Set in the heart of London’s historic Square Mile, Kestrel Music’s nine-day festival, Summer Music in City Churches, returns with a world-class roster of artists taking a musical voyage ‘Around the World’. Hosted across five atmospheric, acoustically rich churches, this year’s theme explores music inspired by cities, landscapes and traditions. From traditional song and jazz arrangements, to lush choral harmonies and orchestral favourites, the programme celebrates sounds of town and country, both at home and abroad.
Guest artists are drawn from the finest musicians and collaborative partnerships performing internationally today, including Rachel Nicholls and Michael Dussek, Lucy Parham with Juliet Stevenson, Mark Bebbington with Alistair McGowan, and Iain Farrington’s jazz trio. Joining them will be multi-talented duo Eleanor Grant and Gus McQuade, and young singers from Hackney Choral. A wealth of chamber music further enriches the programme, with lunchtime performances by Brother Tree Sound, Tier3 Trio, Cassatt Trio, and Sonas Quartet.
Opening the festival, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Gergely Madaras conjure the Mediterranean warmth of Spain and Italy in works by Rossini, Ravel and Mendelssohn. They are joined by guitarist Jack Hancher, 2022 Royal Overseas League Gold Medalist and EuroStrings Artist, as soloist in Rodrigo's evocative Concierto de Aranjuez.
There are opportunities to hear the City of London Choir led by Daniel Hyde on two contrasting occasions performances; as part of a Festival Choral Evensong in the grand tradition of British cathedrals, and to celebrate traditional song rooted in the land - from George Shearing's jazz settings to Elgar in Bavaria, in the festival’s delightful finale, ‘Islands and Highlands’.
Stepping away from the international opera circuit, soprano Rachel Nicholls partners with pianist Michael Dussek to bring international flair to the recital stage in ‘Invitation to Journey’; an exploration of French and English song through the works of Walton, Duparc, Poulenc, and Debussy.
Two outstanding actors make their festival debut this year; BAFTA-winning actor and comic Alistair McGowan joins pianist Mark Bebbington, known for his refined interpretations of French music, as narrator in a light-hearted French programme featuring Poulenc's enchanting musical setting of Babar the Elephant, amidst an evening of musical surprises.
Familiar to many from her celebrated stage and TV appearances, Juliet Stevenson portrays Clara Wieck Schumann in Lucy Parham's acclaimed composer-portrait, ‘I Clara’. The performance re-tells the itinerant virtuosa’s extraordinary life story from her letters and diaries, interspersed with music by Robert Schumann, Brahms, Liszt, Felix Mendelssohn and Chopin.
In ‘Ocean Road Home’, award-winning duo Eleanor Grant and Gus McQuade return to the festival with a kaleidoscope of musical arrangements blending folk and jazz influences in songs on the theme of travel for voice, double bass and guitar.
Composer-pianist Iain Farrington revisits with his Art Deco Trio, bringing jazz reimaginings of traditional melodies, shanties and spirituals from around the world, including his own composition, ‘Voices of the World’, composed for the coronation of King Charles III.
Encapsulating that concept will be a delightful Family Concert, in which members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and City of London Choir join forces with youth choir Hackney Choral for a performance of John Rutter's witty ‘London Town’ alongside Iain Farrington’s arrangements of orchestral classics.
Taking a tour of Europe and the Americas will be the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s Brass Ensemble, with arrangements for brass including contrasting works by John Ireland, Piazzola, Dvorak and Gershwin.
Lunchtime concerts remain a cornerstone of the festival, curated to appeal to city professionals and visitors alike with a series of sophisticated yet accessible programmes.
Tier3 Trio open with Dvořák's celebrated ‘Dumky’ piano trio, full of Slavic folk melodies, while Brother Tree Sound journey from France to Spain with string quartets by Debussy, Elizabeth Maconchy and Bulgarian composer Dobrinka Tabakova. Featuring soloists from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Cassat Trio perform works for harp, flute and viola by Debussy, Ravel, Takemitsu and Fauré. Meanwhile, Sonas Quartet – rising stars from the Guildhall School - pair Latin American rhythms with Mozart’s String Quartet no.15. In his keyboard showcase, pianist Viv McLean offers a tribute to the homelands of Beethoven, Grieg, and Chopin, in a programme evoking Vienna, Norway and Poland.
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, photo Ben Wright; City of London Choir, photo Sim Canetti-Clarke
