Vasary, and Andre Tchaikovsky, and on Danish television playing Nielsen for the composer’s protégé Hermann Koppell. Concert appearances have included the Purcell Room, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Cheltenham Town Hall, and Egeskov Castle in Denmark. Peter has taught for Kent Music School since 1980, and is a professor at Trinity College of Music Junior Department.

Liz Partridge began her musical education as a junior at the Royal Academy of Music, and subsequently went to Trinity College of Music on a scholarship, where she studied both the violin and the piano. Whilst at college she co-founded the Court String quartet and still thrives on playing chamber music whenever possible.
Positions in the BBC concert orchestra and ENO were followed by ten years at the Royal Opera House as a sub-principal first violin, where she had the privilege of working with such luminaries of the conducting world as Bernard Haitink, Georg Solti and Carlos Kleiber and listening to Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo. For several years now she has been a freelance musician, working mainly in London with the major orchestras, in west end shows and in recording studios.
Recent solo recordings have included work with the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst and recordings of the most recent Trinity College violin exam syllabus. Other projects include commissioning and editing a new series of quartets for young people, with Boosey and Hawkes.
She has led many orchestras during her freelance career and also directed chamber groups from the violin. Teaching and examining feature in her portfolio, and she currently sits on council for the ISM.