Plans for 2024

We’re still in the process of booking performers for the year ahead, but our Tuesday concert programme is starting to take shape, with all of the dates in the first season now filled.

Here’s the line-up so far:

13^th February: Pennyless Folk (Violin & Guitar)
20^th February: Steve Bean (Classical Guitar)
27^th February: Chris Brown (Organ)
5^th March: Serenity Flutes & Fergus Black (Flutes & Piano)
12^th March: Jean-Samuel Bez and Gina Kruger (Violin & Piano)
19^th March: Viola Lenzi & Isabella Gori (Piano Duet)

There will also be one Sunday Serene Sounds concert before Easter:

25^th February at 3.30pm: Ida Pelliccioli (Piano)

You can download the poster/flyer as a PDF: Spring 2024 Concerts.

The line-up for the second season is also almost complete

16^th April: Alastair Penman and Jonathan Pease (Saxophone & Piano)
23^rd April: Alexander Ardakov (Piano)
30^th April: Krassimira Jeliazkova Jones and Svetlana Kalinichenko (Violin Duo)
7^th May: Simone Alessandro Tavoni (Piano)
14^th May: Oliver Morrell and Will Sims (Tenor & Piano)
21^st May: Becky Rea Chevis and Tom Jesty (Flute & Piano)
28^th May: Katharine Parsons, Leon King and Fergus Black
4^th June: Eira Lynn Jones (Harp).
11^th June: Dana Morgan and Charles Matthews (Flute & Piano)

We’ll be adding more details for our second season of concerts soon.

19th March: Lunchtime Concert: Viola Lenzi and Isabella Gori (Piano Duo)

For our final lunchtime concert before we take a break for the Easter holidays we welcome two London-based Italian pianists, Viola Lenzi and Isabella Gori, who have been playing together as a piano duo since they met as students at Trinity Laban Conservatoire. Viola and Isabella will be bringing us a programme of French piano duets by 19th and 20th century composers. It is a return visit for Viola, who performed here last year with clarinettist Hannah Shilvock, but it is Isabella’s first appearance here.

As ever the church will be open for an hour before the concert begins, with volunteers from the pop-up café team offering lots of home made sweet and savoury treats as well as hot and cold drinks.

The concert will begin promptly at 1pm. Admission is free, but those who are able to afford it are asked to make a donation. The suggested amount is £6.

Programme:

1. “Ma mere l’oye” by Maurice Ravel
2. “Petite Suite” by Claude Debussy
3. “Danse Macabre” by Camille Saint-Saëns
4. Sonata by Francis Poulenc

About Viola Lenzi:

Italian-born Viola Lenzi started studying piano at the Pietro Mascagni Conservatoire in Livorno, where she received a first-class Bachelor’s degree under the guidance of Monica Cecchi and a Master’s in Piano Performance with Maurizio Baglini. Viola moved to London in 2018 to study at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance where she completed her Postgraduate Advanced Diploma with Sergio De Simone and Tirimo. Viola participated in many masterclasses given by prestigious pianists such as Micha Dacic, Daniel Rivera, Sergio De Simone, Jeffrey Swann, Pascal Rogé, Martino Tirimo, Megumi Masaki, Stephan Loges and Dr Emily Kilpatrick. Viola took part in the New Lights Contemporary Festival, London Film Festival, won the Elizabeth Schumann Lieder Competition with the soprano Anna Marmion and was highly commended in the semi-final of the Soloist Competition at Trinity Laban for her performance of the Grieg Piano Concerto in A Minor. As passionate collaborative pianist, she has an active music duo with bass clarinettist Hannah Shilvock and a piano duo with Isabella Gori. She has worked for the Livorno Classical Music Festival, as répétiteur of “All Aboard Opera!” company and given professional recitals in venues around the UK including Westminster Music Library, Poole Lighthouse, St George’s Bristol and Chichester Cathedral.

