Paul Stock Directs Clyst Valley Choral Society "Songs of the Sea" & "Feel the Spirit" St Margaret's Church Topsham Saturday 29 April (Holy Trinity Church Exmouth Sunday 30 April) 2017

Clyst Valley Choral Society
Musical Director: Paul Stock
Mezzosoprano Soloist: Kate Lees
Violins: Rebecca Jackson, Chris Gould, Sally Bull
Viola: Deborah Hamilton Soprano: Nicky Perry
Tenor Soloist: Jonathan Lucas Wood

Jonathan Lucas Wood
Sir Charles Villiers Stanford:
"Songs of the Sea"

April ended with two performances by the Clyst Valley Choral Society, at Topsham and Exmouth. The first half of each was dominated by their impressive new tenor/bass-baritone signing, Jonathan Lucas Wood (currently Musical Director of The Exeter Bach Society). Accompanied by the orchestra and choir he sang Stanford's wonderful "Songs of the Sea", ending with the spectacular "Old Superb" with full choir, Ben Lund-Conlon's bass trombone, and Chris Gould's scintillating trumpet.

Janet Macdonald
Sully Prudholme/Gabriel Fauré:
"Les Berceaux"
Théophile Gautier/Hector Berlioz:
"L'Ile Inconnue"

Along the way there were other solo performances. Soprano Janet Macdonald took Jonathan's place for a cradle song by Fauré, and the starkly contrasting "Ile Inconnue" by Berlioz.

Phil Bonser joined Mark Perry for a clarinet and piano "Intermezzo", also by Stanford.

Rebecca Jackson & Sue Stock
Portsmouth & Plymouth Hornpipes

The Society's second violinist, Rebecca Jackson, was joined by 'cellist Sue Stock for two violin duets - very appropriate hornpipes.

Janet Macdonald & Myriam Prual
Jacques Offenbach: "Barcarolle"

Soprano Myriam Prual made a welcome return to the choir, and joined Janet Macdonald in a delightful boat-song from Offenbach's "Tales; of Hoffman".

Myriam Prual
"Belle Nuit, ô Nuit d'Amour"

Finally, Paul Stock himself gave a solo performance on piano - two of Stanford's "24 Preludes for Piano"

Ben Lund-Conlon
(percussion & bass trombone):
"Swing Low Sweet Chariot"
& "Go Down Moses"

 The second half opened with two more solos. Mezzosoprano Kate Lees introduced herself with William Walker's setting of John Newton's "Amazing Grace" accompanied on the piano by Paul Stock. Ben Lund-Conlon also joined Paul for two sonorous spirituals on his trademark bass trombone.

The scene having been set perfectly, the choir moved onto the stirring spiritual songs of John Rutter's "Feel The Spirit". Kate Lees was soloist with Jonathan Lucas Wood joining the regular tenor section and Janet and Muriel singing with the sopranos. This uninterrupted spectacle of song started appropriately with Ben's mighty trombone, quickly joined by Chris Gould's trumpet.

Kate Lees & Choir:
John Rutter: "Feel the Spirit"
(Flute: Mandy Fishleigh)

The choir really brought Rutter's exciting rhythms to life. Mark Perry's piano playing kept up a thrilling pace throughout the "Battle of Jericho" before switching mood for Kate's "Steal Away" with violin accompaniment and soft crooning by the choir.

Ben Lund-Conlon

A special mention is necessary for the spectacular solo opening to "Motherless Child" and "Deep River" by clarinettist Phil Bonser and mezzosoprano Kate Lees.

For "Feel the Spirit" Ben Lund-Conlon brought back his much-loved 'washboard tie' with its distinctive percussion sound.

This was a most enjoyable emotional journey, terminating with the ever-popular, no-holds-barred, classic "When the Saints Go Marching In". 

