ALL SAINTS CHURCH HASTINGS – 1878 FATHER WILLIS ORGAN

The 32nd series of these popular organ concerts begin on 5th July at All Saints Church in Hastings Old Town. Many distinguishged organists have taken part in these concerts over the years and have said how much they enjoy playing this particular instrument, tonally unchanged since its construction almost 150 years ago. As with previous years there is an impressive lineup of cathedral, church and concert organists.

Concerts take place on Monday evenings until the final concert, which as with the first in this year’s programme will be given by series favourite Gordon Stewart.

All concerts begin at 7.30pm

Further information available from
Malcolm Lock – Mobile: 0780 106 8156

The Hastings Sinfonia

The Hastings Sinfonia will be celebrating 10 years of a very successful and uninterrupted existence next year. This exciting orchestra is well known for its strong commitment to the community as well as for its accessible concerts with popular music both old and new being performed.

The friendly orchestra, founded includes in its ranks both professional and good standard amateur players is now looking to include even more members to join them – as well as with guest soloists!

Having prepared well to avoid any risks caused by the covid pandemic, the Hastings Sinfonia is restarting rehearsals every Wednesday evenings at St John’s in Pevensey Road.

The Hastings Sinfonia was founded in 2012 by local composer Polo Piatti who remains as its Artistic Director and has been conducted for most of its existence by London maestro Derek Carden, who travels regularly to Hastings to hold rehearsals every week.

And there is some more exciting news! Due to the pandemic’s lockdown, the Sinfonia had to remain silent and unable to rehearse for over a year. Nevertheless, always inventive, the organisation has managed to create one very positive outcome from the situation. Lead by David Bottom, one of their clarinettists, they have formed a brand new, associated ensemble, the ‘Hastings Sinfonia Wind Quintet’. The new group has started rehearsing together on zoom and then together as soon as Covid rules have permitted. Members of the new and very promising ensemble are Annabel Noton (flute), Gail Taylor (oboe), Adam Rawlinson (bassoon) and Tim Egan (French horn). Their first public performance will take place on Sunday 22nd August at 2pm at the bandstand in Hastings’s Alexandra Park. Why not come along, listen to beautiful music and meet the musicians!?

If you are interested in joining the very welcoming Hastings Sinfonia Orchestra please email its chair Sandra Goodsell on: hastingssinfonia@gmail.com

Faiths in Tune World Music Day 20/21st June

Celebrate World Music Day 2021. Experience music and dance by artists and groups from 13 different faith backgrounds and more than 15 different countries at this global online live concert event!

Faiths In Tune is the largest interfaith music initiative in Europe, reaching over 20,000 people of over 20 different faiths every year with its Interfaith Music Festivals and events in the UK, Germany, Italy and beyond. It promotes respect and dialogue through music and personal encounters that can be experienced in the safe spaces of the festivals.

www.faithsintune.org

Make Music Day on Monday 21 June Brighton Dome

Monday 21 June sees the return of Make Music Day; a worldwide celebration of music in person, online and beyond. Brighton & Hove Music & Arts (BHMA) and East Sussex Music (ESM) will be celebrating in style with an all-day virtual event that everyone can be a part of.

Giving music-makers a platform to showcase their work, BHMA and ESM are inviting everyone, from beginner to expert, to submit videos of their own performances, which will be shared on social media throughout the day, as well as showcasing videos from their talented teachers, learners and more. On top of this, there will be competitions and giveaways, live streams with free teachings and performances, messages from special guests and awards for the best performers, all to be announced soon.

To submit your videos, visit bit.ly/MusicDayForm and to stay up to date with announcements, join the official Facebook event page at bit.ly/MusicDayEventFB.

Make Music Day began in France as Fête de la Musique in 1982 when the Ministry of Culture imagined a great popular event that would allow all musicians to express themselves and make themselves known. This worldwide phenomenon first came to the UK in 2012 and the number of gigs taking place has been growing year on year. 2017 was the first UK-wide coordinated event with support and funding from national organisations resulting in 147 performances. In 2020, there were 1,739 performances live and online and it’s still growing. This is an opportunity to get involved in the world’s largest grassroots music movement – it’s a wonderful way to celebrate the longest day of the year.

The Royal Opera House announces full details of the 2021/22 Season

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The Royal Opera House today confirms details for its 2021/22 Season, the first full Season since 2019. Opening on Monday 13 September, the Season includes five world premieres from The Royal Ballet and The Royal Opera, classic revivals and an exciting roster of international and UK talent performing across the two stages of the Royal Opera House.

