7.30pm tickets £10.00

Blagovest Ensemble: 


Russian Orthodox Church Music and folk songs

Olga Kozlova (conductor & second soprano)           about us    our programme
Ekaterina Tsenter (soprano)
Anastasia Bogacheva (mezzo-soprano)
Egor Semenkov (tenor)
Nikolay Kurbatov (baritone)
Yury Vorobiev (bass)

Blagovest means 'good news', and that is the image that is projected. All the members of the Ensemble are professional musicians and care passionately for the music that they have chosen as their life's vocation. Choir music traditionally holds a leading place in Russian culture, originating over a thousand years ago. St Petersburg is considered to be one of the centres of traditional Russian choir music, and the  Conservatoire in St Petersburg is recognised as one of the premier establishments for the training of singers and choir conductors. Their previous concert at Great Witley, in 2005, was very well received, and we look forward to welcoming them back for what promises to be a memorable evening.

7.30pm tickets £10.00

Volante Strings: 


a chamber orchestra led by Angela Richey

Programme:
Corelli (arr Smith): Concerto in D minor, Op 6, No 3
Samuel Barber: Adagio
Britten: Simple Symphony
Vaughan Williams: Fantasiaon a theme by Thomas Tallis
J S Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No 3

Volante Strings, a group of players led by Angela Richey, was established eight years ago, inspired after a service at Great Witley Church. Attracting some of the best strings players in Worcestershire, it has since then gone on from strength to strength, adding to its repertoire and expertise. 
As well as concerts in churches and local venues such as Artrix Bromsgrove, and the Lion Ballroom Leominster, with well known  artists, the orchestra has given concerts in Corfu in the  last two years. They look forward to bringing the wonderful Tallis Fantasia to Great Witley. Future plans include a third visit to Corfu and a concert at the Worcester Festival.

7.30pm tickets £10.00

Birmingham Bach Choir: conducted by Paul Spicer

Conductor: Paul Spicer
Organist: Stuart Nicholson

The programme of choral and solo organ works includes:

Vaughan Williams: Lord, thou hast been our refuge
Howells: The Scribe
Ireland: The Hills
Holst: This have I done for my true love
Purcell: I was glad
O God thou art my God
Jehovah, quam multi sunt hostes
Finzi: Three part songs
Parry: Blest Pair of Sirens

The Birmingham Bach Choir has been performing in the city since 1919 under a succession of eminent conductors, and currently Paul Spicer. Passionate about the music of J S Bach, the Choir not only specialises in music of the Baroque period, but has also developed expertise in performing British music
of the last hundred years.
As well as performing in Birmingham's Symphony Hall and other venues across the Midlands, the Choir enjoys close links with Leipzig (one of Birmingham's twin cities) and has twice performed in the Thomaskirche, where Bach was cantor for twenty-seven years.

Paul Spicer, who has been conductor of the choir since 1992, studied at the Royal College of Music under Herbert Howells. He is Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and  brings to the Choir his great expertise and international reputation as conductor, choir trainer, composer and writer. He is Professor of Choral Conducting at the Royal College of Music, London, and teaches at the Birmingham Conservatoire.

7.30pm tickets £10.00

18th Century Concert Orchestra: 



Works from the Baroque era

The programme includes:

Handel: Overture to Acis and Galatea
Vivaldi: Oboe Concerto in A minor, FV11/5
Purcell: Suite from King Arthur
Vivaldi: Sinfonia for Strings
Handel: Concerto Grosso Op3 No 5
also works by other composers of the middle and late
Baroque era, including Matteis and Prelleur.

The 18th Century Concert Orchestra gave their first concerts in 2001 and soon established themselves as one of the finest exponents of baroque music in the country.
Specialising in popular baroque music in full costume, by candlelight and on period instruments, their performances re-create the sights and sounds as they might have originally been in the 18th century. This adds colourful and spectacular dimension to their already attractive programme, lending an added insight into the music of this period. Renowned for their infectious enthusiasm, their relaxed yet informative style endears them to audiences of all ages.

The orchestra regularly performs to sold out theatres throughout the UK, attracting much attention from business and the media. They are delighted to be returning to the wonderful surroundings of Great Witley Church. Their performances, always most entertaining, have variously been described as "a musical experience not to be missed", and "a delight for the senses", with "extraordinarily beautiful playing".

For more information visit www.18thcentury.co.uk

7.30pm tickets £10.00

Their programme includes:

Mozart: Serenade in C minor
Mozart: Arias from Don Giovanni
Beethoven: Rondino
Mozart: Serenade in E flat major
Handel: Music for the Royal Fireworks
Dvorak: Slavonic Dance No 8

The Serenata Wind Octet are a young and dynamic wind group, formed from professional freelance musicians and post-graduate music students of the Birmingham Conservatoire.

Individually, each of them lead busy lives as professional musicians in numerous orchestras, as well as being solo performers in their own right.

7.30pm tickets £10.00

Holborne Brass Ensemble: led by Trevor Jones

Leader: Trevor Jones

The varied programme embraces classical to modern, and ragtime to cabaret.

The Holborne Brass Ensemble, making a welcome return to Great Witley, is an exciting brass quintet consisting of freelance players, all based in the Midlands.

 Originally formed in 1985, the members of the Ensemble have performed with
many notable orchestras such as the English Philharmonic, CBSO, Philharmonia, ESO, and others such as the Black Dyke Band and the Desford Band. 

The group's distinctive style combines first-rate musicianship with infectious enthusiasm and versatility, ensuring a most entertaining evening.