As daffodils emerge and Spring appears round the corner we are delighted to present to you the first of the two 2024 Langton Concerts.
Langton Church – PE23 4PU
Katherine Spencer (clarinet) and The Bloomsbury Players
Sijie Chen & Will McGahon (violins); John Crockatt (viola);
Orlando Jopling (‘cello)
PROGRAMME
Clara Schumann (arr. Bill Thorp) – Ich stand in dunklen Träumen (op.13 no.1)
W.A. Mozart – Clarinet Quintet in A, K.581
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Johannes Brahms – Clarinet Quintet in B minor (op. 115)
Johannes Brahms, (arr Bill Thorp) – Wie Melodien zieht es mir,
(op 105 no.1)
The clarinet quintets by Mozart and Brahms have become two of the most celebrated chamber works of all time. The Bloomsbury Players and esteemed clarinettist Katherine Spencer perform these works on period instruments, exploring the different possibilities in texture, sound and phrasing, and bringing a fresh approach to these glorious classics. They complete this programme with two arrangements by Bill Thorp of poetic songs by Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms.
As usual after the concert canapés and refreshments will be served in the candlelit church.
Suggested donations – £25 (£28 if paid on the door)
Payment by BACS available (and preferred) or by cheque in favour of “Langton with Sutterby Parochial Church Council” c/o Langton Cottage, Langton, Spilsby, PE23 4PU.
Email: webmaster@langton-by-spilsby.org.uk
Tel: 01790 753649; 01790 753561; 07809 619401
www.langton-by-spilsby.org.uk/langton-concerts/
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Please distribute the attached poster to others who might be interested in this concert.
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Clarinettist Katherine Spencer made her concerto debut at the age of fourteen at the Royal Festival Hall and has since performed there as concerto soloist many times. She has also appeared as soloist with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, The Irish Chamber Orchestra, Hannover Band, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, The Academy of St Martin in the Fields Orchestra in venues such as the Barbican Centre, Birmingham Symphony Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall, made many live Radio 3 solo broadcasts, and performs regularly on Classic FM and European radio stations.
Katherine is principal clarinet of the Age of Enlightenment Orchestra, The City of London Sinfonia, Academy of Ancient Music, as well as regular guest principal with the Irish Chamber Orchestra, Hanover Band and Gabrieli Consort Players. Her freelance work sees her regularly playing with many of Britain’s leading orchestras of both period performance and modern symphony orchestras.
As a chamber musician Katherine was chosen by the BBC to be on their Young Generation Artists Scheme which has facilitated her continuing to perform internationally with her ensembles regularly in Festivals such as the BBC Proms and the Barbican’s “Mostly Mozart Festival”.
She has recorded the Brahms Sonata and Beethoven Trio for the Oxford Classic label with Sam Haywood and Martin Storey and many of her discs with the Galliard Ensemble, of which she is a long standing member are highly acclaimed in the world press, Gramophone and BBC Music Magazines.
Katherine is committed to bringing music to all areas of society. She is regularly devising and delivering valuable community projects, from composing and recording an entire film score written in collaboration by a mainstream and special needs school, to linking art and music to homeless people, which were exhibited in London’s main art galleries. She believes in the power of therapeutic music making to make the difference to all peoples lives.
This season includes a concerto tour with SCO and the launch of her new CD ‘From the Beginning’ with pianist Sam Haywood and The Galliard Ensemble. Katherine will perform the Brahms and Coleridge-Taylor clarinet quintets with the Bloomsbury Players in May 2024.
Katherine set up the Belly Dance Society at the Royal Academy of Music and almost played at Princess Diana’s funeral, but got pushed out by Elton John…
Chinese-born violinist Sijie ‘Susie’ Chen moved to the UK when she was five years old. While studying in the UK, US and Germany, she was a string finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition. She now enjoys a varied career playing modern and period violins.
Sijie’s chamber collaborations have included performances with Nicola Benedetti, Roderick Williams and many other wonderful musicians and friends; at the Edinburgh International Festival, Prussia Cove Open Chamber Music, Roman River and other festivals worldwide. She leads the Bloomsbury Players and Wild Arts ensembles, and is the Founder and Artistic Director of Vermeer Chamber Concerts.
Sijie is the co-leader of the London Mozart Players, tours with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and was previously a member of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. On period instruments she plays with the Academy of Ancient Music, the English Concert and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
During the pandemic, Sijie moonlighted as a ukulele chanteuse!
Will McGahon is an energetic violinist enjoying a varied musical career as a historical performer, chamber musician and orchestral player, performing in the UK and across Europe.
Will enjoys regularly playing with some of the UK’s leading historical orchestras, including Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Solomon’s Knot and The Hanover Band. He is also a freelancer in some of the UK’s finest ensembles such as Scottish Chamber Orchestra, United Strings of Europe and Manchester Collective.
Will is a member of the Bloomsbury Players and the Wild Arts Ensemble.
As a child, Will memorised the entirety of the ‘Revolting Rhymes’ by Roald Dahl, and would recite them at family events. His great grandfather invented prawn cocktail flavouring for ‘Skips’ crisps!
John Crockatt,viola is one of the most in-demand musicians in London’s thriving early-music scene and plays violin and viola with many of the world’s foremost period groups.
He holds the position of principal viola with the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, Dunedin Consort and Arcangelo and has performed as guest principal on both violin and viola for such groups as Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and The Academy of Ancient Music. This year saw John joining Concerto Copenhagen as soloist for their Scandinavian tour of the Brandenburg concertos. He has performed and recorded with the English Baroque Soloists, the Orchestre Révolutionaire et Romantique, the Gabrieli Players and the Early Opera Company.
As a chamber-musician he has performed widely on both violin and viola as a member of various baroque and classical ensembles and from early 2016 has been a member of the London Haydn Quartet, one of the world’s leading period chamber ensembles. This season sees the quartet recording the final disc of their ongoing, highly acclaimed project to record the complete string quartets of Joseph Haydn for the Hyperion label.
He teaches viola and chamber music as a member of the faculty in the Historical Performance department at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He plays on a violin and viola made by David Munro.
Orlando Jopling (‘cello) studied with Alexander Baillie, William Pleeth and Raphael Wallfisch, and took masterclasses with David Takeno, Paul Tortelier, Stephen Isserlis and Ralph Kirschbaum.
Chamber music has always been a central part of his life, collaborating with Anthony Marwood, Elena Urioste, Ben Goldscheider, Sijie Chen, Mark Padmore, Tim Ridout, Felicity Lott, Tom Poster, Simon Blendis, the London Sinfonietta, Rebecca Gilliver, Ben Gilmore, Endymion Ensemble, Lawrence Power, Piers Lane, Nika Goriç, Tim Hugh, Boris Giltburg, James Gilchrist and Benjamin Grosvenor.
Orlando is a founding member of The Bloomsbury Players. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of Wild Arts, bringing world-class performers and performances to intimate settings across the UK; working with schools and young artists to foster future talent; and last but not least, doing all of this in a sustainable, one-planet living way.
Note that the Langton Concerts have become increasingly well known and it is very advisable to book early to avoid disappointment as there are normally few, if any, spaces available on the door on the day of the concerts.
Langton Cottage, Langton, Spilsby, Lincolnshire, PE23 4PU
Telephone - 01790 753649
Mobile - 07809 619401