Hannah Stone harpist
Keep on top of the Surrey classical and choral music scene with our useful local guide
Leith Hill Musical Festival, Dorking Halls
The Leith Hill Musical Festival is a unique choral event which sees local choirs engage in friendly competition and then come together to perform in concert with a professional orchestra and soloists. This year’s spring choral festival opens with Bach’s St Matthew Passion (Mar 9), followed by The Youth Choirs Competition, which showcases the best young singing talent (Mar 15).
Mozart's charmingly simple Missa Brevis sits alongside Paul Carr's recent deliciously tuneful and touching Requiem for an Angel on Apr 10. The competition pieces include Copland’s lively Ching-A-Ring-Chaw and Sullivan's emotional The Long Day Closes. Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle remains a firm favourite of the choral repertoire (Apr 11), while the final night brings together Duruflé's wonderful setting of the Requiem with Feel the Spirit (Apr 12).
Mar 9 – Apr 12; tickets: £8, £12, £16, £20, (01403) 240093; lhmf.co.uk
Play the Organ Day, St Mary’s Church, Guildford
Surrey & North Hants Organists’ Associations are inviting all organ enthusiasts to flex their fingers and try their hand at the organ. Speak to students and hear about the experience of learning to play, then attend the exciting finale recital of the Guildford Spring Music Festival Organ Series by international concert organist, Philip Scriven.
Mar 15, 11am-5pm (recital at 4pm); free entry, except recital: £5 (free to students) surreyorganistsassociation.org
Epsom Choral Society concert, St Martin’s Church, Epsom
Conducted by Robin Kimber, the choir will sing Durufle’s Requiem and Liszt’s Missa Choralis.
Mar 15, 7.30-10pm; adults £12, students and under 18s £6; epsomchoral.org.uk
or call (01372) 727078
A Night to Remember, G Live, Guildford
Godalming College and the Waverley Federation schools proudly present A Night to Remember. Enjoy pieces from film and musicals including Pirates of the Caribbean, Schindler’s List, Les Miserables, Riverdance, and The Incredibles. Plus hits from Michael Buble and Elton John, as well as works performed by composers including Mozart, Vaughan Williams and Debussy
March 18, 7pm; glive.co.uk
Christopher Herrick, Organ Recital, Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace
Kingston resident Christopher Herrick is an internationally acclaimed artist who performs both as a soloist and with orchestras. His current project is a concert series of JS Bach’s complete organ works at the Mariinsky Concert Hall in St Petersburg. The Hampton Court programme includes pieces by composers ranging from Handel to Walton – a superb opportunity to hear the recently overhauled Schrider–Hill organ at its very best.
Mar 19, 7:45pm; tickets £12; 0844 482 7799
London Symphony Orchestra, G Live
Conducted by distinguished British conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner, the concert will include two of Mendelssohn’s symphonies that underline his great passion for travel. The concert will open with his Italian symphony and will finish with a musical account of his exciting visit to Scotland in his Symphony No.3, known as the Scottish. These two symphonies will flank Schumann’s rarely performed but highly lyrical violin concerto, played by Alina Ibragimova.
Mar 22, 7.30pm glive.co.uk
Guildford Spring Music Festival, Electric Theatre
This week-long programme sees the best local musicians grace the stage at the Electric Theatre. From seasoned favourites The Jimmy Hastings Quartet and The Will Todd Ensemble, to Surrey University’s big band and other young accomplished music students, here’s your chance to support our local talent.
Mar 23-29, various performances. Tickets: from £8 (lunch) to £15; (evening); gsmf.org.uk
Hannah Stone, Harpist to HRH the Prince of Wales, with the Choir of the Chapel Royal, Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace
A magical evening of harp, organ and choral music. Appointed harpist to Prince Charles in 2011, Hannah (pictured) has performed at prestigious venues around the world and won prizes at top international competitions.
The Chapel Royal concert will raise funds for training local schoolboys as royal choristers, so book now to help advance the musical education of talented youngsters.
Mar 28, 7:45pm; tickets £25; 0844 482 7799
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, G Live
Following on from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s last performance at G Live in October, the next section of their Beethoven journey will be undertaken in the company of one of England’s most sought-after musicians, Freddy Kempf, who not only has a reputation as one of the finest pianists, but is also developing into a highly talented conductor. In this RPO concert he will conduct and play Beethoven’s heroic Egmont Overture, which will be followed by the only concerto Beethoven composed in the minor key. This gives the 3rd Piano Concerto a great lyrical and poignant quality, contrasting sharply with his tremendous Symphony No. 7 with its grand opening movement, its elegiac slow movement and its two dazzling final.
April 2, 7.30pm; glive.co.uk
Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, G Live
G Live's International Orchestral Concert Series for this season ends with a performance from one of Russia’s most famous orchestras, the Moscow Philharmonic. The concert will begin with music from Tchaikovsky’s charming ballet Sleeping Beauty. This will be followed by Julian Lloyd Webber, the most popular British cellist, performing his renowned interpretation of Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1. The concert ends with the epic Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 and its famous Fate motifs, which makes this one of the most thrilling of all Tchaikovsky’s symphonies. This will indeed be a rousing conclusion to what will undoubtedly be a wonderful season.
April 2, 7.30pm; glive.co.uk