Chris Gould (Violin & Trumpet)
John Rutter:
"When the Saints Go Marching In"

"Songs of the Sea" and "Feel the Spirit" at Topsham was a delightful evening of song and instrumental music. The whole performance was repeated the following night, in the even more impressive venue of Holy Trinity Church.

Rehearsals continue every Thursday evening at Clyst St Mary Church. The Committee welcome enquiries from anyone wanting to join the choir or orchestra.

The email addresses are on the Clyst Valley Choral Society Website.

Clyst Valley Choral Society
St Margaret's Church Topsham
Sopranos: Myriam Prual & Janet Macdonald
Trumpet: Chris Gould Leader: Sally Bull

Clyst Valley Choral Society at Topsham & Exmouth (29 & 30 April 2017 - abstract)

Clyst Valley Choral Society
Musical Director: Paul Stock

Clyst Valley Choral Society's Spring Concert combined two very different choral works in an extremely enjoyable evening of music over the May Day weekend. Jonathan Lucas Wood was tenor soloist in Sir Charles Villiers Stanford's "Songs from the Sea" and Kate Lees was mezzosoprano soloist in John Rutter's "Feel the Spirit".

The choir sang beautifully each night, complementing the nautical and spiritual theme of the evening. There were also solo performances by sopranos Janet Macdonald and Myriam Prual, clarinettist Phil Bonser, trombonist Ben Lund-Conlon, as well as a couple of Stanford Preludes for piano played by the Director of Music himself, Paul Stock.

Rebecca Jackson made her debut in the second violin section, and also played two hornpipes in violin duet with 'cellist Sue Stock. Chris Gould still alternates between violin and trumpet as occasion demands - and gave a rousing fanfare during several sections of the Rutter, accompanied by Ben Lund-Conlon's bass trombone. Phil Bonser's clarinet and the flutes of Mandy Fishleigh and Marcus Carson gave equal augmentation to the gentler passages.

The combination of Stanford and Rutter was well-chosen, and superbly directed by Paul Stock. Jonathan Lucas Wood and Kate Lees performed magnificently, and were ably supported by the choir - diminished, but still very enthusiastic. Their next concert should be advertised soon. Rehearsals continue at Clyst St Mary Church every Thursday evening - and new members are always welcome.

An-Ting Chang "The Tenant" Kings Weston House Wednesday/Thursday 26/27 April 2017

"THE TENANT"
Martin Bonger: Gilbert Markham/Arthur Huntingdon
Emily May Smith: Helen Graham  Diana Brekalo: Piano
An-Ting Chang: Director  Jessica Macdonald: Writer
Pam Tait: Costume Design

On Wednesday night An-Ting Chang's "Classical Collision" came to Kings Weston House in Bristol. During the five weeks since her "Carnival of the Animals" concert at Glenorchy, An-Ting has been working on her new production "The Tenant", based on Anne Brontë's novel "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall".

The story was adapted for two actors by Jessica Macdonald and brought into collision with the piano playing of Diana Brakalo by Director An-Ting Chang. The two actors, Martin Bonger and Emily May Smith were spectacular in their rôles, weaving a distressing tale of romance and despair.

Martin Bonger

(Photography Paul Blakemore)

Martin Bonger introduced Exeter audiences to his distinctive brand of physical theatre at the Bikeshed in July last year. His own creation "Fat Man" mixed stand-up, audience participation and athletic performance with the classical tale of Orpheus and Eurydice. In "The Tenant" his distinctive style was perfect for the starkly contrasting parts of Gilbert Markham and Arthur Huntington. Gilbert, the gentle self-effacing romantic, is almost the diametric opposite of Arthur, a dissolute and uncaring brute.

With the help of excellent costumes designed by Bristol Old Vic Historian Pam Tait, Martin slipped seamlessly between rôles. As Gilbert he is gentle and personable. As Arthur he is a shocking abuser, his shameless sociopathy descending into the self-pity of the habitual bully as his misdeeds catch up with him.

