EVENTS
Dates For Your Diary
We can only put on concerts with the help and support of our sponsors.
If anyone would like to help support future events or knows of any businesses or local contacts who might be willing to support in either small or big ways then please contact Tim Monckton.
Previous Events
Bukolika for Tenterden
Christmas Edition
Please click on the link below to see and hear our special Christmas Greetings from our favourite trio recorded especially for FOSM by
The Bukolika Piano Trio
Here's hoping for a return to live FOSM performances in 2021 and the chance to welcome back
Anna Szalucka, Joanna Gutowska and Gabriela Opacka!
Wishing everybody good health and the best of the season in spite of all the restrictions!
Music to One's Ears!
The Friends of St Mildred’s are delighted to unveil another recording by our two star Polish musicians Anna Szalucka (piano) and Joanna Gutowska (cello) who have so generously shared their time and talent with us over the months of Lockdown. Here they perform two beautiful pieces by Gabriel Fauré and Camille Saint-Saens: (please click the link below)
If you wish to make a financial donation to support our two musicians in making their new CD, you can do so by visiting this link:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/bukolika-piano-trio-debut-cd
Similarly, any financial donations you wish to make to FOSM will be gratefully received by payment into the FOSM account:
Friends of St Mildred’s Tenterden.
Sort code 60 21 20.
Account number 53778723
(mark donation as SZALUCKA).
Music for Tenterden in Lockdown 2020
CDs available for sale, see below...........
We are happy to announce that we do have a fundraising event planned, albeit a 'virtual' one! As you may remember we were treated to some videos of performances by Anna Szalucka and Joanna Gutowska earlier this summer and we are excited to offer a CD available for you to purchase. Please read on for details.....
Copies of the CD Music for Tenterden in Lockdown 2020, made especially for the congregation and Friends of St Mildred’s by Anna Szalucka and Joanna Gutowska are now available. The CD contains the four recitals and personal messages recorded for us by Anna and Joanna earlier this year in their own homes in Gdansk (Poland) and St Albans (England). The elegiac, tender and technically superb recitals include works by Bach, Bridge, Boccherini, Chopin, Debussy, Popper and Vivaldi.
If you would like to purchase this CD please contact the FOSM Treasurer Malcom Kneller, 14 Eastwell Meadows, Tenterden, TN30 6QR indicating the number of copies you wish to receive, and he will arrange for delivery to your home. Malcolm can also be contacted by email fosmtrea@gmail.com or phone: 07760 161536.
The price of each CD is £10.
Payment can be made directly into the FOSM bank account as follows:
Name of Account: FRIENDS OF ST. MILDRED’S TENTERDEN
Sort code 60.21.20
Account number 53778723.
Or alternatively please send Malcolm a cheque made out to ‘Friends of St Mildred’s’ at the above address.
Best wishes,
Jeremy Cooper (on behalf of the Committee of the Friends of St Mildred’s Church).
Special Online Performances
Act 4: Anna Szalucka & Joanna Gutowska
The fifth in our series of specially commissioned short recitals for the Friends of St. Mildred's has just arrived.
We are delighted that Anna Szalucka and Joanna Gutowska have teamed up in lockdown and are performing a duet of some specially chosen chamber music for us. For this performance Anna is playing her piano in her living room in Gdansk and Joanna is in her home in St. Albans. They will perform for us Frank Bridge's 'Bird Song' and David Popper's 'Once Upon Beautiful days'.
We are looking forward to the day when we can welcome them both back to St. Mildred's when the Bulolika Trio can return in the flesh. But, in the meantime why don't you buy the CD - see above.
Special Online Performances
Act 3: Jehuda Inbar
The fourth in our series of specially commissioned short recitals for the Friends of St Mildred’s has just arrived.
Yehuda Inbar, who gave an inspiring performance of works by Schubert, and Brahms at St Mildred’s in February 2019 February returns (virtually) to Tenterden from his flat in Berlin with a gentle and poignant recital of works by Couperin and Liszt.
You may be interested in acquiring Yehuda’s CD of Schubert Unfinished Sonatas released earlier this year with with Oehms Classics.
We are hoping to welcome Yehuda back to Tenterden in due course with the Tel Aviv Wind Quintet.
Special On Line Performances
Act II
We are delighted to inform you that the third video in the specially commissioned series of short recitals for the Friends of St Mildred’s has arrived. It consists of two spellbinding pieces for cello by JS Bach and Luigi Boccherini, performed once again by Joanna Gutowska.
