Act Now!
Tickets for Four Seasons Plus, the first concert of the 2024 season, are selling fast so if you are a lover of Baroque music or if you particularly want to hear Braimah Kanneh-Mason play, you’ll need to book soon https://thelittleboxoffice.com/whittingtonmusicfestival/
However, more tickets are available for the other concerts. Braimah will also be playing in the Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon concerts and may well be coaching in the masterclass/workshop alongside guest artists Zoe Rahman and Rowland Sutherland.
We hope you will come and enjoy the delightful music, and the sparkling performances which the Whittington meeting of youth and experience offers.
Plus ça change
We are delighted to welcome the talented young cellist Shakira Segalla-Humbert who originally came to Artistic Director Sophia Rahman’s attention through a rare recommendation from our Honorary Patron Steven Isserlis. Sophia has been mentoring Shakira who will be joining us in three festival concerts, notably in piano trios by Clara Schumann (Friday 17th May) and Beethoven. In a slight change of running order the so-called ‘Ghost’ Trio of Beethoven will begin the evening concert on Saturday 18th May. This wonderful work was unforgettably performed in 1970 by the young super-talented cellist Jacqueline du Pré with Daniel Barenboim, piano and Pinchas Zukerman, violin.
You can watch it again here https://youtu.be/ReZeyI8Z5wk?si=PX0gie_lhMLQ8AmO
Drivers needed
Are you interested in helping the festival, getting to know the musicians behind the scenes and catching snippets of the music in rehearsal? We are still in need of volunteers to help transport musicians between Whittington and Bronygarth and back for rehearsals and concerts. In due course you will be able to select online the journeys that are convenient for you, but for now please register your interest by emailing rob@whittingtonmusicfestival.org.uk
Cancellation
The Scholars and Gentlemen fundraising concert scheduled for Saturday March 23rd has had to be cancelled because illness has interfered with rehearsals. The choir will now sing on our behalf later in the year, still at Whittington Church.
Fun fact
Sophia Rahman started her career playing for the cello class of William Pleeth, who was the teacher of Jacqueline du Pré, at the Britten Pears School in Snape Maltings, Suffolk. In Whittington, Sophia passes on the expertise she gained then to a new generation.