Martin Bonger & Emily May Smith

(Photography Paul Blakemore)

Bristol Old Vic graduate, Emily May Smith, is Helen Graham, a talented, sensitive young woman, full of lively enthusiasm - but also vulnerable. Her natural desire to enjoy a creative and romantic life attracts the wrong kind of attention, which leads to a repressive and brutish existence. With incredible determination and resourcefulness, she survives - somehow. Emily's passionate portayal of Helen's crushing predicament totally commands the audience's attention.

Gilbert Markham

meets Helen Graham

at Wildfell Hall

(Photography Paul Blakemore)

Integral to the action is the very effective use of the performance space. Wang Jing's set design brings ornate and extravagantly large picture frames into a room already filled to the ceiling with austere family portraits. Helen, a painter, moves between scenes by stepping through the frames, with the audience sometimes looking in from outside, sometimes also in the picture, immersed in the action.

Helen Graham - Painter
(Photography Paul Blakemore)

With only an easel and two chairs as props, Martin and Emily, under the additional direction of Movement Director Ben Hadley, create an endless series of engaging and emotional tableaux, the climax of which is a scene of violence so magnificently and cleverly staged that the actors create genuine terror, without a hair out of place. Martin's impressive strength and gentleness is matched by Emily's athletic grace. Together they almost cross over from acting into dance as the play progresses.

An-Ting Chang & Diana Brekalo

(Photography Paul Blakemore)

Throughout the performance Diana Brekalo is playing the piano. The familiar music of Mozart, Brahms and Scriabin fit so neatly into the action that Diana often seems to be improvising to fit the mood of a scene. Sometimes a distant accompanist, she is also able to overpower the actors with her own passionate outbursts which occasionally become the centre of attention. In a brilliant additional twist, Diana becomes one of the off-stage characters, Annabella Wilmot. The confusion of this surprising switch works every time, a very neat little addition to the play.

Emily May Smith

at Kings Weston House

(Photography Paul Blakemore)

In an echo of Martin's "Fat Man" show, where unsuspecting audience members find themselves participating in the action, one audience member becomes a very significant but non-speaking character in "The Tenant", Frederick Lawrence. The actors are very gentle with him, however, and allow him to stay comfortably in the background. The intimacy with the audience which this creates is further enhanced with other interactive scenes where viewers become extras in the play. Body language changes as passive observers come to expect, and want, to be included in the story.

An-Ting Chang, who is just completing her PhD in Performance Practice at the Royal Academy of Music, seems to be endlessly creative. Her combination of classical music and theatre is unique and elicits the maximum effect and enjoyment from both. Her current team are equally talented and work together spectacularly. Martin Bonger and Emily May Smith light up the stage with their outstanding and complementary expressiveness. Diana Brekalo is clearly a very professional concert performer, but with an energetic sense of adventure perfectly suited to An-Ting Chang's "Classical Collision".

"The Tenant" continues in matinée and evening performances at Kings Weston House today (Thursday 27 April)  before moving to the National Portrait Gallery in London for a 6.30pm performance on Friday 28 April and the Drill Hall in Chepstow at 7.30pm on Saturday 29 April. Three more performances are scheduled in Bury St Edmunds, Salisbury and Bath at the end of May. Details and online booking are on 'The Tenant 2017' website.

An-Ting Chang Concert Theatre
King's Weston House Bristol
Wednesday 26 April 7.30pm
Thursday 27 April 1.30 & 7.30pm
"THE TENANT"
Director: An-Ting Chang
Piano: Diana Brekalo
Scriptwriter: Jessica Macdonald

An-Ting Chang

Actors: Emily May Smith
              Martin Bonger
A stage adaptation of Anne Brontë's
"The Tenant of Wildfell Hall"
for two actors accompanied by
Alexander Scriabin: 24 Preludes

W A Mozart: Sonata K. 378

Johannes Brahms: Rhapsody Op 79 No 2

Tickets: £12 (Concession £10)

