Festival Art Exhibition
Harmony in Hues; landscape watercolours by two kindred spirits
Curated by Trent Art
Throughout the festival
Penkhull Village Hall ST4 5JB
Trent Art Gallery will show an extensive collection of watercolour paintings and sketches by Reginald Hagger and his long standing student, friend and protégée Doris Brown. All of the work is previously unseen.
Piano Perfection
Simon Callaghan - piano
Thursday 18th September, 7.30pm
St Thomas's Church, Penkhull ST4 5DW
Renowned concert pianist Simon Callaghan returns to Penkhull this year to give a solo recital of stunning music from the rich piano repertory. Simon performs internationally as a soloist and chamber musician, in parallel with a highly successful career as a recording artist. A favourite performer at the internationally-renowned Husum Festival of Piano Rarities in Germany, Simon’s recent sell-out concert was praised by VAN Magazine as a “cleverly curated recital full of discoveries” and by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung as “technically brilliant”. Simon has developed a wide following and appears on a regular basis in the UK’s major concert halls, and on tours to Asia, North America and Europe.
His programme will include Grieg's ever-popular Holberg Suite, Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, and Debussy's magical Images, alongside two pieces from Stephen Hough's Rogers and Hammerstein Transcriptions.
His programme will include Grieg's ever-popular Holberg Suite, Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, and Debussy's magical Images, alongside two pieces from Stephen Hough's Rogers and Hammerstein Transcriptions.
Lunchtime Recital
Pupils of Newcastle-under-Lyme School
Friday 19th September, 1.00pm
St Thomas's Church, Penkhull ST4 5DW
Talented music scholars from Newcastle-under-Lyme School present their popular lunchtime recital, which is always a highlight of the Festival. An important part of our education and outreach work, the concert is attended by around 150 pupils from local primary schools. Members of the public are also able to attend.
Admission is free; donations are welcomed.
Admission is free; donations are welcomed.
Sophisticated Saxophone
Claire Tomsett-Rowe - saxophone
Alistair Parnell - piano
Friday 19th September, 7.30pm
St Thomas's Church, Penkhull ST4 5DW
Festival-goers will know Claire and Alistair from the Equinox Saxophone Ensemble, who have delighted audiences at Penkhull twice in recent years. Both hugely multi-talented musicians, Claire will play various saxophones as well as the violin, and Alistair, equally at home at the piano as on the saxophone, will also perform on the EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument), of which he is a leading proponent. Claire studied at the Purcell School of Music in Bushey where her love of the saxophone really took off. She read music at Nottingham, studying saxophone with Alistair Parnell. As a performer, Alistair has worked with the CBSO, LPO, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Flotilla Ensemble, Northern Saxophone Quartet, Mistral Quartet and the Equinox Saxophone Ensemble, appearing throughout UK, Europe, USA and Asia.
Their programme will include a vast and eclectic array of music in many styles, from classical to jazz and many things in between, including the premier performance of Chris Brammeld's Sonatina for Saxophone and Piano.
Their programme will include a vast and eclectic array of music in many styles, from classical to jazz and many things in between, including the premier performance of Chris Brammeld's Sonatina for Saxophone and Piano.
80th Anniversary Concert
Bedford Girls' Choir
Marjorie Seddon - mezzo
Alison Hendricken - piano
Plus seven musical friends
Saturday 20th September, 1.00pm
St Thomas's Church, Penkhull ST4 5DW
This concert is a celebration of the 80th anniversary of the formation of the Bedford Girls' Choir. They will perform Britten's much-loved "A Charm of Lullabies", plus repertoire from past concerts. You will be enchanted, entertained, bewitched, and beguiled and treated to delicious cake and an endless pot of tea.
Proceeds of the concert will support Penkhull Festival.
Proceeds of the concert will support Penkhull Festival.
Loves, Legends and Lullabies
Papagena
Imogen Ram-Prasad
Lizzie Drury
Suzzie Vango
Shivani Rattan
Sarah Tenant-Flowers
Saturday 20th September, 7.30pm
St Thomas's Church, Penkhull ST4 5DW
Performing at Penkhull for the first time, Papagena is an a cappella vocal group set up to explore the wealth of music from medieval times to the present day written specifically for women's voices. No props, microphones or gimmicks, just five stunning voices form Papagena. Papagena juxtaposes classical repertoire with traditional folk, medieval and contemporary music to create programmes that can span nine centuries, from 12th century abbess Hildegard of Bingen to Joni Mitchell, from Byzantine hymns and lilting Celtic ballads to Norwegian lullabies, from Purcell to Katy Perry.
Their recital includes music sacred and profane, ranging from Hildegard of Bingen and medieval English motets to folk songs and lullabies from around the world, contemporary ballads and works by classical composers including Purcell, Monteverdi and James MacMillan.
Their recital includes music sacred and profane, ranging from Hildegard of Bingen and medieval English motets to folk songs and lullabies from around the world, contemporary ballads and works by classical composers including Purcell, Monteverdi and James MacMillan.