Free and open to all but do phone to book your place. In these lively debates, prominent and informed speakers argue their points of view on issues of current importance. They are ‘seconded’ by pupils from local schools, and audience members also have the opportunity to sway the opinion of those attending.
The motion: This House Believes that Gender Equality is Unachievable
Proposing: Ann Hussey, QC and barrister specialising in family law
Opposing: Vicky Pryce, economist and former joint head of the UK government economic service
Programme
Haydn: Piano Trio No.39 in G, Hob XV:25, ‘Gypsy’
Arensky: String Quartet No.2 in A minor Op.35
Dvorak: String Sextet in A, Op.48
Artists
Evgenia Epshtein, Benjamin Gilmore & Natalie Klouda – violin
Ruth Gibson & Alexandros Koustas – viola
Matthijs Broersma & Ashok Klouda – cello
Irina Botan – piano
the meritus collective
The Meritus Collective was established to bring together musicians of all instruments who shared a passion for chamber music and to provide platforms from which to perform. Members have trained at most of the major conservatoires in Britain and between them have performed as parts of chamber groups all around the world and for orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra and Royal Philharmonia Orchestra.
Meritus was the pseudonym of Felix Mendelssohn given to the young composer by Robert Schumann. It translates roughly as ‘happy through merit’ and is an inspiring and effective byword for this young and dynamic group of musicians who will be bringing a varied and exciting set of programmes to Lauderdale House over the coming year.
The Meritus Collective will perform a selection of works for flute, clarinet and string.
Programme details to be confirmed
Every second Saturday of the month we host our popular Saturdays at Six concert series. Programmes range from organ recitals to chamber groups to soloists and choirs. Concerts run from 6-7pm and there is a retiring collection.
Every second Saturday of the month we host our popular Saturdays at Six concert series. Programmes range from organ recitals to chamber groups to soloists and choirs. Concerts run from 6-7pm and there is a retiring collection.
A Pentecost performance of uplifting and (hopefully) sunlit sacred music on the Spanish Guitar.
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“A sequence of timeless emotions, such as awe, reverence, ecstasy, penitence, prayer, gratitude, rapture, worship, praise, ardour, resolve, Jonathan Byrd’s music presences us at the Holy Spirit’s descent as the disciples’ likely knew it”
Get into the Christmas spirit with an evening of sacred music, popular festive songs and traditional carols from acclaimed choir Voxcetera.
Enjoy beautiful choral works spanning 400 years, from anthems by Byrd and Praetorius to contemporary composers including John Rutter, Eric Whitacre, Morten Lauridsen and Cecilia McDowall. And there’ll be dazzling arrangements of popular songs and carols such as Winter Wonderland, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas and Ding Dong Merrily on High.
It isn’t Christmas without a Christmas concert – so why not start the season in beautiful surroundings with joyous, tranquil and uplifting music.
Voxcetera chamber choir sings Gabriel Fauré’s much-loved, moving masterpiece, with soloists Ellie and Jamie Sperling, accompanied by violin, cello, harp and organ.
The concert will also feature Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine; a selection from Gustav Holst’s Choral Hymns from the Rig Veda, a collection of ancient Indian sacred texts; and Henry Balfour Gardiner’s dramatic Evening Hymn.
And you’ll hear beautiful music from contemporary composers: the hypnotic Northern Lights by Ola Gjeilo; and Paul Aryes’ sun-drenched love song Quanto sei bella.
Voxcetera is a north London-based chamber choir, directed by its founding conductor Jane Hopkins. Recent activity includes concerts at St Martin-in-the-fields, East Finchley Arts Festival, overseas tours and recording work.
Voxcetera returns to the beautiful St Michael’s Church with two dazzling works for choir and strings, written nearly 300 years apart.
Vivaldi: Gloria
In a crowded field, little beats this for exuberant Baroque joy. Yet it is full of variety, from the slow and tender “Et in terra pax” to the effervescent “Domine, Fili unigenite”, the choir accompanied throughout by sprightly strings, oboe and trumpet.
Ola Gjeilo: Sunrise Mass
“Most of my favourite composers are film composers working in America today” says the New York-based Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo, and this thrilling mass pays tribute to the emotions, adrenaline and sense of wonder of film music. Scored for choir and strings and using traditional Latin texts, the 30-minute piece is strong on melody and rich in harmony, opening with gorgeous shimmering chords that emerge magically out of silence. It’s unmistakably modern, but it’s also in touch with early sacred music including Gregorian chant.
with:
Voxcetera chamber choir
Jane Hopkins, conductor
Ellie Sperling & Bethany Partridge, soloists
String orchestra, oboe, trumpet, organ
Voxcetera is a chamber choir celebrating sacred and secular music from medieval times to the present day under the direction of its founding conductor Jane Hopkins. The choir’s achievements include its popular Christmas concerts; performances with chamber ensembles of Fauré’s Requiem, Saint-Saëns’ Requiem and Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem, at St Michael’s Highgate; tours to Germany and Ireland; performances at St Martin-in-the-Fields, St. John Smith Square, St. Stephen Walbrook and East Finchley Arts Festival; appearances at the Science Museum, British Library and the Southbank Centre; and a variety of recording work.