Festival Finale

A celebration concert gathering artists with whom Artistic Director, Brenda Blewett, has performed regularly in the last 5 years. This is a programme of nostalgia, beauty and inventiveness.

The evening opens with a rousing Festival commission by composer Sarah Rodgers and continues with an inspirational inter-weaving of two works by Gerald Finzi - the song -cycle ‘Let us Garlands Bring’ (Julian Godlee-bass, Brenda Blewett-piano) and the ‘Five Bagatelles’ arranged by Finzi for clarinet and string quartet (Geraldine Allen-clarinet,Chaos Collective).

The second half begins with a second Festival commission by Susannah Self, ‘All Shall be Well’, a setting of the words of Julian of Norwich for mezzo-soprano and string quartet. Susannah will be the singer in this work and also in Chanson Perpétuelle – a moving work by Chausson for mezzo, piano and string quartet. The concert finishes with the glorious, but rarely performed, Debussy Piano Trio.

Brenda and Julian have always included popular songs in their programmes and as ever, treats await…