Category: News

Looking back at 2022

As the new year begins we need to say a huge thank you to all those who have supported us and helped us stay afloat during the past couple of years.

To BMEMF and MEMF ….Thank you

To the Elmley Foundation and Worcester Arts Council…Thank you

To the Golsoncott Foundation, Marchus Trust and the Continuo Foundation……………Thank you

To Friends, Supporters and Patrons of WEM……Thank you

Our AGM in November was held online and I’m pleased to report that all the Committee members were standing for re-election, so we are up and running to ensure 2023 builds on the success of 2022……….thank you committee!

Looking ahead in 2023

Our season’s concerts are set to continue on Sunday February 12th at 3pm in the Angel Centre, when the Musical and Amicables will present a programme of music from Bach’s great work, The Art of Fugue, interspersed with poetry (see events page for more details)

Our April Concert will be on Sunday 16th and given by Ensemble La Notte, again at 3pm in the Angel Centre (see events page for details)

The final concert of the season is on Sunday June 11th when Chelys will perform a programme of early music and folk song with Gwen Martin, (see events page for details)

See you all soon…and please bring friends!

If you are not a Friend, Supporter or Patron already, look out for information at our concerts or alternatively email barbara.wem@gmail.com for more details.

Epitaph for a Green Lover

The Linarol Consort of Viols with Heloise Bernard (soprano) will perform music from the songbooks of Marguerite of Austria (1480-1530) on Sunday 6th November, including music by Obrecht, Ockeghem, Josquin and Pierre de la Rue.

Heloise Bernard graduated in 2018 from the Royal Glasgow Conservatoire of Music and she is described as “a light, sweet soprano” in Opera (Feb 2020). She specialises in music of the Renaissance and Baroque, so not to be missed here in Worcester!

Our first of the new season’s events last Sunday was a great success, thanks to an amazing Masterclass and concert given by Tabea, Liz and Jonathan, and thanks too, to you all for coming to hear them. The students from Birmingham Royal Conservatoire appreciated Tabea’s tuition during the Masterclass, and their colleagues from the course in Historically Informed Performance were equally keen to listen and learn from such a great recorder player. Our funding from MEMF ensured we were able to offer complimentary tickets to all the students for the afternoon concert. We were welcomed by Worcester Concert Club, and their members enjoyed the inclusion of music composed before 1800, into their season’s programme.            Our next concert is on Sunday November 6th at 3.30pm in the Angel Centre, Angel Place, (see events page for details) Tickets will be on sale on the door for £20, where you will also be able to buy a season ticket, for a mere £60 for the season’s 4 concerts! Tickets are also available on Eventbrite (booking fee applies)          Many of our artists including The Linarol Consort have benefitted from funding from the newly established Continuo Foundation which was set up during the Covid Pandemic, specifically to help early music musicians survive. Last year’s artists Passacaglia, received funding from Continuo, the Musical and Amicables have funding from them for next February’s concert: The Art of Fugue, and Chelys who will perform for us in June have also received support from this fund. For full details of all the artists and projects supported visit; www.continuofoundation.co.uk

Our first concert is on Sunday October 9th in Huntingdon Hall and is a collaboration with Worcester Concert Club. Tickets for the Masterclass at 12 midday and concert at 3pm are available from Huntingdon Hall Box Office (01905 611427 or on the day)

The remaining four concerts will all take place in the Angel Centre and tickets for these are available from Eventbritehttp://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/worcestershire-early-music-34176624357, or on the door. A special discount is available for those who buy a subscription ticket at £60 for all four concerts, individual tickets are £20 (entry is free to under 18’s and full time students)

Look out for our new book marks featuring the Green Parrot available for you to take and share with friends, who will hopefully flock with you to come and hear our wonderful concerts! The Green Parrot connection will be fully revealed in our second concert “Epitaph for a Green Lover” in November to be given by the Linarol Consort of Viols.

Our friends the Musical and Amicables are performing the concert in February, presenting a programme they played in Hereford as part of the Three Choirs Festival this year: “The Art of Fugue”  J.S.Bach’s great work will be interspersed with poetry.

Ensemble La Notte came to play for us in a lunch time concert a few years ago while they were students at the Birmingham Conservatoire, so it will be good to hear them in April as they make their way in the professional world. 

Our final concert next June brings us Chelys consort of viols who have played for us before and whose programme intertwines folk and early music.

For details of these concerts click on our events