THE INDEPENDENT | THE TIMES
AC Academy is generously supported by Phillips 66 & JET and endorsed by The Royal Albert Hall
www.armonico.org.uk Registered charity no. 1103159
2020/21 SEASON
AUTUMNWINTER
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
BOOKING TICKETS
Tickets for our local performances can be purchased through the Royal Spa Centre & Town Hall Box Office.
Tickets can be purchased by phone: 01926 334418 or online: www.armonico.org.uk
OPENING TIMES: Mon – Fri: 10am – 3pm | Bank Hols: Closed
OCTOBER 2020
01 Naked Byrd
Royal Pump Rooms,
Leamington Spa
22 Naked Byrd
Malvern Theatres
TBC Naked Byrd
The Octagon, Yeovil
29 Vivaldi The Four Seasons
Royal Pump Rooms,
Leamington Spa
31 Vivaldi The Four Seasons
Malvern Theatres
TBC Vivaldi The Four Seasons
The Octagon, Yeovil
DECEMBER 2020
01 A German Christmas
The Collegiate Church
of St Mary, Warwick
19 A German Christmas
Malvern Theatres
23 Carols by Candlelight
The Collegiate Church
of St Mary, Warwick
TBC Family Carols
Malvern Theatres
TBC Family Carols
The Octagon, Yeovil
All performance running times are correct at the time of going to print, Armonico Consort reserves the right to adapt and alter programme details including the length of performances in accordance with changing Government guidelines. Should any changes be made, Armonico Consort will inform audiences immediately. Please note that in such circumstances, ticket prices will remain as advertised.
We would like to thank the Royal Pump Rooms, Leamington Spa for accommodating us for our first few Warwick performances since lockdown. Sadly our home venue, The Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick is currently closed to the public.
WELCOME
We’re back! Thank you to the 100,000s who have engaged with us on our various social media channels over the past few months; we have been totally overwhelmed by the response to our performances, our work with community groups and particularly our new work with The Alzheimer’s Society. This new partnership has seen us retrain and repurpose our musicians to work with those living with dementia, ensuring that our performing artists remain relevant, and more importantly employed, throughout these unusual circumstances. We have also been especially moved by the messages from previous audience members who over recent times have no longer been able to attend our live performances and have now had the opportunity to engage with us again, virtually. Many of the changes we have made will now stay in place, but most importantly – concerts are here again!! We asked you, our audience, what you would like to hear, when and how, and were staggered by the positive responses. We have heard you, and we have built these coming months based on precisely what you have told us you want. The most important thing to us is that you and our musicians remain safe, comfortable and relaxed and it is outlined in this brochure how my team will do this. Finally, I want to say a massive thank you to my staff, musicians and to you, our sponsors, patrons and audience members, who have kept music alive both professionally and for our communities across the UK, enabling us to adapt and stay relevant in this fast changing world. Onwards!!!
Christopher MonksArtistic Director | Armonico Consort
A MESSAGE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
We asked our audiences which programme from the past ten years they would like to hear again post lock-down, and overwhelmingly top of the list came Naked Byrd! In this programme, Armonico Consort presents an atmospheric concert of the music of composers whose art saw their emotions laid bare, as described by Artistic Director, Christopher Monks:
“A wide range of pieces united by the tendency of their composers to wear their hearts on their sleeves and their ability to fix a sense of raw emotion on paper.”
Hear the world’s finest choral music, interwoven with the timeless magical chants of Hildegard of Bingen, in a programme which captured the hearts of our audiences and became our most successful touring programme since the first performances in 2009. The recording has been played hundreds of times by BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM as well as on radio stations around the world and has received five star reviews in the national press.
