Oundle Music Trust receives lifeline grant from the Government's £1.57bn Cultural Recovery Fund
We were delighted to we have been awarded a Cultural Recovery Fund grant of £58,823 to help us face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. This award is a testament to the hard work of our small team and to our importance as a cultural hub within Oundle and the greater East Midlands area. It will enable us to proceed with planning future events as we hopefully emerge from the current crisis. |
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Oundle International Virtual Festival
While we were not able to meet together this year in real space and time, that does not stop us being in virtual space and time to enjoy the 2020 Oundle International Virtual Festival! New material was posted over five days but now all the videos remain on this web page for you to enjoy again and again. |
The Price of a Bed for the Night
Storytelling with music by Jo Blake and Rimski & Handkerchief.
The Price of a Bed for the Night What is a story worth? When you’re down on your luck and all spent out, a story or a song might be all you have... but it is worth its weight in gold. And, as one traveller finds out, to have no story to tell can lead to a night spent out in the cold! Come join us as we wander into the strange world of folk and fairytale, where, under the light of the moon and in the flicker of the firelight, not everything is as it seems. As you listen, fill your pockets with stories... you never know when you might need one. Each day a new episode of a continuing story, and an activity to try at home! Suitable for family audiences, 5+ |
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Schubert/Liszt: Ständchen (Serenade) - Melvyn Tan piano
Recorded in the Great Hall of Boughton House, Northamptonshire, Schubert’s Ständchen (Serenade) as arranged by that piano prodigy, Franz Liszt. Liszt could not resist arranging wonderful Schubert songs so that he himself could play them on the piano alone so no-one else got the limelight. The Serenade has three verses and for each verse, Liszt uses a different register of the piano. |
Oundle and area Virtual Open Gardens
A video montage of photos provided by those who would have opened their gardens during the Oundle International Festival 2020's Oundle on Show weekend, and those of some other friends. The images are accompanied by two of The Orgelbüchlein Project pieces, based on chorale melodies, and played by William Whitehead on the organ of Lincoln's Inn, London. |
Ich weiss ein Blümlein hübsch und fein I know of a little flower, fine and pretty, Which I love beyond all measure. I keep it in my heart of hearts, That little flower, best of all blooms. |
Nun ruhen alle Wälder Now all the woods are sleeping, And night and stillness creeping O'er city, man, and beast; But thou, my heart, awake thee, To pray'r awhile betake thee, And praise thy Maker ere thou rest. |
Beethoven Spring Sonata 1st movement
Ayana Shah violin - Emily Smith piano
Ayana says: "I was shocked and extremely grateful when I won the Oundle Young Musician 2019 title at the age of 15. Having competed for many years in the Oundle Festival of Music and Drama, winning the competition seemed very surreal but once again, I was amazed at the excellent standard of the other fantastic musicians. |
Glinka The Lark transcribed Balakirev
Elizabeth Bass harp
The Lark was originally one of a group of twelve songs by Russian composer Mikhail Glinka entitled Farewell to St Petersburg. Mily Balakirev was inspired to start composing by Glinka and his transcription of The Lark succeeds in retaining the beautiful melody while dazzling us with its virtuosity. |
William Byrd A Fancie for my My Ladye Nevell
J S Bach Brandenburg Concerto No 5 1st movement
Guy Whatley organ/harpsichord
William Byrd was an English composer of the Renaissance. He wrote in many of the forms current in England at the time, including various types of sacred and secular polyphony, keyboard (the so-called Virginalist school), and consort music. The Fancie is one of the 42 pieces in My Ladye Nevells Booke which, together with the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, is one of the most important collections of Renaissance keyboard music. Johann Sebastian Bach wrote Six Brandenburg Concertos which he presented to Christian Ludwig, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedtin 1721. They are widely regarded as some of the best orchestral compositions of the Baroque era. The most important thing to note about the No 5 is that this was the first time ever that the harpsichord had been used in a concerto for anything other than the continuo. Recently acclaimed by the Arizona Daily Star as “a rock star on the harpsichord,” Guy Whatley enjoys a diverse international career as a harpsichordist and organist, performing as a soloist, collaborative artist, and ensemble director. Had we been able to go ahead this year, he would have been a tutor on our Oundle for Organists course. |
bluebells / raindrops
Nick Penny harp
Of his compositions, local Oundle musician Nick Penny says: " On 21 April 2020 lockdown was preventing me visiting the local bluebell woods I loved. I longed to go up there, but then realised that there were a few bluebells growing at the bottom of my garden. So I played my handpan piece near those instead. My conservatory has a lovely warm acoustic, and when I was playing my harp there one day it started raining. The sound of the rain falling gently on the roof inspired me to write this piece, which I called raindrops. One April morning during lockdown the rain once again inspired me to put the two sounds together." |
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Beethoven Moonlight Sonata 1st movement
Xiaowen Shang piano
Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 14 in C♯ minor "Quasi una fantasia", Op. 27, No. 2 is popularly known as the Moonlight Sonata. It was completed in 1801 and dedicated in 1802 to his pupil, Countess Giulietta Guicciardi. It is one of Beethoven's most popular compositions for the piano, and a popular favourite even in his own day. The name Moonlight Sonata comes from remarks made by the German music critic and poet Ludwig Rellstab. In 1832, five years after Beetho-ven's death, Rellstab likened the effect of the first movement to that of moonlight shining upon Lake Lucerne. |
Budapest Café Orchestra
The BCO was established by British composer and violinist Christian Garrick in 2009. Led by Christian, they play a blistering barrage of traditional folk and gypsy-flavoured music from across the Balkans and Russia, Klezmer laments, Romanian Doinas, Hungarian Czardas and their own unique re-imaginings of some of the biggest pieces ever written by the greats. Christian Garrick violin, darbuka |
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A Virtual Bach Walk
Anna Chalmers cello
Anna Chalmers plays each movement of Bach's First Cello Suite in G major, BWV 1007, at different church in the Oundle area. The Prelude, mainly consisting of arpeggiated chords, is the best known movement from the entire set of six suites and is regularly heard on television and in films. |
Three Schubert Songs
Magnus Walker tenor Frikki Walker piano
Tenor, Magnus Walker, currently in his third year at the Royal Academy of Music, sings Frühlingsglaube (Faith in Spring), Lachen und Weinen (Laughter and tears) and An die Musik (To music), accompanied by his father Frikki Walker. Recorded during Lockdown in St Mary's Cathedral, Glasgow where Frikki Walker is Director of Music. |
Frühlingsglaube (Faith in Spring) Balmy breezes are awakened, They whisper and move day and night, And everywhere creative. O fresh scent, o new sound! Now, poor heart, don't be afraid. Now all, all must change. With each day the world grows fairer, One cannot know what is still to come, The flowering refuses to cease. Even the deepest, most distant valley is in flower. Now, poor heart, forget your torment. Now all, all must change. |
Lachen und Weinen (Laughter and Tears) Laughter and tears at any hour rest on Love in so many ways. In the morning I laugh for joy, and why I now weep in the evening glow, is something unknown to me. Tears and laughter at any hour rest on Love in so many ways. In the evening I weep for sorrow; and why you can awake in the morning with laughter, I must ask you, o my heart! |
An die Musik (To Music) You, lovely art, in how many gloomy hours, of experiencing the turmoil of life, have you ignited love in my heart and transported me to a better world? Often a sigh from your harp - a sweet and holy chord from you - opened the heaven of better times. You lovely art, I thank you for it! |
J.S. Bach - Toccata in F Major, BWV 540
Anna Lapwood organ
Recorded on the organ of Queen's College Chapel, Cambridge by Anna Lapwood, who would have been a tutor on the Oundle for Organists course this year. She is Director of Music at Pembroke College, Cambridge, and was previously the first female organ scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford. A trailblazing musician, as a broadcaster she is regular contributor to BBC Radio 3 and hosts a live, weekly classical music show on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. This year she made her TV presenting debut, hosting BBC Four's coverage of BBC Young Musician 2020. Alongside her work as a conductor, Director of Music and public speaker, she performs an extensive number of organ recitals on some of the greatest instruments across Europe each season. |
Ferris & Milnes - The Kings of West End Cabaret
In an amazing mash-up tour de force, Dominic Ferris and Martin Milnes perform all the West End Musicals and Broadway shows at West End LIVE 2019 in Trafalgar Square, London
Dominic Ferris and Martin Milnes performed their debut show in 2015. Later that year they premiered their original medley 33 Sondheim Numbers In 5 Minutes at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in Stephen Sondheim’s 85th Birthday Gala Hey, Old Friends! They have made a special appearance in Live At The Tower! at The Tower of London, and performed four years consecutively at West End LIVE in Trafalgar Square. |
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Quartet No. 1 in G Minor K478 3rd movement
Kenley Quartet:
Joana Praça violin James Flannery viola
Benedict Swindells cello Ivelina Krasteva piano
Mozart received a commission for three quartets in 1785 from the publisher Franz Anton Hoffmeister who thought this quartet too difficult for amateurs and that the public would not buy it, so he released Mozart from the obligation of completing the set. Surprising to us now, that assessment accords with a view widely held of Mozart in his own lifetime, that of a greatly talented composer who wrote very difficult music. Almost a mini-piano concerto, the third movement of this quartet is utterly joyous and it is hard not to smile. The members of the Kenley Quartet all study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where they created their ensemble. It is made up of two players who began their musical journey locally to Oundle with the others from Portugal and Bulgaria. Last year the Quartet were fortunate enough to collaborate with Carnegie Halls affiliate ensemble, the Decoda Ensemble from New York. |
Mike Evin
Have I ever loved?
A Virtual Festival bonus track! Always good to discover something new. This was suggested by our friends at the Nene Valley Brewery and Tap & Kitchen, where Mike Evin appeared last year. |
About us
For over 35 years, we have provided entertaining and enriching music concerts, theatrical performances and community events which include:
- Oundle International Festival - an annual arts festival which incorporates music, theatre, film and Party at the Wharf.
- Oundle Food Festival
- Oundle Cinema
- Oundle for Organists courses
We have now closed our New Street office but you can still contact us via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.It is our intention to begin afresh, if possible, in 2021.
You can also follow us on our Facebook pages: OundleInternationalFestival / OundleforOrganists
Thank you for your support.