Last autumn the Friends had the privilege of attending a concert given by the brilliant Bukolika Piano Trio, which included cellist
Joanna Gutowska and pianist Anna Szalucka. Both these young women are performers of extraordinary talent with glittering careers ahead of them. We are therefore delighted that they willingly agreed to make these two special video recordings exclusively for their friends in Tenterden. Please do enjoy them and watch this space, as there will be more to follow.
For more information about the trio go to
Joanna Gutowska Anna Szalucka
Message and Piano Message and Cello
The Bukolika Piano Trio is an ensemble recognized for their intensely expressive music making, personal character of playing and exceptional virtuosity. Established in 2014 trio is particularly interested in discovering and performing chamber works of the 20th and 21st century, especially from their native Poland. The Bukolika Piano Trio has been selected for St John's Smith Square Young Artists Scheme 2017/2018, the Ex-Animo Mentorship Scheme as well as the A.S.S.E.T scheme at The Royal Academy of Music in 2018. In the previous year they were also finalists at St-Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Music Competition 2017.
The Bukolika Trio has performed in many renowned concert halls in Europe and the UK such as Wigmore Hall, St John’s Smith Square, St-Martin-in-the-Fields, Great Hall Dartington, St James’s Piccadilly Church as well as at important festivals including the Piano Festival and Russian Chamber Music Series at the Royal Academy of Music, Musical Autumn in Krakow (Poland) and Dartington Summer School&Festival. In June 2017 they made their debut on BBC Radio 3.
Click here for more information about the trio: http://bukolikapianotrio.eu/?page_id=79
Sunday 16th June 2019: Members Summer Party:
Was held at Heronden, Tenterden by kind permission of Peter and Vicky Costain.
Saturday 25th May at 7pm: Electric Horn Society
In conjunction with the Spring Flower Festival at St Mildred's, the Electric Horn Society will perform an evening concert on Saturday 25th May at 7pm in aid of The Friends if St Mildred's. Tickets are £10 (Adults and Students).
Electric Horn Society is a four piece electro pop band with a big twist of soul. They play a popular mix of some of the world's biggest hits. Many of the songs they perform have been covered numerous times (e.g. Don’t Leave Me this Way and Make Your Own Kind of Music.) - they try to take the best features from each version.
Kate Robertson (saxophone and flute), Mike Kent-Davies (trombone and keyboard) and Paul Gardiner (trumpet) met playing jazz horns in local bands - the jazz influence can be heard in the improvised solos which feature in their performances (for example in the cover of ELP’s version of Fanfare for the Common Man). Lead singer Abby Page has a voice versatile in style and huge in range - she has worked on classical projects with Mike before being involved with Electric Horn Society.
At an Electric Horn Society performance you can expect to hear huge hits from artists ranging from Beyonce to Abba and Aretha Franklin. The first set will typically have a big portion of Soul and Motown, gradually moving towards big classic pop numbers in the second set.
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Jehuda Inbar
Saturday 16th February 2019 at 3pm:
St Mildred's Church, Tenterden
Afternoon recital of piano music from the romantic era.
After a wonderful concert given by the London Adventists in December the Friends were pleased to have arranged for Yehuda Inbar to give an afternoon recital of piano music from the Romantic Era. Click here to go to our Gallery for photographs.
YEHUDA INBAR is a brilliant young Israeli pianist, currently studying at the Royal Academy of Music in London. In March 2016 he made his playing-directing debut in St. Martin in the Fields with the Brandenburg Sinfonia. He has also played with the Haifa Symphony Orchestra and will shortly be making his Wigmore Hall solo debut. A multiple award winner whose playing was recently broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 Yehuda is currently working on a long term project performing the entire canon of Schubert piano sonatas.
Yehuda's recital in Tenterden included Schubert’s Four Impromptus, Schubert's Piano Sonata No. 18 in G Major Op. 78, D. 894 (‘Fantasie’) and Brahms Opus 19.
The concert was on Saturday 16th February in St Mildred's Church and commenced at 3pm. Doors were open as from 2.15pm.
Refreshments were available during the interval.
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Saturday 8th December 2018: London Adventist Chorale
Start time: 7.00pm
Doors Open: 6.15pm
By popular demand this choir returned to St Mildred’s in December 2018 with their newly arranged Christmas programme of music. It was a wonderful performance and was a special way to begin December.