Online Booking: Wednesday/Thursday

Classical Journey Phonic FM 2-4pm Friday 21 April 2017

"WITCH"
Mark & Tracey Norman, Sam Burns
"Classical Journey" Phonic FM
Friday 21 April 2-4pm
St Thomas Library on Walpurgis Night
Sunday 30 April 7.30pm

The Zephyr Duo
St Giles' Church Sidbury

Zephyr Duo

Friday 21 April 7.30pm
STORIES IN SOUND
Flute: Ruth Molins
Harp: Sally Jenkins
Ástor Piazzolla
Gabriel Fauré
Ravi Shankar
Georges Bizet
Tickets: £7
refreshments included



Music at St Mary's

Veronika Shoot

St Mary's Church Totnes
Friday 21 April 7.30pm
PIANO RECITAL
Piano: Veronika Shoot
Robert Schumann: Kinderszenen
Claude Debussy: Children's Corner
Veronika Shoot: Kinderalbum
Tickets: £12 (advance £10 U16 FREE)
Dartington Box Office: 01803 847070
Online Booking: Dartington Website
Totnes Bookshop: 01803 863273
Kingsbridge TIC: 01548 853195



Newton Abbot & District Society of Arts

London Bridge Trio

Courtenay Centre Newton Abbot
Friday 21 April 7.30pm
LONDON BRIDGE TRIO
Violin: David Adams
'Cello: Kate Gould
Piano: Daniel Tong

Robert Schumann: Fantasiestucke Op 73

Clara Schumann: Trio in G minor Op 17

Felix Mendelssohn: Trio in C minor Op 66
Tickets: £15 (advance £13 student/child £3)
Box Office: 01626 368318
Online Booking: nadsaconcerts

Music at St Mary's
St Mary's Church Totnes

Artistic Directors Natalie Burch & James Way

Patron Sarah Walker CBE and Graham Allum.

Saturday 22 April 7pm
DEVON SONG FESTIVAL
Robert Schumann: "Spanisches Liederspiel"
More songs by:
Samuel Barber
Franz Schubert
Robert Schumann
Tickets: £12 (65+ £10 U18 FREE)
Online Booking: Festival Website

Joan Edgecumbe

Joan Edgecumbe
Sidmouth Methodist Church
Saturday 22 April 7.30pm
SOPRANO RECITAL
Mezzo Soprano: Joan Edgecumbe
Baritone: Andrew Scott
Violin: David Norrish
Piano: Dorothy Worthington
Concert in aid of the
David Nott Foundation
training battlefield surgeons
in surgical techniques to
avoid unnecessary amputations


Jazz Southwest

Pete Canter

Crediton Congregational Church
Saturday 22 April 7.30pm
SKY ENSEMBLE
Saxophones: Pete Canter
Flutes: Marius Rudnick
'Cello: Lucy Welsman
Viola: Iona Padel Collins
Piano: Matt Johns
Double Bass: Pasquale Votino
Drums: Gary Evans



Taunton Choral Society

St James' Chruch Taunton
Saturday 22 April 7.30pm
MOZART'S REQUIEM
Michael Haydn: "Te Deum"
Josef Haydn: "Insanae et Vanae Curae"
Louis Spohr: "Nonet in F Op 31
with Taunton Sinfonietta
Musical Director: Edward Goater
Soprano: Siona Stockel
Mezzosoprano: Louise Mott
Tenor: Richard Rowntree
Bass: Craig Bissex
Tickets: £15 (premium £18 student 1/2)
Online Booking: TicketSource




Festive Flutes
Thurlestone Parish Hall
Saturday 22 April 7.30pm
A FLIGHT OF FANCY
Mel Orriss
Liz Walker
Joss Campbell
Sarah Murphy
Sandi Skipper
Tickets: £10 (+ wine)
Lisa White: 01548 560505
Mike Stickland: 01548 560763
Pat Macdonald: 01548 560436

