Past events - 2022 - 2023

'Music at Lunchtime' events at the New Guesten Hall, Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings - all presented as part of Bromsgrove Festival 2023

Wed 28 Jun 2023	Tongue in Cheek - Actor/singer and pianist Michael Lunts - After giving us a musical drama about Edward Elgar last year, actor, pianist and singer Michael Lunts returns with another of his popular musical comedy entertainments. With his tongue firmly in his cheek, Michael pays tribute to those masters of satirical song writing, Gilbert and Sullivan and Tom Lehrer, who had more in common than you might think and whose often-hilarious send-ups and parodies remain as pertinent in today's mad world as they did in their own times. Fans of Tom Lehrer will know the relevance of the dead pigeon ('Poisoning Pigeons in the Park') in the image on the left! Expect a torrent of patter and a sprinkling of satire alongside some memorable melodies! Michael Lunts' website
Wed 5 Jul 2023	The Right Brass Notes in the Right Order - Holborne Brass Ensemble - Having had to cancel during the pandemic, we are very pleased to have our brass friends back for a concert of technical wizardry, together with the added benefit of their distinctive humour. The programme will demonstrate the ensemble′s trademark brand of excellence, entertainment, spontaneity and versatility. The concert will cover a few centuries of music, from Albinoni, JS Bach and Handel to Rimsky Korsakav and more modern-day composers, such as Piazolla, Cole Porter and Lennon-McCartney. Whilst some of the music is intended to be amusing (e.g. a Bach flute solo on the tuba!), the skill and virtuosity of the playing is always very much to the fore. This is a concert not to be missed. Holborne Brass Ensemble's website
Wed 12 Jul 2023	Let's Face the Music and Dance - Selina Bella Strings Quartet - We are delighted that Shulah Oliver is returning with her quartet, which Shulah formed in 1999. The group performs together in varying combinations for a wide variety of events from National Awards Ceremonies, to Royal Visits, to concert recitals. The players are all busy freelance performers who, between them, have performed at prestigious venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, The South Bank Centre, Symphony Hall, St John’s Smith Square, St James’s Palace, Konzerthaus Berlin and Casa da Musica Portugal. They have worked with well-known conductors, including Bernard Haitink, Sir John Elliot Gardiner, Yan Pascal Tortelier and Sir Charles Mackerras and performed at many events including The BBC Proms. In this concert, the Quartet will be treating us to dance music in its many different guises. Shulah Oliver's website
Wed 19 Jul 2023	The Shepherd on the Rock - Tom Caldecote & Bridget Kerrison - Many comparisons have been made between the clarinet and human voice. From about 1780 to 1830, various composers, including Schubert and Crusell, wrote music to take advantage of such a combination to good effect. A significant amount of a clarinetist′s repertoire is performing with an exceptional singer and orchestra, or with a pianist. This concert will bring together repertoire for soprano, clarinet and piano, and will feature Schubert′s famous Shepherd on the Rock and also the more-modern Three Pieces for Soprano and Clarinet by Gordon Jacob, as well as other popular songs and pieces. Bridget is a is a freelance singer, having sung with Ex Cathedra, Birmingham Bach Choir, The Holst Singers, Ensemble Plus Ultra, Armonico Consort and the Philharmonia Chorus. Tom pursues a freelance career playing with many orchestras including Orchestra of the Swan, Britten Sinfonia and Bournemouth Symphony.

Festive Classics gratefully achnowledges the generous support from the
Bromsgrove Institute Trust for this lunchtime series.