In its 90th anniversary year, The Royal Ballet presents a Season that respects the past and heralds the future. Three world premieres, including Wayne McGregor’s The Dante Project, Christopher Wheeldon’s Like Water for Chocolate and a new work by American choreographer Kyle Abraham, are performed alongside much-loved 19th-century classics and heritage ballets by Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan. The Linbury Theatre hosts a raft of partnerships and co-productions including with Ballet Black, Alessandra Ferri, Yorke Dance Project and a world premiere from Company Wayne McGregor. Creative opportunities for emerging talent will also feature with Draft Works and the Next Generation Festival. The Season culminates in July 2022 with The Royal Ballet making a welcome return to international touring with a three-week tour of Japan where the Company will perform Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon and Peter Wright’s Giselle.

The Royal Opera Season will open with a new production of Verdi’s Rigoletto, directed by Oliver Mears – his first production since becoming The Royal Opera’s Director of Opera in 2017. This new production will receive its premiere in September 2021, with Royal Opera Music Director Antonio Pappano conducting the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. In its 75th year, The Royal Opera strengthens its commitment to the works of Benjamin Britten, George Frideric Handel and Leoš Janá?ek with new productions of Peter Grimes, Theodora and the long-awaited premiere of Jen?fa. Also given its premiere this Season is a new production of Camille Saint-Saëns’s grand-opera Samson et Dalila, while international and British talent are cast in repertory favourites including Tosca, La traviata and Così fan tutte.

The Linbury Theatre presents two opera world premieres: Laura Bowler’s The Blue Woman, directed by Katie Mitchell, and Wolf Witch Giant Fairy – a magical new family show in collaboration with Little Bulb opening in time for Christmas. Spring 2022 will see director Adele Thomas bring Vivaldi’s Bajazet to life in a new production – the first Vivaldi opera to be staged at the Royal Opera House. In June 2022 Tom Coult’s Violet will be presented off site at the Hackney Empire with co-producers Music Theatre Wales and Britten Pears Arts.

Dr Brian Hick

founder of this website, sadly passed away on 30th May. A full tribute will follow later. Thinking of him and his family at this time.

Please email spage999@btinternet.com for any Lark related correspondence.

The 20th Oxford Lieder Festival: Nature’s Songbook

The Oxford Lieder Festival (8 – 23 October 2021) will celebrate its 20th anniversary this autumn.The broad focus of the Festival is on nature, at a time when it has played an increasingly important part in many people’s lives, exploring how poets and composers have so often been inspired by nature and used it as a metaphor for every aspect of life.

As well as in-person attendance, the Festival will be live-streamed, allowing audiences around the world to enjoy this thrilling and immersive fortnight of exploration, discovery and inspiration.image001.jpg

Rye Creative Centre launches new events programme

Developments have recently been taking place at Rye Creative Centre (www.ryecreativecentre.co.uk). Whist the building will still function as artist studio space, the site has recently undergone major renovation, bringing to life the former ‘Old Gym’ into an auditorium, creating a new, flexible and modern performance venue for Rye.
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We launch our events programme with a concert in collaboration with Oxford Lieder (https://www.oxfordlieder.co.uk) next Friday 21st May @ 7.30pm

Watch the Opera Holland Park Young Artists Masterclass with Amanda Roocroft

On Saturday 24 April the great lyric soprano Amanda Roocroft spent an afternoon with three of the 2021 Opera Holland Park Young Artists, giving masterclasses on music by Mozart and Strauss. Filmed by Simon Wall, and accompanied by the YA répétiteur Thomas Ang, Amanda worked with soprano Isabelle Peters and bass baritone Alex Jones on arias from Der Rosenkavalier and The Marriage of Figaro.

The film offers captivating insights into the complex business of combining vocal technique, musicality, physicality, imagination and stagecraft to create a compelling character in song. As Amanda brings empathy, wit and a wealth of experience to a rapid learning process, Thomas demonstrates the subtlety and strength required of a répétiteur. Available to watch online from Friday 14 May, this is a delightful behind-the-scenes document of life as an Opera Holland Park Young Artist in the tenth year of the training scheme.

http://www.operahollandpark.com/

Hastings International Piano Concerts

Details of a new series of concerts have just been released featuring the piano in different styles and settings.

Friday 28th May 7pm
Rye Creative Centre
Claire Martin OBE and Nikki Iles

Monday 21st June 7pm
Fairlight Hall
Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason MBE
and pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason

Saturday 17th or 18th July dependant on weather
12.30pm – 1.30pm and 6pm – 7pm
Fairlight Hall
Lucy Parham and Tim McInnerny

Saturday 11th or Sunday 12th September dependant on weather 2pm
Fairlight Hall
2019 HIPCC Prizewinner Yuanfan Yang

Saturday 25th September 5.30pm
Fairlight Hall
Mitsuko Uchida

Friday 8th October 7pm
White Rock Theatre
Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition Launch Concert with Maxim Kinasov and The EU Chamber Orchestra

Saturday 4th December 7pm
HIP Christmas Concert in Rye
with Sholto Kynoch and Schubert and Co Singers
An Evening of Opera and Song

hastingsinternationalpiano.org