About Isabella Gori:

Isabella Gori is an Italian pianist based in London. Isabella started her musical path at the age of eight, taking her first piano lessons at the local music school of her home-town in Italy. As she was graduating at school, she had lessons with the pianist David Bacci, preparing to join the music university. After school, she studied classical piano at L. Boccherini Conservatoire in Lucca (Italy) with Riccardo Peruzzi. At the Conservatoire she attended a series of masterclasses with the pianists Aquiles Delle Vigne, Benedetto Lupo, and Vincenzo Balzani. She spent her third year of undergraduate studies in Katowice, Poland, at the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music. Here she studied with Joanna Domanska and had chamber music lessons with Joanna Galon Frant. After graduating with honours, she decided to move to London to study at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Here she studied with Margaret Fingerhut, Douglas Finch and Martino Tirimo and attended the annual masterclasses with Pascal Rogé and Rolf Hind. London and its cultural heterogeneity gave her the opportunity to broaden her interests in music and art. Thanks to Douglas Finch, who holds improvisation classes at the Conservatoire, she took an interest in classical and jazz improvisation, using it in multidisciplinary and collaborative performances with the dance department of the Conservatoire.

This interest led to collaborations with dancers and visual artists also outside the university: in 2018 she took part in the inauguration of various exhibitions by the artist Marco Nereo Rotelli in Forte dei Marmi (Italy) and she performed at the New Lights Festival in London, proposing her own project “Elements”, which involved an extemporaneous dialogue between music and dance. After being selected as a Trinity Laban Scholar for the academic year 2018/19, she graduated in 2019.

Since 2013, Isabella has worked as an accompanist in various settings including ballet and opera. She played for the production of “La Rondine” by Puccini at Teatro del Giglio and played for the performance of “The Little Sweep” by Benjamin Britten at P.zza Del Suffragio in Lucca; she has performed on many occasions as a soloist and in ensembles at the Royal Chapel and St Alfege Church in Greenwich, Southwark Cathedral, Westminster Library and at the Borough New Music and New Lights Festival of contemporary music and more. Isabella was commended at the John Halford Competition for her performance of Six Encores by Luciano Berio and at the Elisabeth Schumann Lieder Competition, playing in duo with the singer Bethan Terry.

Isabella currently lives and works as a musician and piano teacher in London. She keeps studying classical piano repertoire with Fabrizio Datteri alongside taking jazz piano classes with the pianist David Kikoski.

12th March: Lunchtime Concert – Jean-Samuel Bez and Gina Kruger (Violin & Piano)

Jean-Samuel Bez is an outstanding young violinist with a varied international career that includes both classical and non-classical projects. In this concert, his second at St John’s, he’ll once again be performing with pianist Gina Kruger. Last time Jean-Samuel performed sonatas by two composers, one female, one male, and this year he will be doing the same, but this time opting for French rather than Scandinavian composers.

As ever the church will be open for an hour before the concert begins, with volunteers from the pop-up café team offering lots of home made sweet and savoury treats as well as hot and cold drinks.

The concert will begin promptly at 1pm. Admission is free, but those who are able to afford it are asked to make a donation. The suggested amount is £6.

Programme:

Sonata for Violin and Piano Opus 114 – Mel Bonis (1858-1937)
Violin Sonata No.1, Opus 13 – Gabriel Fauré

About Jean-Samuel Bez:

Born in Pontarlier (France), Jean Samuel attended the Royal Conservatory of Music of Brussels (Belgium) where he passed his diplomas with High Distinction and was granted the Pappaerts Prize in 2016. He then attended the Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst (Performing Arts) in Vienna.

Jean Samuel is a laureate of numerous prizes, scholarships and international competitions, appearing as soloist including the Ensemble Orchestral of Dijon (France), the University Orchestra of Burgundy (France), the Budweis Philharmony (Czech Republic) and the Sotiropoulos Camerata of Brussels (Belgium).