Click here to go to the Gallery to see photos
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Saturday 14th July 2018:
Kent Police Choir
Ever popular the Kent Police choir thrilled us with talents not immediately evident in our local “Bobbies”.
Click here to view their website.
Tickets £12.50
Start time: 7.30pm
Doors Open: 6.45pm
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Saturday May 5th at 11am in St Mildred's church:
Magic Family Concert: Primrose Quartet
Fun for all the family with Witches, Wizards and Fairies
Included The Sugar Plum Fairy, Saint-Saëns Danse Macabre, Ravel Mother Goose, Harry Potter and much more.
All were invited to come in fancy dress and bring a bear for protection.
Doors opened and refreshments were available from 10:30 am.
Tickets: £10 adult children free
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Saturday May 5th at 7.30pm: Primrose Piano Quartet at St Mildred’s
Primrose Piano Quartet and guest Leon Bosch
Hear them live on Radio3 and hear them play Brahms here
Viennese Classics by Candlelight
Mozart Piano Quartet in G minor, K.478
Beethoven String Trio Op.9 No.2 in D Major
Schubert Piano Quintet in A major D667, “The Trout”
Doors open: 7pm
Tickets: £17.50 adult £5 student
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Saturday 24th February 2018 at 7.30pm
in St. Mildred's Church, Tenterden
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
Tenterden and St Mildred’s welcomed back the Merry Opera with their exciting production of The Marriage of Figaro on Saturday 24th February 2018, at 7:30 pm. A cast of 12 professional singers enchanted us with the lovely music of Mozart’s famous, and our favourite opera.
First performed in 1786 the themes of the opera are of young love struggling to afford their own home, a wealthy older man who is a bit too familiar with women, a marriage with problems, and a delightful piece of transgender slapstick. Do not call this opera old fashioned. Coupled with the musical genius of Mozart we enjoyed an evening to warm the coldest February. Oh, and love won through the struggles of all to give the characters and the audience the very happiest of evenings.
Tickets £17.50
Students £5.00
from: Webb’s Irongmongery,
High Street, Tenterden
or: at the door on the night
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Tea Concert: A Piano Recital by Dame Jane Whiteley
Saturday 4th November 2017
3pm
St Mildred's Church
Dame Jane Whiteley kindly gave a recital to raise money towards the repairs of St Mildred’s Church. It was a private concert for The Friends, all Jane’s many friends, and indeed anyone who enjoyed an afternoon of beautiful music. Tea and cakes were available for all.
Dame Jane Whiteley
Jane Whiteley has played the piano, including jazz and dance music by ear, compulsively since an early age. She is also an organist.
Jane started playing the piano more seriously when her late husband became an MP in 1974 as the perfect antidote to politics. She studied for five years with the international pianist Albert Ferber, until his death in 1987.
She has given many recitals in aid of charity in a variety of venues including Leighton House, All Souls Fulham, Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland, The Towner Art Gallery and the Grand Hotel Eastbourne and private houses, Glynde Place and Squerryes, Westerham.
The Friends were delighted to bring you this recital to raise money for the repair and maintenance of the Grade I listed Church which stands proudly in the centre of Tenterden.
We welcomed guests to tea, coffee and cakes at this performance
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Annual General Meeting: Friday 13th October 2017
7.30pm
St Mildred's Church
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Autumn Concert: Vivamus at St Mildred's
16 September 2017
The highly praised London choir Vivamus came to St Mildred's on 16 September for a concert sponsored by Dandara New Homes.
The concert included a wide ranging musical styles with a movement from a Mozart symphony sung rather than played plus pieces by Eric Whitacre, Morten Lauridsen, Vaughan Williams, John Rutter and George Gershwin. This talented choir has regularly sung at St Martin’s in the Fields and other major London venues as well as recently singing at York Minster, Selby Abbey and Southwark Cathedral. Having heard them sing they were definitely not a choir to be missed.
The concert was generously sponsored by Dandara New homes who are providing new homes in Tenterden on the Church View development behind Tenterden Leisure Centre. With fine views of St Mildred’s tower from the new houses, Dandara wanted to support this important historic landmark and the local community by helping the Friends of St Mildred's to bring high quality performers to the town.
Vivamus at St Mildred's
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Summer Drinks Party: Sunday 9th July 2017
The Trustees and Committee of The Friends of St Mildred's hosted a Summer Drinks party on Sunday 9th July from 6pm - 8pm at Ingleden Barn, Swain Road, TN30 6SL.
