Founded in 1986, Fretwork is widely regarded as the world's leading consort of viols, with a landmark discography on Virgin Classics and Harmonia Mundi USA spanning Taverner to Purcell and Bach. Equally committed to contemporary music, they have commissioned over 40 new works from composers including George Benjamin and Gavin Bryars, and have performed at Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, and the Edinburgh International Festival.

Helen Charlston is a British mezzo-soprano celebrated across opera, oratorio and song. Praised by Gramophone Magazine for "incomparable beauty," she has debuted at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Versailles Royal Opera, and recently at Dutch National Opera, in the world premiere of Michel van der Aa's Theory of Flames. A committed recitalist, she appears regularly at Wigmore Hall and the BBC Proms.

Programme:
LEONORA DUARTE Sinfonias 1 & 2
SAMANTHA FERNANDO New Work
NADIA BOULANGER Trois Pices
ALISA DIXON Fugues
CELIA HARPER Dunblane Sancta Maria
JOCELYN POOK How sweet the moonlight
AMANDA ALDRIDGE Three Dances
arr. Sarah Dacey Little Missie Cakewalk, Lazy Dance, Gloriana
BARBERA STROZZI LAmante modesto; Priego ad Amore
LEONORA DUARTE Sinfonias 3 & 4
BARBERA STROZZI Il contrasto de cinque Sensi
DOBRINKA TABAKOVA Organum Light
KATE BUSH, arr. Sally Beamish Running up that Hill

Sponsored by a legacy from the estate of Dr Philip Da Costa

We will be continuing our monthly Listening Club this season where we meet (mostly online) before each concert and chat about a piece of music from the forthcoming gig - a bit like a book club. Last year in five of the six Listening Clubs the performers joined as well to chat with us and provide their personal perspective.

If you're interested in joining the Listening Club, please click here or send an email [email protected]

For access to online playlists and more information about the artists, please seeskiptonmusic.org.uk/concerts/2026-2027-fretwork-helen-charlston [http://skiptonmusic.org.uk/concerts/2026-2027-fretwork-helen-charlston]

Photos: Alejandro Tamagno & Matthew Johnston