Tag Archives: Lunchtime Concert

Students get the opportunity to work with jazz duo Trish Clowes and Ross Stanley

Several of this year’s students had the opportunity to work with saxophonist and composer Trish Clowes, following her mesmerising Lunchtime Concert on Weds 13 March.

Together with pianist Stanley Ross, Trish gave a marvellously inventive, lyrical performance as part of our Lunchtime Concert series, in a programme filled with colour in works including pieces by Marcel Dupré, Nikki Iles and Lili Boulanger. The duo came to Colyer-Fergusson as part of their UK tour promoting the release of their new album, Journey to Where.

After the concert, Trish and Ross stayed on to work with some of the students exploring improvisation, rhythm, and the physicality of the ‘groove;’ players included several of this year’s Music Award Holders.

“I had a fantastic time at the workshop with Trish,” reflects Sara, singer-songwriter and Secretary to the Music Society this year (pictured below), reading Philosophy and Religious Studies . “We focused on getting into the rhythm and groove of music, using our bodies as metronomes of a sort – a key component in jazz. It was really nice to let loose, and explore ways of creating rhythm in ways we wouldn’t usually as classical musicians.

It was an incredibly fun hour spent making music alongside instruments I wouldn’t usually connect with. It was an extremely insightful and entertaining workshop, with lots of take home messages I can’t wait to put into practice in the future!”

Thanks to Trish and Ross for both a fabulous performance, and for sharing their experience and insights with the students.

Some Kind of Calm: meditative piano recital Tues 10 October

As part of World Mental Health Day on Tuesday 10 October, Head of Music Performance Dan Harding will be giving a free lunchtime concert exploring tranquil piano repertoire aligned with scenic landscape photography.

Come and enjoy a break from it all, with a half-hour recital of meditative piano music, including works by Olafur Arnalds, Philip Glass, Chick Corea, Richard Rodney Bennett and Yumiko Morioka.

The live piano music will be accompanied by scenic image projections in a darkened concert-hall, opening up the opportunity to immerse yourself in some breathtaking music and photography for a meditative odyssey for the ear and the mind.

You can take a listen to some of the pieces which will be included in the recital on a dedicated playlist on Spotify here  which includes the beautiful Komorebi byYumiko Morioka, the title being a Japanese word describing the effect of sunlight filtered through trees.

Admission is free, more details online here: the recital starts at 1.10pm, all welcome to enjoy an immersive experience on the day.

Header image: Unsplash / Ann Savchenko

Emotional and transformative: review of the Chan-Jack Duo at Colyer-Fergusson Hall

First-year  Philosophy, Religion and Ethics student and musician, Sara Davies, reflects on the recent opportunity to work alongside the Chan-Jack Duo on their recent visit to perform in Colyer-Fergusson as part of our Lunchtime Concert series.


On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of watching the superbly talented Chan-Jack Duo play their EP Air as part of the series of lunchtime concerts in Colyer-Fergusson Hall.

Laure Chan and William Jack performing in Colyer-Fergusson Hall as part of the Lunchtime Concert series

This included a 50 minute set of five songs that perfectly blended the east and the west whilst incorporating a multitude of genres from rock, pop, classical, Latin and many more.

I was totally enthralled by the immense talent of both Laure Chan (on violin) and William Jack (on cello and guitar). Their music, a fusion of different cultures, was colourful, emotional and transformative.

After the concert, I had the opportunity to participate in an improvisation workshop with the duo, where we created a fusion that revolved around the pentatonic scale. We explored the different ways in which our instruments could make non-melodic sounds, and I was able to use the body of my guitar to create amazing percussive lines alongside the other instruments.

Towards the end of the workshop, I  had the honour of performing one of my original songs to the duo which was amazing! The support and feedback from both of them was particularly help as well!!

Sara Davies in the workshop

All in all, I have to say the Chan-Jack Duo have definitely been my favourite concert here at the university and the opportunity to work alongside them is something I will remember forever.

Sara Davies

Lunchtime Concert: Scholars’ Spotlight recital Weds 9 Feb to take place live and livestreamed

This term’s series of concerts launches on Weds 9 February, with our first-ever livestreamed Lunchtime Concert, and a first lunchtime recital as part of the series by one of our Music Performance Scholars, second-year Michael Lam.

