Thames Concerts in 2011 offer the opportunity to explore French music from the Baroque to the present day, performed by some of the finest musicians in the world. With concerts taking place in the atmospheric setting and superb acoustic of All Saints’ Church Kingston (Kingston Parish Church), the repertoire includes choral music by Fauré, Debussy and Duruflé (sung by the Tiffin Boys’ Choir accompanied by the London Mozart Players); 20th century chamber music by Debussy and Stravinsky accompanying Messiaen’s remarkable ‘Quartet for the End of Time’ (played by Michael Collins, Jack Liebeck, Guy Johnston and Michael McHale); well-loved Romantic orchestral music by Massenet, Chausson and Fauré in counterpoint with Baroque music by Rameau and French-influenced Purcell and Honegger’s neo-classical Concerto da Camera (with the English Chamber Orchestra making their Kingston debut); chansons and operatic arias including Berlioz’s song cycle ‘Les Nuits d’Ete’ performed by a group of singers assembled by rising star tenor Andrew Staples; great French organ music by Poulenc, Widor, Vierne and Messiaen, featuring the magnificent Frobenius organ put through its paces by Peter Jaekel and one of the most well-known organists in the world, Simon Preston. Our associated Youth Orchestra, the Thames Youth Orchestra, complements the season with an additional summer concert which will include some of the quirky music for ballet from the French Jazz era.
Seats with a perfect view of the performers and equally perfect sound cost £100 for five concerts, and these are limited in number. Do book early to secure these numbered seats. There are packages to suit every budget, including a student ticket of £25 for five concerts. In addition, there are special benefits to joining the Inner Circle – please consider becoming a member, as this helps to secure the future of professional concerts in our neighbourhood. Without such donations, these concerts would not be able to survive.
Running alongside the concerts will be a series of associated events, including lectures on French Art and French wine-tasting. Members of the Inner Circle gain priority booking for these events, and further details will be published in the New Year.
Full details about all of the concerts, including information about the performers, composers and works performed, as well as video and audio clips, can be found online at www.thamesconcerts.blogspot.com.
We are immensely grateful for the support or our many members and donors, including generous fi nancial assistance from the Royal Borough of Kingston. We hope that you will join us for what will be an exciting season.
SIMON TOYNE
Artistic Director
Thames Concerts
