Past events - 2020 - 2021


'Music at Lunchtime' events at the New Guesten Hall, Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings - all presented as part of Bromsgrove Festival 2021

Wed 30 Jun 2021	'Quirkish Delight' - Actor/singer and pianist Michael Lunts - Returning for his sixth time - always to full audiences - Michael serves up a confection of deliciously-witty comedy songs for your delectation. The entertainment is timeless, quintessential musical cabaret, drawing on the very finest comedy songs in the English language, from both sides of the Atlantic, from Tom Lehrer to Noël Coward, Cole Porter to Flanders and Swann. To mark VE Day, Michael will include some of the comedy songs made famous by members of ENSA, the wartime entertainment troupe, who spent the war 'fighting for a laugh', while keeping up the spirits of a country fighting for its survival. Michael Lunts' website
Wed 7 Jul 2021	'Hush!' - Papagena - We are privileged to be able to present the five world-class, stunning voices of Papagena. They have been live on BBC Radio 3 and guests on BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour. They have performed to full audiences across the country and at The Three Choirs Festival in 2019. These five voices deserve a full audience again at Festive Classics, as they had such rapturous appreciation on the last two occasions. Even if you think this is not quite your style of music, you cannot avoid being in awe of the flawless perfection of their sound - without props, microphones, fuss or gimmicks. Papagena's website
Wed 14 Jul 2021	'The Romantic Era' - The Orchestra of St John Trio - Alastair Moseley (piano), Charlotte Moseley (violin) and Tim Stidwill (horn) will perform various works from the romantic repertoire. The concert will start with two Elgar violin solos, and continue with the Franz Strauss Fantasy on waltzes by Schubert - a horn solo with lovely rubato passages, technical difficulties and a dramatic end. These will be followed by Wieniawski's technically-challenging Scherzo Tarantelle for violin. The concert will end with the wonderful Brahms Horn Trio, full of passion and outbursts of drama. Orchestra of St John's website This concert generously supported by Margaret Goode
Wed 21 Jul 2021	'Bach to Bernstein' - Sennet Brass Ensemble - You will go on a musical journey through three centuries. Arriving to the sounds of Bach, and with the help of hosepipes and a hand horn, you will be taken on a light-hearted trip through the history of western music with works by Vivaldi, Mozart, Elgar and Bernstein. The members of Sennet Brass have worked together since the ensemble's formation in 2002, enjoying their longstanding friendships and the opportunities to present high-quality performances. As freelance musicians, they have performed with many UK-based orchestras, including the CBSO, Philharmonia, Orchestra of the Swan and the English Symphony Orchestra. Members can also be found hidden in theatre pits performing in shows, musicals and in pantomime at many venues around the Midlands. Sennet Brass Ensemble's website

Festive Classics gratefully achnowledges the generous support from the
Bromsgrove Institute Trust for this lunchtime series.