For photos please click here for the Gallery.
Drinks and Canapés. Donations Welcome
Dress: casual
RSVP
friendsofstmildreds@gmail.com
Note: We will be happy to organise a lift. Please let us know when you RSVP.
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Spring Festival - 6 & 7 May 2017
Viennese Classics
By Candlelight
A large audience came to St Mildred’s in Tenterden on Saturday 6th May to hear the Primrose Piano Quartet play Viennese Classics by Candlelight.
The `Primrose Piano Quartet played a Strauss Waltz, Mozart’s E Flat Piano Quartet and Brahms’ G minor Piano Quartet. It was a beautiful evening of favourite pieces played for us by this nationally known piano quartet.
Animals
A Family Concert
The Primrose Piano Quartet stayed in Tenterden on Sunday 7th May to perform a fun concert for all the family, based on the theme of animals. The music included The Teddy Bear’s Picnic, Ferdinand the Bull, The Gnu and the Hippo by Flanders and Swann, and the Carnival of the Animals. This concert was free to all children and they were encouraged to bring a Teddy Bear with them.
The quartet were also involved in the family service in St Mildreds on Sunday morning.
The quartet also have their own annual music festival at West Meon in Hampshire and more information about them and links to recordings can be found here
Anna Szalucka
The Friends of St Mildred’s hosted a concert in Tenterden Parish Church on Saturday 8th April by the outstanding young Polish pianist Anna Szalucka. Already a multiple prizewinner she has dazzled audiences in a number of locations across Poland, Austria, the Baltic States and now in the UK. In the beautiful surroundings of the c.15th Church, Anna performed works by Haydn, Chopin, Bacewicz, Szymanowski and Ravel.
Click below for recordings of Anna in concert:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz-cgqxJhcY Chopin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksHBuMTLWlQ J.S. Bach
LONDON ADVENTIST CHORALE
Saturday 25th February, 2017
The Friends of St Mildred’s were proud to bring a leading Gospel Choir to St Mildred’s on Saturday 25th February 2017. The event was a 'sell-out' huge success. An audience of more than 300 people filled the pews. The concert was "An inspiring and moving occasion" which culminated with a standing ovation. The London Adventist Chorale was formed in 1981 and its current principal conductor, Ken Burton, has conducted the choir for over two decades.
We were pleased the Choir came to us to open our 2017 season of concerts, and they were not without experience. Among the many notable venues and performances that have preceded Tenterden are Blenheim Palace, Buckingham Palace on the occasion of Her Majesty The Queen’s Golden Jubilee, Toronto’s Sky Dome before an audience of seventy thousand, and BBC Proms concerts.
The Accapella music they sang includes works sung in close harmony, African-American Spirituals, and western choral music from the Renaissance through to new commissions.
PREVIOUS EVENTS HELD IN 2016
Summer Drinks Party, Sunday,
3rd July 2016, 6-8:00pm
at Ingleden Barn, Swain Road
Friends and supporters socialise in a summer garden for a relaxing drink with ample nibbles.
Orbi Playa Big Band on
6th August 2016 5:30-9:00pm
Swing music came to the Glebe Field with the big band sound from the Sandfrye players. Their band, Orbi Playa, gave a garden concert in 2105 for the Canterbury Cathedral Friends and now we in Tenterden spent a swinging afternoon outdoors in the glorious Kentish summertime. The professional Big Band was backed by jazz and popular music from local talent. This was the most wonderful picnic and music event for all the family.
Academy of Ancient Music: Saturday,
October 15th, 7:00
The Friends were thrilled to have a quartet from the AAM return to us after their magnificent performance at last year’s flower festival. Their leader, Pavlo Beznosiuk, planned a special programme for Tenterden.
The Academy of Ancient Music returned to St Mildred’s this October with a quartet led by Pablo Beznosiuk on violin accompanied by Bojan Čičić also on violin, Joseph Crouch, Cello and Ricardo Cuende Isuskiza, Viola. As expected, it was a spectacular performance and comprised a challenging potpourri of pieces beginning with Mozart - String Quartet in B-Flat K458 "The Hunt”, then Mendelssohn - String Quartet Op.13 in A and Schubert - String Trio in B-Flat D.471. The finale was the Beethoven - Quartet in C Op.59 no.3, which was quite spectacular and brought the audience to its feet.