NAKED BYRD
THU 01 OCT 20 | 7.30PMRoyal Pump Rooms, Leamington SpaTICKETS: £19.5001926 334418 or www.armonico.org.uk
THU 22 OCT 20 | 3PM & 7PMMalvern TheatresTICKETS: £17.9201684 892277 orwww.malvern-theatres.co.uk
PLEASE NOTE: This is a 1 hour performance with no interval
Generously supported by our Patron, John Cook
NAKED BYRD, THE INDEPENDENT
PROGRAMME INCLUDES: Ave Verum | William Byrd
Salve Regina | Attributed to
Hermann Contractus
Miserere Mei | Gregorio Allegri
The Spirit of Tallis | arr. Monks
Never Seek to Tell Thy Love
Jonathan Roberts
Ave Generosa
Hildegard von Bingen
Libera Nos, Salva Nos
John Sheppard
O Virtus Sapientiae
Hildegard von Bingen
Agnus Dei | Samuel Barber
Versa Est (Requiem)
Tomás Luis de Victoria
Crucifixus | Antonio Lotti
Ave Generosa
Hildegard von Bingen
Hear My Prayer | Henry Purcell
Song for Athene | John Tavener
Spiritus Sanctus Vivicans
Hildegard von Bingen
Plorate Filii Israel (Jephte)
Giacomo Carissimi
ONE OF OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL TOURING PROGRAMMES
After Naked Byrd, the next most popular concert our audience said they wanted to hear was Vivaldi’s masterpiece. Made up of four separate violin concertos based around poems from each of the seasons, their vibrant and virtuosic brilliance have made it one of the most exciting pieces of music to see and hear live.
Armonico Consort’s Baroque players will be joined by International Baroque Violinist, Rachel Podger, who will also guest-direct this performance.
A. VIVALDI THE FOUR SEASONSSOLOIST | RACHEL PODGERHARPSICHORD | CHRISTOPHER MONKSARMONICO CONSORT BAROQUE PLAYERS
THU 29 OCT 20 | 7.30PMRoyal Pump Rooms, Leamington SpaTICKETS: £24.5001926 334418 or www.armonico.org.uk
SAT 31 OCT 20 | 3PM & 7PMMalvern TheatresTICKETS: £24.6401684 892277 orwww.malvern-theatres.co.uk
PLEASE NOTE: This is a 1 hour performance with no interval
Generously supported by Patrons, David & Sally Howell. This performance has been generously sponsored by Hilary Eldridge, member of our Conductor’s Circle and in memory of Peggy Eldridge.
BRAND NEW PROGRAMME
ARMONICO CONSORTDIRECTOR | CHRISTOPHER MONKSTHE ENGLISH CORNETT & SACKBUT ENSEMBLE
A GERMAN CHRISTMASPRAETORIUS | CHRISTMAS MASS
CORELLI | CHRISTMAS CONCERTO, OP. 6 NO. 8
Over the centuries, the Germans have got two things very right, their Christmas markets and their Christmas music, and Michael Praetorius’ offering to this legacy with his Christmas Mass is simply magnificent. Taking inspiration from the Venetian school, Praetorius surrounds the listener with a number of choral and instrumental groups, using virtuosic combinations of colour, vitality and excitement. The composer then ends the piece with the ‘almost’ surround sound, awe inspiring, 22 part In Dulce Jubilo.
The Corelli Concerto Grosso for two solo violins, Op. 6 No. 2 will open the concert. Perhaps the most mesmerising of Corelli’s Concerti Grossi, it is known as the ‘Christmas Concerto from 1690’ and is engraved ‘Fatto per la notte di Natale’ which translates as ‘made for the night of Christmas’.
A GERMAN CHRISTMAS(CADOGAN HALL, LONDON)
THE INDEPENDENT
TUE 01 DEC 20 | 7.30PMThe Collegiate Church of St Mary, WarwickTICKETS: £23.5001926 334418 or www.armonico.org.uk
SAT 19 DEC 20 | 7.30PMMalvern TheatresTICKETS: £26.3201684 892277 or www.malvern-theatres.co.uk
PLEASE NOTE: This is a 1 hour performance with no interval
Generously supported by Tim Coghlan and Braunston Marina
Packed so richly with Baroque indulgence, melodies and incredible, relentless and plainly gorgeous suspensions, it is one of the finest examples of Baroque music in this form. ‘It is Italian!?!’ we hear you shout...The logic behind including this work in our German Christmas programme is this is that, whilst German musical styles dominated the composers in Europe across the centuries, Praetorius so clearly demonstrates that the influence on his music was simply Italian, so what better excuse to include this fabulous work by Corelli.