As a chamber musician, Jean-Samuel plays regularly within various groups throughout the world. During the last few years he had the opportunity to play with Jean-Claude Vanden Eyden, Hagaï Shaham, Gil Sharon, and Istvan Varga. Reflecting his interest in contemporary repertoire, in 2015 Jean Samuel was the laureate of the Young Bozar Project within the Alternative Violin Duet 2Väinö. With this duet he explores new alternative formulas to traditional concerts, mixing arts and means of expression. He also plays regularly within the Icelandic folk rock/chamber pop group Arstiđir.

About Gina Kruger:

Gina holds degrees in piano from the United States and a post-graduate diploma from the Royal College of Music, London. During her studies at the Royal College of Music, she won the Fossat Award for Chamber Music which resulted in performances for the Queen of Denmark and a residency in France. She continues to appear as a recitalist locally and internationally. Her performance in the National Concert Hall, Dublin, featuring Spanish repertoire was deemed a ‘finely turned performance’ by the Irish Times in 2010. Other international venues have included solo performances in Altdorf Switzerland and in the Vienna Conservatory. She has performed extensively in Croatia, as a soloist, and with guitarist Igor Paro.

Performance engagements in the United States have included two broadcasts of solo piano works (Messiaen, Beethoven, and Schumann) on Nebraska Public Radio, and appearances at such prestigious venues as Merkin Concert Hall and The Juilliard School.
After completing studies in musicology, the result of which was a National Endowment for the Humanities grant (through Columbia University, NY) Gina has continued to develop her interest in church music as an organist, choral director, and soprano (singing regularly with choirs for Evensong and as a soloist in church settings). Having held posts in several boarding schools, chapels, and churches in London and further afield, she is currently music Director at St Mary with All Souls Church, Kilburn. She is also on the organist rota at Notre-Dame de France, Leicester Square.

5th March: Lunchtime Concert – Serenity Flutes (Flute Duo & Piano)

Tuesdays Till Two continues with a sparkling concert of vivacious flute duets from two local flautists, Ann Wright and Julie Dearden from Thurlby, with support from Fergus Black at the piano. The programme covers a wide range of music, from a classical duet by Quantz all the way to La Alborada de la Esperanza by contemporary Mexican composer, José Elizondo. There is a Spanish Dance, a Waltz, a Tarantella and a Polka. None of the composers in the programme may be a household name, but don’t let that put you off – the emphasis is on a lively tunefulness and toe-tapping rhythms that make for enjoyable lunchtime fare.

As ever, our pop-up café offering lots of home made sweet and savoury treats as well as hot and cold drinks will be open for the hour before the concert. After the concert the St John’s Community Support Hub will be open until 4.30pm, and will be serving a light meal from 2.30pm.

Admission is free, but we do ask those who can afford it to make a donation to help cover our costs. The suggested donation is now £6, but if that’s more than you can afford please don’t let that put you off from coming along.

Programme:

Andante and Rondo Op 25 – Franz Doppler 1821-1883
Spanish Dance Op 437 No 4 – Wilhelm Popp 1828-1902
Trio Sonata in C minor, QV 2:Anh.5 – Johann Joachim Quantz 1697-1773

1.  Andante moderato
2.  Allegro

Polka in E flat Op posth – Bedřich Smetana 1824-1884
Allegro from the Sonata No 1 in A minor – Jean Baptiste Loeillet, ‘Loeillet de Gant’ 1688 — ca.1720
La Alborada de la Esperanza (Dawn of Hope) – José Elizondo b.1972
Xenia and Tarantella – Eugene Magalif b.1957
Valse des Fleurs Op 87 – Ernesto Kohler 1849-1907

About the musicians:

Following an early career in primary school teaching, where Ann Wright’s flute playing took increasing prominence in her life, she studied with David Nicholson in Aberdeen, and Judith Mellor in Sheffield, gaining a diploma in flute teaching, and ultimately changing career. Firmly established, for many years, in South Lincolnshire – as flautist and tutor with the County Music Service; and as a recorder-playing member of the Early Music group, Freshe Ayre – she is enjoying the freedom since her recent retirement, to develop and share her love of flute and its repertoire.