Wednesday’s recital sees Michael, in his second-year in the Kent and Medway Medical School, performing works by Bach, Mozart, Chopin and Schumann, and as well as welcoming a live audience, we will be livestreaming the recital online here:

Join us either live or live online as this term’s concert series gets underway, with what promises to be a unique occasion marking two ‘first’ for the Music department…

Find out more here.

Lunchtime Concert series launches next week

We’re very excited to say that our new Lunchtime Concert series launches next week, as the series of live performances returns to Colyer-Fergusson Hall once more.

The series begins on Wednesday 20 October at the usual time of 1.10pm with what promises to be a mesmerising sequence of Indian ragas performed by British sitarist and composer, Jonathan Mayer, together with tabla-player Denis Kucherov.

Image: (c) Matt Wilson / University of Kent

The event also begins a series of partnerships between the Music Department and professional performers; this year, Jonathan will be working with third-year Physics student and Hindustani singer, Ridima, towards a performance later in the year.

As always, the lunchtime concerts are free to attend, but this term tickets need to be booked in advance of the performance, which can be done online here.

The Music department is grateful to Furley Page Solicitors for its continued spobnsorship of the series.

Sponsors of the Lunchtime Concert series

We look forward to seeing you next, as we usher in the new season of lunchtime events!

New season ‘What’s On’ details now out!

it’s been a while since we’ve been able to say this, but our new What’s On pages are now live with all the details about the Autumn term concerts!

Image: (c) Matt Wilson / University of Kent

Live music is back in earnest for the new term, as our Lunchtime Concert series welcomes sitar player Jonathan Mayer, a recital of music for viola de gamba by Asako Morikawa, the Deptford Rivieras in a post-launch party for their latest CD, and a special extra concert featuring the Glyndebourne Touring Orchestra and Pit Perfect, including a post-concert workshop with student string-players.

Tour Orchestra 2019, Glyndebourne. Image: James Bellorini

The December concert by the Chorus and Orchestra has a sparkling seasonal flavour, including music by Tchaikovsky and Vaughan Williams, and the term finishes in rousing fashion with the customary Christmas Swingalong featuring the Big Band and the evergreen Ian Swatman.

Image: Matt Wilson / University of Kent

We can’t wait to be back – take a look at all that’s coming up this term, and we look forward to seeing you once more.

Sponsors of the Lunchtime Concert series

Header image: Andy Holmes / Unsplash

Lockdown Lunchtime Concert with University Music Scholars

In these unusual times, we’re pleased to present a ‘virtual’ Music Scholars’ Lunchtime Concert as part of a re-imagined Summer Music Week.

The concert featured several Music Performance Scholars and Award Holders, who had each filmed themselves performing in isolation from their homes around the country. From Scottish piping to French art-song, nimble woodwind pieces and a song from Disney’s Prince of Egypt, a novel way of highlighting just some of the musicians that take part in our extra-curricular music-making.

With thanks to all the performers (and their accompanists!) who took part.

Image round-up: Minerva Voices and the String Sinfonia

It’s been an action-packed musical week this week, with several events unfolding across three days.

Composer Russell Hepplewhite came to Colyer-Fergusson on Wednesday to hear Minerva Voices, the University’s upper-voice chamber choir, perform his recent work, Fly away over the sea, as part of the choir’s lunchtime concert. Members of the String Sinfonia joined the choir for a programme which includes music by Vivaldi, Mozart and Ola Gjeilo, alongside plainsong and an American spiritual

Russell Hepplewhite (centre) with Minerva Voices at the Lunchtime Concert

Minerva Voices, conducted by Dan Harding, in rehearsal that morning

Yesterday, the string were in action once again as the String Sinfonia performed a tea-time concert of serenades, including works by Tchaikovsky, Mozart and Britten’s Simple Symphony.

The action continues tonight, as the University Chamber Choir performs a meditative service by candlelight at St Michael’s Church, Hernhill, called Breathing Space, an hour-long event combining music and silence that creates a space for tranquility and reflection. The event starts at 7.30pm and is free, and draws the week to a close in an oasis of calm.

Which will last until next Friday’s annual roof-raising gala concert with the University Concert and Big Bands…