Hummingbirds Acappella Trio

Hummingbirds Acappella Trio
St Stephen's Church Exeter
Saturday 22 April 8-10.45pm
HUMMINGBIRDS
CD Launch #2
Ami Lee
Emily Roblyn
Sarah Pennington
Tickets: £8 (conc £6)
email: hummingbirdsdevon@gmail.com
Hear Album Tracks

Divertimento Entertainments

Divertimento String Quartet
Vicky Evans, Lindsay Braga
Mary Eade, Andrew Gillett

St Margaret's Church Topsham
Sunday 23 April 4pm
Lustleigh Village Hall
Saturday 29 April 3pm
St John's Church Bridgetown
Sunday 30 April 3pm
DIVERTIMENTO QUARTET
Violin: Mary Eade, Lindsay Braga
Viola: Andrew Gillett
'Cello: Vicky Evans
Clarinet: Colin Parr
Bassoon: Martin Gatt
French Horn: Mark Kane
Double Bass: Michael Allnatt
W A Mozart: Divertimento in D K136

Gioachino Rossini: String Sonata in G

Franz Schubert: Octet in F
Tickets: Topsham £12 (advance £10)

Topsham Bookshop: 01392 877895

Tickets: Lustleigh £10 (child FREE)

Lustleigh Dairy: 01647 277270

Tickets: Totnes £12 (U18 FREE)

Drift Records: 01803 866828

Beacon Piano Trio

Glenorchy Lunchtime Concerts
Glenorchy Church Exmouth
Wednesday 26 April 12 for 12.30pm
BEACON PIANO TRIO
Piano: Joyce Clarke
Violin: Anna Cockroft
'Cello: Ruth Lass
Admission FREE  Retiring Collection

Sidholme Music Room
Elysian Fields Sidmouth
Wednesday 26 April 7.30pm
YOUNG MUSICIAN FROM
BLUNDELL'S SCHOOL TIVERTON
Musical Director: Dr Oliver Newman

An-Ting Chang Concert Theatre
King's Weston House Bristol
Wednesday 26 April 7.30pm
Thursday 27 April 7.30pm
"THE TENANT"
Director: An-Ting Chang
Piano: Diana Brekalo
Scriptwriter: Jessica Macdonald

An-Ting Chang

Actors: Emily May Smith
              Martin Bonger
A stage adaptation of Anne Brontë's
"The Tenant of Wildfell Hall"
for two actors accompanied by
Alexander Scriabin: 24 Preludes

W A Mozart: Sonata K. 378

Johannes Brahms: Rhapsody Op 79 No 2

Tickets: £12 (Concession £10)

Online Booking: Wednesday/Thursday

Phil Beer

Phil Beer & Friends
Bridge Inn Topsham
Thursday 27 April 7pm
Violin/Vocals: Phil Beer
Double Bass: Miranda Sykes
Geoff Lakeman - Sam Kelly
Tickets: £10
Booking: 01392 873862





Dartington Arts

Adriano Adewale

Totnes & Dartington
Friday 28 April all day
PARTY IN THE TOWN
Headline Act: The Noisettes
'Revolution'
Adriano Adewale:

Play for Primary Schools
Full Line-Up
.
.
.
.

Tim Pithers

.
EX4 Chamber Orchestra
Venue TBC
Friday 28 April - Monday 1 May
BANK HOLIDAY
WEEKEND WORKSHOP
Conductor: Tim Pithers
Sir Edward Elgar
Carl Nielsen
Details: TBC

Conceptus VII  (watch video)

Music at St Mary's
St Mary's Church Totnes

Dan Tidhar

Saturday 29 April 7.30pm
CONCEPTUS VII
"ET IN ARCADIA EGO"
(Totnes Early Music Society)
Oboe & Recorder: Belinda Paul
Recorder: Louise Strickland
Harpsichord: Dan Tidhar
'Cello: Sophie Willis
Cantatas & Oboe Sonatas
Allessandro Scarlatti
Antonio Lotti
Antonio Vivaldi
Georg Friderick Handel
Tickets: £12 (student U18 £5)
Dartington Box Office: 01803 847070