Julie Dearden has been teaching flute for over 40 years, with her career beginning in some of the leading music departments in Cambridge schools. She now has a thriving private practice teaching both flute and piano. She has recently revived her love of performing, particularly in chamber ensembles.

Fergus Black was born in Scotland. After taking his degree at St. Andrews University, he studied music in the USA at the University of Pennsylvania and at UCLA, before returning to the UK. He is semi-retired, and chooses to play in concerts he enjoys with people he likes, and teaches only a few hours each week. He continues to conduct the St Martin’s Singers. He lives in Peterborough with his wife, Helen. His web site is at www.fergusblackmusic.uk

27th February: Lunchtime Concert – Chris Brown (Organ)

Our Tuesdays Till Two season continues with a concert of organ music – our first since July 2022 – brought to us by organist Chris Brown. It’s Chris’s first lunchtime concert here, though he performed here with flautist Abigail Fletcher last September when he played both the piano and the organ.

Chris’s programme will feature the Sonata Eroica by Joseph Jongen, plus music by J.S Bach, César Franck and Herbert Howells.

As ever, our pop-up café offering lots of home made sweet and savoury treats as well as hot and cold drinks will be open for the hour before the concert. After the concert the St John’s Community Support Hub will be open until 4.30pm, and will be serving a light meal from 2.30pm.

Admission is free, but we do ask those who can afford it to make a donation to help cover our costs. The suggested donation is now £6, but please don’t worry if that is more than you can afford.

About Chris Brown:

Chris Brown grew up in North Lincolnshire. He studied music at Durham University and organ with James Lancelot. He was organ scholar at Ripon Cathedral before becoming Director of Music at St Oswald’s, Durham and then Halifax Minster. He is Music Director at Priory Church, Deeping St James, and now lives in Stamford where he is much in demand as an accompanist.

20th February: Lunchtime Concert – Steve Bean (Classical Guitar)

For our second Tuesdays Till Two concert of 2024, we’re delighted to welcome back guitarist Steve Bean, who last played for us in November, when he accompanied singer Gabriella Pineda-Rodrigues. Steve was our first solo performer of the year in both 2022 and 2023, and his concerts always attract a large and appreciative audience.

Steve’s playing style as a solo guitarist is predominantly Classical with a Flamenco influence. His work over the years has allowed him to absorb many genres into his unique performances, giving way to varied repertoire encompassing compositions by artists such as John Williams, Einaudi & Albeniz to more popular pieces by The Beatles & Queen (Check out this Youtube video, which has now been viewed more than fifteen million times: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfZmMJKIBec)

As ever, our pop-up café offering lots of home made sweet and savoury treats as well as hot and cold drinks will be open for the hour before the concert. After the concert the St John’s Community Support Hub will be open until 4.30pm, and will be serving a light meal from 2.30pm.

Admission is free, but we do ask those who can afford it to make a donation to help cover our costs. The suggested donation is now £6, our first increase since 2018.

13th February: Lunchtime Concert – Pennyless (Violin & Guitar) – Folk/Roots

Our Tuesdays Till Two lunchtime concerts return on Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) with a first appearance by local folk/roots duo Pennyless.

As ever, our pop-up café offering lots of home made sweet and savoury treats as well as hot and cold drinks will be open for the hour before the concert. After the concert the St John’s Community Support Hub will be open until 4.30pm, and will be serving a light meal from 2.30pm.

Admission is free, but we do ask those who can afford it to make a donation to help cover our costs. The suggested donation is now £6, our first increase since 2018.

