Leatherhead church to hold weekly music concerts

[KB7DQH]

 ;) ;Dhttp://www.thisissurreytoday.co.uk/Leatherhead-church-hold-weekly-music-concerts/story-15288882-detail/story.html

NEW weekly concerts at Leatherhead Parish Church will be launched with a special event on March 1.

With hundreds of shoppers and workers in the town for market day every Thursday, church organisers have decided to offer musical entertainment during lunchtime.

   1.
      ​Leatherhead parish church master of music Graham Davies at the 17th century Parker pipe organ. Picture by Peter Steadman

      Leatherhead parish church master of music Graham Davies at the 17th century Parker pipe organ. Picture by Peter Steadman

The free performances will run from 12.30pm for between 40 and 50 minutes at St Mary and St Nicholas Church in Church Road, and will feature visiting musicians and vocalists from around the country.

The programme has been set up by parish church master of music Graham Davies, who wants to turn the church into a centre of musical excellence.

He said: "We have invited a wide selection of musicians to perform for us in Leatherhead.

"Whether they are local musicians, professionals from further afield, or students of the Royal Academy of Music, we are looking forward to a full season of substantial talent."

The first season of "Music on Thursdays" will kick off with a concert in the Swan Centre on March 1 to promote the programme.

The first concert in the church will be on March 8, featuring Royal Academy of Music students Midori Komachi on violin and piano accompanist Carlos Guerrero, while students from St John's School will perform the following week.

Organ concerts are planned for the third Thursday of each month and Mr Davies, who featured in the Advertiser last September after touring the US playing the organ, will be the first to perform on March 17, using the church's 17th century English Parker pipe organ.

He said: "There are always organists eager to play the Parker organ so I have had to be sure to book myself a few slots in the programme."

Other future concerts will feature a group of bassoon players, a pair of tubas, different combinations of string and wind instruments, as well as vocal performances by baritone Henry Manning and local mezzo-soprano Edita Durrant.

Rector Graham Osborne said: "Graham Davies and his team have come up trumps with these concerts. The programme he has put together is going to be superb, a real bonus for all of us who live and work around Leatherhead."

Entry to the concerts is free, although contributions to help cover the costs will be welcome.

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Eric
KB7DQH

[AnOrganCornucopia]

Well, that's just a few hundred yards from home, so I'll make a point of being there and will report back.