Worcestershire Early Music

Behind the scenes work goes on for Worcestershire Early Music even though the next concert seems ages away. We have recently been awarded a grant from the Marchus Fund, and one from the Music Reprieval Trust; these  together with our annual support from the Elmley Foundation and Worcester Arts Council will ensure our artists will get paid next season!  If you know of any other local funds or foundations which we might apply to in future, to give us the security we need, please let me know. (barbara.wem@gmail.com) As well as funding for our concert season, we have been granted some financial support for some Outreach work, which we have scheduled for  September. It might not surprise you to know that all of our committee and our trustees play instruments in various different organisations, so we have created two programmes of music (including works by Telemann, Handel, Richter and Loeillet) to be played on baroque flutes, with bass viol, and oboe, bassoon and recorder. We will play in residential settings for the elderly here in Worcester.  Some of us will also be playing in the bandstand at the Three Choirs Festival Village, on College Green, (weather permitting) on Friday 2nd August from 4.30pm. As well as the bandstand, the Village has a Festival Cafe and Bar, and the Guilds of Design Makers and artists exhibition, many of which have works for sale. Everyone is welcome to come and soak up the festival  atmosphere, and the cathedral is frequently open during the week for people to  attend for free, rehearsals to festival concerts. For more information visit http://3choirs.org So as you can see we at WEM continue to be busy throughout the summer break.   All of our upcoming concerts till next April are listed on the events page and tickets for the season are on the Eventbrite website where you can benefit from a season ticket which buys 4 tickets for the price of 3 ..http://eventbrite.co.uk/o/worcestershire-early-music-34176624357 Looking forward to seeing you somewhere soon.

What a dazzling concert we were treated to earlier this month from Nathaniel Mander and Magdalena Loth-Hill; they made a great duo, positively fizzing with expertise. I hope we will see their return before too long!

As you know, this was the last concert of the current season, so now I am able to whet your appetite for next season. 
Coming up on Sunday October 6th, we welcome Spinacino, (named after an Italian Lutenist and composer born in 1485); they are a Scottish based consort dedicated to music of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
On Sunday November 3rd we welcome Henrik Persson back with his trio Newe Vialles; brought to the English Court by Henry V111  to replace the old vialles (rebecs and fiddles) so began the long tradition of viol playing in England. Their repertoire stretches from early 16th century to 18th century.
Sunday February 2nd 2025 sees the return of Alison Kinder and Lynda Sayce who play in Sounds Historical with, new to WEM, Mary Tyers and Heidi Fardell in a programme entitled 600 Years! Hildegard to Haydn.
Finally on Sunday April 6th 2025 we welcome Amyas led by Emily Baines (who played for WEM in Blondel in 2018) 

So plenty of dates for your diary there……..

And coming up soon our final event of the season is a collaboration with MEMF 
on Saturday May 11th when we will be offering a workshop for Upper Voices and instruments with Laurie Stras, exploring Music and Ritual in a Sixteenth Century Florentine Convent. 
Places must be booked in advance; £20 for EMF members and £25 for non members, students are free. Bookings close on Friday 26th April, for more info visit either         www.earlymusicworcs.org.uk  
                         www.memf.org.uk

                                           
Meanwhile Three Choirs Festival is in Worcester this summer; 27th July to 3rd August. There’s something for everyone; visit  3choirs.org

And the Armonico Consort will be performing Purcell’s Fairy Queen on June 29th in Malvern …. www.malvern-theatres.co.uk

Have a great summer … hope to see you all somewhere before our next concert in October,

                     Barbara

Our last concert given by Amaryillis, proved to be everything we anticipated and a bit more, with an encouraging number in the audience too. So here’s to our next event.

Nathaniel, originally from Gloucestershire, had harpsichord lessons with Richard Lester in Cirencester, before studying at the Royal Academy with Carole Cerasi. He is now regarded as one of the leading players of his generation being particularly known for his performances of 18th Century French Masters. He performs regularly in France after being invited to perform with the celebrated Musiciens du Louvre by Marc Minkowski.

Magda began violin lessons in Cumbria and went on to study at Chethams’s School and then to the Royal College where she took up the Baroque violin. She has won many accolades and has played with all the leading Early Music groups including Academy of Ancient Music, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, English Concert, and Florilegium. She plays with Ensemble Hesperi (who came to WEM in October last year) and is passionate about chamber music. She is a founding member of the highly successful Consone Quartet which has played worldwide.

This concert is sponsored by Border Marches Early Music Forum, the Elmley Foundation and Worcester Arts Council.

Our next concert is fast approaching; local artists Liz Pallet and Hannah Grove will be performing a programme of Valentine themed poetry and music.

A warm Worcestershire Early Music awaits our performers and audience alike, with a free cup of tea in the interval, a free programme and the opportunity to win a bottle of wine, a CD or a ticket to the next concert in our raffle. All this and music to soothe the soul…how else to spend a Sunday afternoon?