Clyst Valley Choral Society

Clyst Valley Choral Society
Musical Director: Paul Stock

St Margaret's Church Topsham
Saturday 29 April 7.30pm
Holy Trinity Church Exmouth
Sunday 30 April 7.30pm
SPRING CONCERT
Musical Director: Paul Stock
Orchestra Leader: Sally Bull
Soprano Soloist: Janet Macdonald
Charles Villiers Stanford: "Songs of the Sea"
Tenor Soloist: Jason Bomford
John Rutter: "Feel the Spirit"
Mezzo Soprano Soloist: Kate Lees
Tickets: £10 (advance £8)
Advance Booking: 01392 271858
Topsham Bookshop: 01392 877895
Clyst Valley Choral Society Website



Circle of Spears
St Thomas Library
Sunday 30 April 7.30pm
"WITCH" ON WALPURGIS
A historical drama by Tracey Norman
exploring accusations and witch-trials
suitable for anyone over 10 years old
Tickets: £10 (advance £7.50)
Online Booking: Circle of Spears

DANTE QUARTET
Yuko Inoue, Oscar Perks
Richard Jenkinson, Krysia Osostowicz

Cavatina Chamber Music Trust
Lympstone Parish Church
Friday 5 May 7pm
Saturday 6 May 6pm
Sunday 7 May 3.30pm
BEETHOVEN'S
QUARTET JOURNEY
Friday: The Early Quartets I
              (Opus 18 No 1/2/3 1800)
Saturday: The Rasumovsky Quartets
              (Opus 59 No 1/2/3)
Sunday: The Late Quartets I
              (Opus 131 & 132)
   [continues 2-4 June]

David Timson

Musicians: The Dante Quartet
Violin: Krysia Osostowicz
                Oscar Perks
Viola: Yuko Inoue
'Cello: Richard Jenkinson
Presenter: (as Beethoven himself)
                    David Timson
      ("Opera Explained" Naxos)
Writer: Clare Norburn
Tickets: £15
Weekend Pass: £35
Two Weekend Pass: £65
Weekend Friend's Pass: £80
Two Weekend Friend's Pass: £150
50 free tickets available for 8-25s
(£5 deposit required)
Online Booking Form: Lympents
Demelza Henderson: 01395 272243
email: lympentsboxoffice@gmail.com
2 Brookfield Cottages EX8 5ES

DANTE QUARTET
Yuko Inoue, Oscar Perks
Richard Jenkinson, Krysia Osostowicz

Cavatina Chamber Music Trust
Lympstone Parish Church
Friday 2 June 7pm
Saturday 3 June 6.30pm
Sunday 4 June 3.30pm
BEETHOVEN'S
QUARTET JOURNEY
[continued from 4-7 May]
Friday: The Early Quartets II
              (Opus 18 No 4/5/6 1800)
Saturday: Transformations
  (Harp Op 74, Serioso Op 95 & Op 127)
Sunday: The Late Quartets II
 (Opus 130 & 133, Grosse Fugue Opus 135)

David Timson

Musicians: The Dante Quartet
Violin: Krysia Osostowicz
                Oscar Perks
Viola: Yuko Inoue
'Cello: Richard Jenkinson
Presenter: (as Beethoven himself)
                    David Timson
      ("Opera Explained" Naxos)
Writer: Clare Norburn
Tickets: £15
Weekend Pass: £35
Two Weekend Pass: £65
Weekend Friend's Pass: £80
Two Weekend Friend's Pass: £150
50 free tickets available for 8-25s
(£5 deposit required)
Online Booking Form: Lympents
Demelza Henderson: 01395 272243
email: lympentsboxoffice@gmail.com
2 Brookfield Cottages EX8 5ES