Concerts at All Saints

Regular Concerts

We run a weekly Wednesday lunch time series Soundbites (details below) ourselves. Our church is also used regularly for concerts by other organisations such as Hertford Choral Society, Hertford Symphony Orchestra, Rock Choir, London Film Music Orchestra and Hertfordshire Festival of Music

 


News Updates



Hertford Choral Society
23rd March 19:30

HCS poster

Hertford Choral Society present George Frideric Handel’s dramatic oratorio Saul, which will be performed with a period orchestra and professional soloists, on Saturday 23 March, 7:30pm - 9:45pm at All Saints Church, Hertford (SG13 8AE).

Saul tells the Bible story of King Saul, the first King of Israel, and his ultimately destructive jealousy of his successor David. It’s a fascinatingly dramatic and unusual work, full of the base human emotions of revenge, glory, love, lust and power. Young David, having beaten Goliath, comes back to the court of Saul who is his King and Master. Saul who has loved and adored him suddenly turns very jealous. Saul’s children are involved in the story - one of his daughters loves David, the other one hates him. Saul’s son Jonathan is caught in the middle between his loyalty for his father and his friendship with David.

Saul: Adam Maxey
Mehrab: Kirsty O'Neill
Michal: Danni O'Neill
Jonathan: Joseph Taylor
David: Nathan Mercieca
Saturn Ensemblists

Directed by Manvinder Rattan

Tickets: £16 reserved, £12 unreserved, £4 children/students under 25.

Email: tickets@hertfordchoral.org.uk
Online: Ticket Sorce (booking fee applies)
In person: unreserved tickets from Hertford Town & Tourist Information Centre, 10-12 The Wash, Hertford SG14 1PX, Tel: 01992 584322


.

Soundbites

Wednesday Lunchtime Concerts

Mar 24 Soundbites Poster

Soundbites, as its name suggests, combines a selection of soups, rolls, sandwiches, cakes and hot drinks available from 12:00 with a short (35-45 mins), unticketed, admission free concert at 1:00 pm.

Due to the impact on our finances of the pandemic, and the healthy state of our Music Development Fund, proceeds are being used to support the work of the church for the moment. Concert series dates normally match school term-times.

Our Spring Season begins on Wednesday 17th January and runs until 20th March.

Details of the first half of the season are given below, starting with a double-header 'Viennese New Year Celebration'.

Spring Season 2024

Jan 17th
Alexander Ardakov
Piano
Beethoven Piano Sonata No 5 in C minor and Piano Sonata No 23 in F Minor "Appassionata".

A graduate of the Moscow Conservatoire and a prizewinner at the Viotti International competition in Italy, Alexander Ardakov has been living in England where in addition to his performing career throughout the world he is a Professor of Piano at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance. The move to Britain and to Trinity where he teaches since 1991 has enabled him to develop as an international recitalist of exceptional versatility and musical integrity. Among his notable radio recordings are those for BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM. He feels at home not only with the Russian classics but also with the composers of the romantic period such as Chopin, Liszt and Schumann.

Indeed, Alexander’s audiences are never left indifferent, they are swept up in the sensitivity, intensity and passion of his playing that takes them on a journey from the most tender and intimate perceptions to the dramatic peaks of life’s greatest moments. Each meeting with him is a virtuoso performance that leaves the hearer emotionally sated yet still thirsty for more.

Alexander’s extensive discography includes Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Alexander Gibson. Further CD recordings are planned.

 
Jan 24th
English Piano Trio
Haydn Piano Trio in F# Minor, Beethoven Piano Trio in B♭ Major "Archduke"

The English Piano Trio now celebrates over 30 years together. The Trio has performed regularly at major London venues, and toured abroad. The Trio has presented complete Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven programmes at London’s South Bank.

 
Jan 31st
Beth Spendlove
Ian Ray
ViolinPiano
Dvorak Humoresque, Dvorak Sonatina, Smetana Aus der Heimat, Bartok Six Rumanian Folk Dances.
Beth's career as a soloist has taken her to the Purcell Room, Royal Festival Hall, the Royal Albert and Wigmore Halls and alongside performing much of the major violin concerto repertoire, Beth has collaborated with Contemporary composers and been the dedicatee of several new pieces, giving performances at the Kodály Society and for Brighton New Music. As a recitalist Beth has explored her passion for Chamber Music with the Kingfisher Ensemble, which she established in 1991. Beth led both the East of England Orchestra and the Colchester Symphony Orchestra for several years, and alongside freelance playing at St John's Smith Square, she also directed the Colchester Sinfonietta.
 
