This Sunday, the Gulbenkian Theatre is hosting a charity music concert, including performers from the University, and the first live performance of a new composition by the University of Kent’s Professor Elizabeth Mansfield.
The event, beginning at 3pm, will includes pieces by Chopin, Brahms, Ravel, Debussy, Liszt and that King of the Argentine Tango, Piazzolla.
Details of the concert, and a link to purchase tickets are online here, or tickets can be reserved by phone through the Gulbenkian Box Office: 01227 769 075.
There’s also a Facebook event here, and you can read more about it in the University’s press release here.
The events starts at 3pm, with proceeds in aid of Pilgrim’s Hospice and the NSPCC. Come and be entertained, here a première, all in support of two very worthy causes.
Over on the choral blog, Cantus Firmus, the Chamber Choir and Cecilian Choir are preparing for their combined concert, Ave Maria, in just over two weeks’ time.
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The concert, on Friday 8 June at St Mildred’s Church, Canterbury, sees a selection of works for single and double choir, in praise of the Virgin Mary.
As part of Summer Music this term, several of the University’s Music Scholars will be starring in a lunchtime concert on Wednesday 6 June at 1.10pm.
Flautist with the University Orchestra and second-year Historian, Kathryn Redgers, will perform Bach’s Flute Sonata in G minor BWV 1020 accompanied by yours truly on the harpsichord.
Second-year soprano Marina Ivanova will sing Vivaldi’s sublime cantata, Nulla in mundo pax sincera, accompanied by the University Camerata. Marina is a member of the University Chamber Choir and Chorus, and both Marina and Kathryn have previously performed in the Scholars’ Recital as part of the Canterbury Festival each year in October. In her spare time, Marina reads Economics and Spanish!
Making their solo performing debuts at the concert will be first-year harpist, Emma Murton, and first-year percussionist, Carina Evans on marimba, in solo instrumental works.
The University Big Band, conducted by Ian Swatman, will be joined by some very special guests when it returns to the Gulbenkian Theatre for its Gala evening on Wednesday 6 June, at 7.30pm.
Appearing alongside the Big Band is British saxophonist Simon Bates, pianist Paul ‘Harry’ Harris, bassist with Jools Holland’s Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, Dave Swift and Mike Osborn (drums) in a rousing finale to the University’s musical year.
Kent's First Lady of Jazz: Ruby Mutlow
Conductor of the Big Band, Ian Swatman, is particularly excited about this year’s extravaganza. ‘’Simon Bates is regarded as one of the country’s finest saxophonists, and to have him appear with his own quartet is tremendous. All the players in their own right have illustrious careers; Dave Swift is in the middle of Jools Holland’s UK tour with the Jools Holland Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, and is fitting this date in especially amidst his tight schedule. Drummer Mike Osborn has become a regular and spectacular guest with the University Concert and Big Bands, and the combination of all these musicians, together with our own very talented singer Ruby Mutlow and all the University band musicians, is a very exciting prospect!’’
The event is part of the University’s Summer Music, a five-day festival of events both on campus and in Canterbury to celebrate the end of another year of music-making and the end of the academic year. The festival also includes the Music Scholars in a lunchtime concert at the Gulbenkian, the Sirocco Ensemble and Brass Group in a Lunchtime at the Labyrinth, Chamber and Cecilian Choirs at St Mildred’s Church, and the annual Music Society Sunday concert: including cream teas!
Details about all the events, as well as tickets for the Big Band Gala, online here.
Members of the University Music Theatre Society, not content with resting on their laurels after a tremendously successful spring production of ‘Into the Woods’ at the Whitstable Playhouse, are back once again this term with two events, the first of which is next week, ‘The Last Five Years.’
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Jason Robert Brown`s emotionally powerful and intimate musical is about two New Yorkers in their twenties who fall in and out of love over the course of five years. The narrative follows Jamie’s story chronologically from start to finish, while seeing Cathy’s in reverse order; the two characters meet only once during the course of the show – at their wedding.
Director Lucie Nash, who’s also starring as Cathy in the performance, is very excited at the prospect. “”It’s a must-see for lovers of contemporary music or theatre everywhere,’’ she enthuses, ‘’a beautifully written musical with an unusual dramatic twist.’’’ Anyone who saw the Society’s production of ‘Into the Woods’ (reviewed in a previous article here) will remember Lucie’s scene-stealing appearance as the Baker’s Wife in the highly accomplished production of Sondheim’s musical last term.
Alongside Lucie as Jamie is the excellent Richard Simpson, a former member of the University Chamber Choir last seen in tremendous form as the Baker in ‘Into the Woods’ last term, whilst the musical direction is once again in the assured hands of conductor Adam Abo Henriksen, who also oversaw the musical side of the Sondheim at the Whitstable Playhouse.
The performances are on Wednesday 30th May, Thursday 31st May and Friday 1st June, all at 8pm, in Darwin Lecture Theatre 3, Darwin College, University of Kent, Canterbury.
Tickets are a mere £5, with all profits in support of the Dogs Trust; find out more on their Facebook page here.
There will be a final flourish from the entire Music Theatre Society on Saturday 9 June, when it returns to the Gulbenkian Theatre for ‘There’s No Business Like Show-Business!‘ as part of the University’s Summer Music celebrations (details online here), under the direction of Lisa Crowhurst. Catch them if you can!
A crop of photos taken last Friday at the new Colyer-Fergusson construction site. The windows of the upper ensemble rehearsal rooms and the staff offices have been going in recently, as well as the rather large window in the western side of the concert-hall.
Upper rehearsal rooms and officesWest wall of the concert hall
Thefoyer roof-light is in the process of being installed as well.
Foyer roof-light being installed
View all the images from the construction project by clicking on the album below. Exciting times…
Congratulations to our brothers and sisters over on the Medway campus, who won ‘Society of the Year’ and ‘Most Improved Society’ for the Medway Music Society at the UMSA awards ceremony at the King Charles Hotel last night.
Vice-President and Secretary, Jack McDonnell won Personality of the Year, whilst President this year Ethan Sacre picked up the award for ‘Outstanding Contribution.’
This is some well-deserved recognition for all the hard work the trio of Executives (together with Secretary, Clive Berry) has done to create a vibrant musical society life on the Medway campus, with band nights, competitions, links with local music businesses and charity fund-raising. As anyone who’s followed their activities on Facebook and their blog will know, it’s been a buzzing year both for musical activities as well as other society life on the Medway campus.
Hats off to the team; what will next year bring, I wonder.
My review of last night’s barn-storming gig by the Julian Joseph Trio (and surprise guest) has gone onto the Sounds New Festival’s blog this morning: you can read it here.
A fiery, inventive and terrific gig; and who was the special guest ? Well, you’ll just have to read it to find out…
Photo credit: Peter Cook.
Because it does. Doesn't it ? Blogging about extra-curricular musical life at the University of Kent.
A fiery, inventive and terrific gig; and who was the special guest ? Well, you’ll just have to read it to find out…