As temperatures soared and the weather became balmier, Summer Music Week launched over the weekend in the first two events of this year’s annual celebration of the musical year at Kent.
On Friday, the University Chamber Choir and Consort gave an electrifying concert in the Crypt of Canterbury Cathedral, for which they were joined by composer and violinist Anna Phoebe in three evocative movements from Anna’s Between Worlds, an exploration of music and science that receives its full premiere later this week. Second-year student Hannah Ost led the choir in a piece in the first half as part of a wide-ranging programme that received huge applause from a packed crypt audience.
And yesterday, conductor Ian Swatman bravely headed out to the seaside with the University Big Band, to entertain a Sunday crowd at the Memorial Bandstand at Deal, including guest vocal appearances from final-year student Fleur Sumption and first-year Elle Soo. Sea, sunshine and swing – perfect conditions for a perfect day.
Well done to everyone involved; Day Three of Summer Music Week today features the University Rock Choir in action. Find out all that’s going on throughout the week here.
Your music is wonderful: keep it up. The weather deteriorated towards the end of music week, but it did not matter. We make a point of never missing the chamber voice concert in the Crypt – absolutely outstanding this year. Daniel Harding deserves a medal for his success with young, amateur people who are busy with exams (revising etc) at this time of year. I thought when we moved from London that my concert-going life woul be curtailed, on the contrary it is, if anything, better.
Thank you; delighted we are able to contribute to your concert-going activities, there’s certainly plenty from which to choose here in the Music department! The Crypt concert is always a wonderful experience for all the student singers, such a terrific acoustic in which to sing – very glad you enjoyed the concert!