Our traditional Carols by Candlelight will once again take place in the enchanting setting of the Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick. Featuring our incredible AC Academy Scholars, Christmas music from centuries both old and new will merge to create a sublime festive evening.
CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT
WED 23 DEC 20 | 7.30PMThe Collegiate Church of St Mary, WarwickTICKETS: £24.5001926 334418 or www.armonico.org.uk
PLEASE NOTE: This is a 1 hour performance with no interval
Generously supported by David Phillips & Phillips and Becker Accountants Ltd.
ARMONICO CONSORTDIRECTOR | CHRISTOPHER MONKS
ARMONICO CONSORT FAMILY CAROLSMalvern Theatres & The Octagon, Yeovil Details to be announced
As we embark on a new journey and prepare to reintroduce our live concert series, we have put in place measures to ensure our ongoing commitment to the safety, comfort and wellbeing of our audiences, volunteers and performers following the first class standards of the music itself. We will create an environment for our audiences to relax, enjoy and appreciate live music and our number one priority is for our audiences to continue to enjoy such experiences safely. We plan to gradually reintroduce our live concerts with a series of shorter monthly programmes with no interval before slowly reintroducing our longer programmes. The audience capacity for these performances will be limited and on booking all audience members will be asked the size of their party so that they can be seated accordingly and can enjoy the performance together. We
have also recognised that flexibility in bookings is of the utmost importance and have therefore reviewed our ticket booking policies to offer the option to transfer or return tickets up to the day before the performance in order to dissipate any concerns and uncertainties surrounding changes of circumstances with immediate refunds if required. We are blessed with fantastic, spacious venues which allow us to practice social distancing with our audience and performers comfortably whilst continuing to enjoy the intimate atmosphere of a live performance. These venues also understand the importance on safety for all involved and have introduced rigorous cleaning procedures to further ensure guests are comfortable in their surroundings. We look forward to welcoming you back to our concerts soon.
OUR PLANS TO KEEP OUR AUDIENCES SAFE, RELAXED & COMFORTABLE
LATER THIS SEASONJAN - FEB 2021
PURCELL | DIDO & AENEASPERGOLESI | STABAT MATER
LATER THIS SEASONMAR - APR 2021
ST MATTHEW PASSION TOUR WITH IAN BOSTRIDGE
We are thrilled to announce the launch of our latest project, Unlocking Baroque
Memories, a series of live music therapy sessions, tailor-made for people living with
dementia and brought to you by our specialist musicians, in partnership with the
Alzheimer’s Society.
Singing improves our sense of happiness and wellbeing and has been proven to
be beneficial in helping people living with dementia to unlock their memories and
re-establish cognitive pathways. Armonico Consort has developed a unique new
project to provide high quality therapeutic music sessions, particularly focussing on
our wide range of repertoire.
These will be hour long interactive
singing sessions, led by our musicians,
which will be available to those living with
dementia and their carers. These sessions
will initially be delivered virtually to groups
of individuals in their own homes or those
in residential homes.
Music Releasing Memories for Those Living with Dementia
Unlocking Musical Memories
Supersize Polyphony, The Times
Naked Byrd, The Independent
www.armonico.org.uk Registered charity no. 1103159
AC Academy is generously supported by Phillips 66 and JET and endorsed by The Royal Albert Hall
For further information please contact us
by emailing [email protected]
or call 01926 800109 ext 7
ARMONICO RECORDINGSArmonico Consort and Baroque Players have
collaborated with some of the finest musicians
to produce world-class recordings, which have
gained widespread critical acclaim for their
innovative programmes and exceptional quality.
Our CDs are available to purchase at all major retailers
or by contacting: [email protected]
or 01926 800109 ext 4. Also available to download
from iTunes, Amazon, etc.
