The philosophy of music: or the music of philosophy ?
For those of you who like your information a little more visual, our What’s On guide to our own events is now available to view online here – created with Padlet, it now looks like a digital fridge-door a-blossom with virtual Post-It-Notes; great for a single-glance guide to what’s to come.
See more here.
Our new What’s On has now gone live, and is packed with lunchtime concerts, choral and orchestral concerts, visiting ensembles and special events.
We continue to celebrate the University’s fiftieth anniversary with the annual Colyer-Fergusson Cathedral concert in a performance of Verdi’s Requiem in March, whilst in June we bring a department-commissioned choral piece from members of the University community. Our Lunchtime Concert series sees tangos from Piazzolla, jazz with the Geoff Mason Quintet, and a second concert from our ensemble-in-residence, CantiaQuorum, in music by Bach, Handel and Telemann. The Concert Band and Big Band will take us on a trip Around The World In… in February; the new Alumni chamber choir Invicta Voices launches; pianist and Honorary Doctorate recipient Freddy Kempf gives a recital in June; and the year ends as usual with the now-customary week-long musical festivities of Summer Music Week.
Take a look at all that’s happening from January to June online here, or download a copy of the brochure (pdf) here.
Studio 3 Gallery resounded to the sound of Christmas earlier today, as members of the Cecilian and Chamber Choirs took a festival programme of carols across to the School of Arts’ Jarman Building.
An enthusiastic audience was treated to a mixture of carols old and new, ranging from Ravenscroft’s seventeenth-century Remember, O Thou Man to Lauridsen’s sumptuous O Nata Lux and the enduringly-popular Ukrainian carol, Carol of the Bells.
The ravishing choral colours were given extra lustre by the current paintings on display in Studio 3, Rose Hilton’s Give Life To Painting (about which more here). Afterwards, audience and performers mingled over refreshments to explore the paintings further still.
Our thanks to Katie McGown and Denise Twomey for the invitation to come and perform; there are exciting plans afoot to develop a series of music events in Studio 3 throughout next term; watch, as they say, this space…
The seasonal musical calendar was opened last Friday, as the University Lost Consort brought the ancient undercroft of the Pilgrim’s Hospital in Canterbury alive to the sound of Benjamin Britten.
The audience filled the historic space to bursting for a performance of Britten’s Ceremony of Carols, in which the choir was joined by harpist and fourth-year student, Emma Murton, conducted by Dan Harding. First-year alto Ruth Webster captured the mournful air of the dissonant ‘That Yongë Childe,’ whilst third-year soprano, Gabriella Grandi, lulled the listener in ‘Balulalow.’ After the opening plainchant, ‘Hodie Christus natus est,’ had died away, the choir launched into a vibrant ‘Wolcum Yole!’ and moved through the lyrical ‘There is no rose’ through to the fierce ‘This Little Babe;’ the challenging ‘In Freezing Winter Night’ rose and fell in the hushed confines of the packed undercroft, before the evergreen ‘Spring Carol’ and the animated ‘Deo Gracias’ led into the reprise of the plainchant, and the piece dissolved amidst the ancient stone.
Credit to Emma for deftly delivering a tricky harp-part, and to the whole ensemble for a spirited and enthusiastic way in which to begin the Music department’s musical Christmas.
Photos © Matt Wilson / University of Kent
Next week is the penultimate week of term, and the events are starting to come thick and fast;
Weds 10 Dec, 1.10pm; the Musical Theatre Society presents a lunchtime of carol-singing on the foyer-stage – admission is free
Thurs 11 Dec, Studio 3 Gallery, Jarman Building, 1pm; the Cecilian Choir presents a festive lunchtime of carols amidst the current exhibition in Studio 3 Gallery over in the School of Arts’ Jarman Building, followed by refreshments; the event is free, details on Facebook here
Saturday 13 Dec, 7.30pm; the University Chorus and Orchestra will be joined by musical alumni in the end of term concert featuring music by Mozart and Beethoven.
And there’s more to come the following week as well; see everything that’s to come on our What’s On page here.
Two events coming up next week;
Wednesday 3 December sees the last of this term’s Lunchtime Concerts from the Society of Strange and Ancient Instruments, in an exploration of Renaissance, Baroque and traditional Norwegian music – 1.10pm, admission is free with a retiring donation. Here’s fiddle-player & singer with the group, Benedicte Maurseth, in interview:
And on Friday 5 December, the Lost Consort launches our musical celebrations for the festive season with a candle-lit performance of Britten’s enchanting Ceremony of Carols for upper-voices and harp, with harpist Emma Murton, conducted by Your Loyal Correspondent, in the historic setting of the undercroft of the ancient Pilgrim’s Hospital in Canterbury. Admission is free, with a retiring collection in aid of the Hospital.
Details about both these events online here.
A rousing rendition of Do You Hear The People Sing ? brought the Musical Theatre Society’s lunchtime foyer gig to an energetic completion earlier today.
Led with spirit by this year’s Music Director, second-year Joe Prescott, the Society entertained listeners with a small selection of songs which will feature in their showcase, Time After Time, on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 December.
Details about the showcase and tickets online here.
The Colyer-Fergusson Hall is looking forward to welcoming this term’s Musical Theatre Showcase on Saturday 6 & Sunday 7 December.
Join a cast of around fifty talented performers as they promise to take you on a evening’s odyssey through a dazzling host of memorable songs, including pieces from Les Miserables, We Will Rock You and West Side Story in ‘Time After Time. The Society presents a sneak preview of some of the songs in a free lunchtime concert on the foyer-stage tomorrow (Weds) to whet your appetite for what’s in store.
Tickets for the showcase are a mere snip at £8 or £5 for students, and can be snapped up here. Meanwhile, here’s a teaser-trailer of the Society working hard in rehearsal…
