Musical Notes

Star soloists at Wells

THE Amadeus Orchestra will give a concert at Wells Cathedral next Friday, 23rd July, under their conductor Philip Mackenzie.

One of the world's foremost training orchestras for young professionals and music students, the Amadeus will be joined by Bournejouth Symphony Chorus for the performance, which also features soprano Janis Kelly, bariton Richard Morrison and violin soloist Francesca Barritt.

The programme begins and ends with Vaugahn Williams, opening with The Lark Ascending, and continuing with Peter Hope's Kaleidoscope, Richard Strauss's Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche. The final peice is Vaughan Williams: Symphony No 1 (A Sea Symphony).

The concert startat 7.30. For more details, contact the Cathedral office.

Strauss in the Abbey

BATH Phil's next concert, at Bath Abbey next Thursday 22nd July, starts at 7.30pm.

Jason Thornton conducts the orchestra in Richard Strauss's Prelude Capriccio and Capriccio (Intermezzo - Night Music), Benjamin Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings and Mahler's Symphony 10 (Adagio)

The soloists will be tenor James Gilchrist and horn player Richard Wainwright.

For more details, phone 01225 463362 or log onto website www.bathfestivals.org.uk

NSSO at Millfield

THE National Schools Symphony Orchestra, an ensemble of music students from schools all over the country, has been rehearsing at Millfield School in Street since last Sunday, 11th July, under the direction of Mark Shanahan.

This is the second year that the orchestra has based its course at Millfield, and this Sunday, 18th July, will give its finale performance in the fine concert hall at the school.

The programme will include Wagner's Mastersingers' Overture, Tchaikovsky's Orchestral Suite from The Nutcracker and Dvorak's Symphony No 8. The orchestra will be conducted by Mr Shanahan, and the performance starts at 2.30.

Virtuosi return

SINFONIA Westminster returns to All Saints Church in Martock for its third annual visit this Saturday, 17th July.

Sinfonia Westminster is a vehicle for assembly playing by the avalanche of virtuosi who graduate each year from the United Kingdom's principal conservatiores and their visits to Martock are always eagerly awaited.

Conducted as always by John Wilson, the 14-piece ensemble has chosen a range of popular light classical music for the performance, which starts at 7.30.

The concert is promoted by the Guardians of Martock Church. For more details, phone 01935 822706.

Unclassifiably folky

ST George's in Bristol holds its Draca Folk Day this Sunday 18th July from 1 to 8pm, described as a "refreshingly unclassifiable summer folk day spilling into the beautiful gardens, with big personalities tracing the old folk traditions and embracing the sharp, modern outlook."

The line up features pastoral modern "space-folkists" Rivers of England, Cotswold singer and songwriter Johnny Coppin, eccentric and eclectic Pepino Band, fingerstyle folk/blues guitarist Jim Tigwell, seductive folk-pop melodramatist Suzy Condrad and the mighty and darkly edgy Alan Doyle and David Garner.

It's a fundraiser for St George's Bristol.

Bishop's farewell with Monteverdi

THE Bishop of Salisbury, the Rt Rev David Stancliffe, conducts his last concert in the diocese next Sunday 25th July at Milton Abbey.

Bishop David officially retires in September, and his final weeks will be spent completing his diocesan duties and as a member of the House of Lords.

He was an organ scholar during his time at Trinity College, Oxford, also studying classics and philosophy. It was there he met his wife Sarah, when both were members of a chamber choir in the city.

He has retained his passion for early music during his time at Salisbury, where he has been Bishop since 1993, and his annual concerts at Milton Abbey have been eagerly anticipated as highlights of the region's early music.

Bishop David has chosen Claudio Monteverdi's magnificent Vespers of 1610 for his finale, which starts at 6.30pm.

He conducts a scratch ensemble and choir made up of some of the area's best known musicians, and the proceeds will be given to the Salisbury-Sudan Medical Link, a charity he and his wife have long supported.

For more information, contact the South Canonry, 71 The Close, Salisbury SP1 2ER (01722 334031). Tickets may also be available on the door at Milton Abbey on the evening of the concert.

Ange Hardy on tour

SOMERSET based singer songwriter Ange Hardy has lined up an autumn tour to follow up the success of her outing in the spring.

She has chosen nine venues across the area, all of them intimate settings where her songs, compared with those of Katie Melua, Kate Rusby, Suzanne Vega and Eva Cassidy, will touch her audience.

The first date of the new tour is next Saturday, 24th July, at the village hall at Norton-sub-Hamdon.

She is also scheduled to perform at the Blake Hall in South Petherton on 21st August, Odcombe Village Hall on 4th September, Hoskyns Memorial Hall at North Perrott on 18th September, the Davis Hall in West Camel on 16th October, and at Martock on 13th November. Other dates are in Curry Rivel, Wiveliscombe and Chiselborough.

The new album will be released at the Odcombe concert in early September.

To find out more, log on to the website, www.angehardy.com, or telephone 07522 112 786.

Demon Barbers at David Hall

THE Demon Barbers Roadshow comes to the David Hall in South Petherton next Saturday, 24th July, much to the delight of their many fans in the area.

The band that was voted Best Live Act in last year's BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards had such a terrific gig last time they were at the David Hall that they said they wanted to return, and they promise even more performers than last time.

Their aim is to produce a theatre show with traditional English dance at its core - so watch out for terpsichorean fireworks.

Modern string classics

NEXT Saturday 24th July the Martucci Ensemble, led by Arisa Fujita, returns to the Meeting House Arts Centre in Ilminster to perform two of the 20th century's most important works for string ensemble.

The programme begins with Arnold Schoenberg's early work Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night) and continues with Richard Strauss's Metamorphosen.

Schoenberg's sextet, heavily influenced by Brahms and Wagner, reflects on Richard Dehmel's sexually-charged poem.

Strauss's Metamorphosen for 23 strings, is here transcribed for string septet, and imbued with beautiful dark harmonies. The Martucci Ensemble performed Brahms and Tchaikovsky at the Arts Centre last year, discovering the venue's ideal acoustic for string music.