J. S. BACH, SOLO CANTATAS
DIDO & AENEASBEOWULF SUPERSIZE POLYPHONY
GREENSLEEVES ON CHRISTMAS NIGHT
LET THE BRIGHT SERAPHIM
NAKED BYRD
NAKED BYRD 2 REQUIEM THE FAIRY QUEEN DIXIT DOMINUS
HANDELIAN PYROTECHNICS
Preorder your CD online
using this link: https://forms.
gle/i7Phadjw9PsoPJMX6 or
contact Jen Cuthbertson on:
NEW RECORDINGWINTER 2020
We are especially grateful to the following Benefactors who have given most generously to support our work:
CORPORATE
SPONSORS
Phillips66 Limited
JET
Phillips and Becker
Accountancy Services
POWERbreathe
International Ltd
Rayburn Tours
Braunston Marina
Flint & Thompson
PATRONS
Mrs Juliet Amery
Mrs C Beecham
Mrs Pauline M Brace
Joseph Bradshaw
Helen Brittain
Mr David Burbidge
CBE
Mr Michael Burrows
Group Captain Peter
Butcher OBE
Nick and Katie
Chester
Mrs S Carr-Wu
Miss A M Cessford
Nick & Katie Chester
Mr Tim Coghlan
His Honour Richard
Cole DL
Mrs A Cook
Mr J Cook
Mrs J Cooke
Mr M J Cooke
Mr & Mrs D J
Couchman
Mrs Dawn Curtis
Mrs Gemma Davies
Mr Anthony E Davies
Mrs Veronica Eden
Mrs Hilary Eldridge
Mr & Mrs Faulds
Mr Tony Fitzpatrick &
Mrs Helen Fitzpatrick
Mrs D Fowler
Mr Hugh Furber
Pam & Roger Gadsby
Mr Malcolm Garner
Miss C Green
Mr Malcolm Harbour
CBE & Mrs Penny
Harbour
Dr Barbara A Harland
Mrs Maureen Harris
Rev Wendy Heaney
Monica Heath
Dr J Henderson
David & Sally Howells
Mr J S W Jeffery
Mr Andrew Lawton
Mrs S J Liggins
Miss Jennifer Lorch
Miss Ursula Lowe
Mr Robert
Macpherson
Mr & Mrs Meehan
Dr F C Millard
Mrs H Mills
Dr A Nicholls
Pam O’Brien
Mr D R Patterson
Mr Russell Payne
Ms Benedetta Polk
Barbara & Christopher
Purser
Professor Alan
Richens
Dr and Mrs C P
Rourke
Mr Jim Rowley
Mr David Sarginson
Dr Derek Smith
Katie Sylvester
Mrs Sidney Syson
Mr I M Taylor
Mr & Mrs C J Thorne
Mr & Mrs J & M
Thorne
Mrs Patricia Tomlinson
Mrs Tyrell
Mrs J Upward
Dr Louise Warburton
Mrs J Ward
Peter & Pat Wartnaby
Mr & Mrs J Wynn-
Evans
EDUCATION
PATRONS
& BENEFACTORS
Mrs Evelyn Berry
Mr Ben Burbidge
& Mrs Emma Burbidge
Roger Cadbury CBE
Mrs Sheila Cole
Mr David Kershaw
CBE JP
Mr Nigel May
Capt. Dermot Rhodes
Dr Paul Thandi CBE
DL & Mrs Nicki Thandi
Roger Wiglesworth
CONDUCTOR’S
CIRCLE
Mr and Mrs H S Brar
Mrs Hilary Eldridge
Mr Roger Medwell
MBE, DL & Mrs Patricia
Medwell
Mr John Osborn
Mr David Phillips MBE
& Mrs Robina Phillips
Mr Baljit & Mrs Jinny
Shergill
PRESIDENT’S
CIRCLE
Mr John Boyden
Sir Martin Dunne
KCVO
Mrs Margaret Eardley
Sir John & Lady Julia
Egan
Mr Jamie & Mrs Alison
Justham
Gerry & Jill Slora
CONTACT USARMONICO CONSORT LTD2 New Street, Warwick CV34 4RX
01926 800 [email protected]
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The information in this brochure
is correct at the time of going to
press. Armonico Consort reserves
the right to change programmes and
artists if necessary. In this eventuality,
tickets cannot be refunded.
Images
© Peter Marsh, Ashmore Visuals
© Simon J Price
© Steve Marshall
© The Real Music Video Company