About Pennyless:

Penny Stevens on violin and Les Woods on guitar form a distinctive and powerful sound as they range through the world of original and roots folk/world music. Pennyless have 6 albums to date after working together for 13 years. Expect a varied mix of up-tempo instrumentals and fanciful songs, high energy and fun!

“gorgeously quirky stuff, essential and eccentric folk rock at its best..” FATEA

“a highly enjoyable mix of English rebel folk and gentle musings” Musicians Union magazine.

That’s all for 2023!

Our 2023 programme of concerts and events has now ended, and all of our regular event strands (Tuesdays Till Two, Piccolo, and Sunday Serene Sounds) will be taking a break until February.  St John’s CIC has run a record 54 events this year, and Alun Williams, our programme manager, is already busy putting together our 2024 programme. Look out for first news of that early in the New Year.

Meanwhile, some dates for your diary:

Pianist Ida Pelliccioli – who will be performing in St John’s at 3.30pm on 25th Feb 2024. Photo by Simon Petit

Piccolo will return at 10.30am on Thursday 1^st February when harpist Eleanor Turner will be performing.
Tuesdays Till Two lunchtime concerts will resume at their usual time of 1pm from Tuesday 13^th February. Our first performers of the year will be local folk duo Pennyless, who’ll be performing at Tuesdays Till Two for the first time.
Our first Sunday Serene Sounds concert of the year will take place at 3.30pm on Sunday 25^th February and will be given by Italian pianist Ida Pelliccioli.

Fans of organ music may like to know that organist Fergus Black will be playing a seasonal selection of pieces in St John’s from 10.15pm on Christmas Eve, just prior to our Midnight Mass at 11pm.

Details are also available in PDF format from the church website.

5th December: Lunchtime Jazz Café – Sylvester Gold and Steve Hession (Vocals & Piano)

Our lunchtime jazz season concludes with singer Sylvester Gold, who’ll be bringing us an eclectic mix of soul, blues and easy listening songs, with Steve Hession on piano (playing his third Tuesday Till Two date this year!).

As ever St John’s will be open for an hour before the concert begins, with volunteers from the pop-up café team offering lots of home made sweet and savoury treats as well as hot and cold drinks. All profits from the café will go towards funding our future programme of events.

The concert will start promptly at 1pm. Admission is free, but we do ask those who can afford it to make a donation to help cover our costs. The suggested donation is £5.

28th November: Lunchtime Jazz Café – Ivan Garford and Derek Scurll Jazz Duo (Piano & Vibes)

Our lunchtime jazz season continues with two musicians who last performed for us in 2018 as part of a jazz quartet. Pianist Ivan Garford (pictured right), and percussionist Derek Scurll are both classically trained musicians with a long standing love of jazz. They’ll be performing a mix of jazz standards, their own arrangements, and Ivan’s compositions.

As ever St John’s will be open for an hour before the concert begins, with volunteers from the pop-up café team offering lots of home made sweet and savoury treats as well as hot and cold drinks. All profits from the café will go towards funding our future programme of events.

The concert will start promptly at 1pm. Admission is free, but we do ask those who can afford it to make a donation to help cover our costs. The suggested donation is £5.

About the Ivan Garford and Derek Scurll Jazz Duo:

Ivan Garford studied music at Goldsmiths and the Royal Academy of Music. He has enjoyed a varied career as a performer, teacher and musical director.

Ivan’s interest in jazz started after leaving college when he formed Fenjazz, a group that invited known jazz artists to appear in the Fens. He accompanied artists such as Peter King, Don Rendell, Harry Beckett and Alan Barnes.

Derek Scurll is an accomplished performer on the various instruments in the percussion family. He studied music at Selwyn College, Cambridge and has had a varied career in Classical and Jazz circles. He studied the vibraphone with Roger Beaujoulais.

Ivan and Derek play regularly together, as a piano and vibes duo. During the lockdowns they produced the CD “Entrance” which features original compositions by Ivan.