Feb 7th
Emma Dogliani
Francis Rayner
SopranoPiano
Schumann Frauen-Liebe und Leben (A Woman's Love and Life) and Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood) Op. 15.

Emma and Francis return to Soundbites to perform two important works by Robert Schumann, interspersed with piano Intermezzi from Op.117 by Brahms and songs by Richard Strauss and Ivor Gurney.

Emma studied Bel Canto singing with Dame Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge at the Britten Pears School, Aldeburgh. She made her solo debut with the Royal Opera as Second Flowermaiden in Parsifal with Placido Domingo, at the Royal Festival Hall and in Rome.

Concert work includes concert tours in Spain with the English Chamber Orchestra and La Serenissima, and an extensive range of Oratorio performances and Recitals throughout the United Kingdom.

Francis has won major prizes throughout Europe, including the Alessandro Casagrande competition in Terni and the Claude Debussy competition in Paris, with broadcasts on Italian TV, French radio and the BBC.

 
Feb 14th
Netty Rhodes
Paul Burrell
RecorderPiano

‘The Faithful Music Master’

Music by Telemann, Paul Burrell, Jacob van Eyck, Jeffery Wilson & Hans-Martin Linde.

In 2005 Netty she was awarded a Masters Degree from the Royal College of Music, where she studied recorder with Ashley Solomon (early music), and Julien Feltrin (contemporary). She is especially excited to premiere the beautiful new Sonata for Recorder and Piano by Paul J Burrell, in this concert, accompanied by the composer at the piano.

In 1975 Paul won the ‘Opportunity Knocks’ North West of England Final with an original jazz piano composition ‘Breeze’. At university he gained a love of writing for voice from Professor William Mathias and has had many works performed in British Cathedrals, including Westminster Abbey.

 
Feb 21st
Nicola Tait Baxter
Mina Milétic
CelloPiano

Dvorak's complete works for 'Cello & Piano

Slavonic Dances Op. 46 nos 3 & 8
Songs My Mother Taught Me Op. 55/4
Polonaise in A Op. posth.
Silent Woods Op. 68
Rondo in G minor Op. 94
 
28th Feb
Jonathan Lilley
Organ
Director of Music and Organist at Waltham Abbey Church

Jonathan trained at the Royal Academy of Music, gaining FRCO diploma as a first-year with subsequent diplomas in choral conducting, piano and singing. He went on to Assistant Organist posts at Leeds Minster and then Ely Cathedral.

 
6th March
Chamber Choir 'Cantores' and Music Scholars from St Edmunds College
Musical Director- Andrew O'Brien

Music by Faure, Handel, Howells and Rutter

 
13th March
Jeanne Mann
Tim Egan
Christopher Benham
ViolinHornPiano

A programme devoted to the music of Johannes Brahms.

His Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78, "Regensonate" was dedicated to his close friend, the renowned violinist Joseph Joachim. He had previously composed five violin sonatas, but he discarded them, preserving only the one he deemed worthy. The G major Sonata shares the lyrical effusiveness found in the monumental Violin Concerto, emphasizing the violin’s expressive qualities.

The Horn Trio in E♭ major, Op. 40, was written for natural horn, violin, and piano. Composed in 1865, the work commemorates the death of Brahms's mother, Christiane, earlier that year

 
20th March
Ebsworth Trio
Sue Gill
Maria Prowse
Mark Fielding
ClarinetViolaPiano
Music by Reinecke

 

We look forward to welcoming you to one or more of these concerts

Return to previous page

How to find us

Directions and maps

Information for Hirers

Our Hall may have just the slot you need. For further information and/or to make a booking visit the dedicated website at https://www.stjohnshallhertford.org/.

To book the church contact the Parish Adminstrator: office@allsaintshertford.org

Can't find something?

Please email us office@allsaintshertford.org (office hours are 14-16 Thurs and Sat) or contact our Churchwardens wardens@allsaintshertford.org.