Past Programmes and Press

This year our annual antidote to "seasonal over-indulgence" featured the gentle sound of the Lute and Mandolin played by Andrew Maginley. ...more

Well, we were totally bowled over by the fabulous singing of our two soloists, Elizabeth Watts and Michael Chance. The combination of their wonderful voices, their total professionalism and the fact that they are both such lovely people is hard to beat. Many thanks to them both for making 29th Oct 2011 a night to remember. An enthusiastic audience of 450 people shared the experience with us.... it is certainly something we will try to repeat in the future, so watch this space! ...more

What a fantastic weekend we had! Two well attended, enthusiastically received concerts, good music, lovely weatehr and such a lovely group of players..... a great time was had by all. We hope to return to both venues in the future. ...more

By great good fortune we had the exciting opportunity to welcome Baroque trumpet virtuoso John Foster, the director and inspiration behind Australian Baroque Brass, to perform with us. He was joined by his good friend, and ours, John Coulton for an evening of sparkling trumpet duos and solos. ...more

The inspiration for this concert was three-fold: to perform the wonderfully English Capel Bond bassoon concerto, to invite back recorder player Katriina Boosey and to make a return visit to the historic Noverre ballroom at Norwich Assembly House. ...more

Norwich Baroque was delighted to welcome back its Patron, Michael Chance, for an evening of countertenor gems in the comfortable and intimate surroundings of the United Reformed Church, Princes street, Norwich. A good audience was treated to a selection excerpts from Purcell`s The Fairy Queen and Dido and Aeneas, Bach`s St Matthew Passion, and Handel`s Messiah and Israel in Egypt. Michael's performance of Erbarme Dich, with the violin obligato beautifully played by Rebecca Livermore, will live on in the memories of many people...as will Biber's Battalia a 10.. for quite different reasons! It was a delight to watch Andrew our bass player take so readily to the role of side drum (courtesy of a piece of paper woven between the strings) and rifleman.... ...more

Norwich Baroque and the Norwich Cathedral Consort had the pleasure of performing two of the most joyous masterpieces of the era, Handel`s Dixit Dominus and J.S.Bach`s Magnificat in Norwich Cathedral to a large audience. ...more

Following her concert with us last January, we immediately booked Jayne to come return brighten up the start to the new year for 2011. Her performance on this bright winters afternoon didn't disappoint. ...more

Norwich Baroque and The Cathedral Consort`s own atmospheric start to Christmas returned for a second time by popular request. An amazing 541 people braved the festive but freezing conditions for a sparkling evening of magical Christmas music in our beautiful candelit Cathedral. ...more

Following his inspiring performance of Vivaldi`s Four Seasons in August 2008 violinist Peter Hanson returned by popular request to direct Norwich Baroque`s exploration of the rich mix of music and culture in mid eighteenth century England and London in particular.
It was a treat to perform music by some of our favourite composers with a slightly larger ensemble than usual, including Andy Maginley`s theorbo which contributed to a warm and full sound in the beautiful united reformed church. ...more

Norwich Baroque was invited to be part of the Centenary celebrations of St John`s Roman Catholic Cathedral, performing a programme of baroque and contemporary music with the choral group Escorial. It was a treat to welcome Simon Jones to direct and his wife, old friend of Norwich Baroque, Andrea Morris as principal 2nd violin. ...more

Norwich Baroque was delihgted to welcome back its patron, countertenor Michael Chance, to perform Vivaldi`s two beautifully atmospheric works, Nisi Dominus and Stabat Mater. The ornate grandeur of the Abbey was a perfect setting for such profound works, and with the sounds of Norwich Baroque`s period instrument ensemble, and guests, the Amphion Consort, the large audience was treated to an evening straight from 18th century Venice. ...more

St Michael`s Church Aylsham was the setting for an evening of baroque favourites and some less well known gems from our collection, at the invitation of Aylsham Music Society. ...more

Norwich Baroque and the Cathedral Consort continued their successful partnership under the baton of David McKee to perform Bach`s masterpiece, the great Mass in B minor. It was a privilege to perform such wonderful music in the magnificent (if rather chilly) setting of Norwich Cathedral. ...more

Jayne May-Sysum is a soprano whose musical sincerity and love of communicating with her audiences have won her plaudits wherever she has performed, and on this particular Sunday, after weeks of snow and freezing temperatures, her singing was a delight. ...more

It was a delight to welcome Richard Tunnicliffe as soloist and director for an evening of English Baroque music in the beautiful Georgian surroundings of Norwich Assembly House. Richard`s recording of all 6 Garth cello concertos with the Avison Ensemble in 2007 was highly acclaimed so it was a privilege that he was able to join us to perform 2 of them as part of a programme full of English Elegance. ...more

Directed by Jim O`Toole, Norwich Baroque was delighted to be performing in support of The King of Hearts at a time when its very survival had come into doubt due to financial pressure. It was also an excellent opportunity to thank Alan and Aude Gotto for their support since Norwich Baroque began and indeed for their tireless promotion of baroque music locally. ...more

The Brandenburg concertos had been on our wish list ever since we first began planning Norwich Baroque programmes in 2006. With a team of four excellent soloists concertos IV and V were performed on period instruments under the leadership of Rebecca Livermore of The Academy of Ancient Music. ...more

On a hot summer Sunday, violinist, Rebecca Livermore, of the Academy of Ancient Music, and Cellist, Alison McGillivray, of Concerto Caledonia, gave a recital of Bach and Morley in the serene and beautiful surroundings of St. Helen`s, the church of The Great Hospital, Norwich. ...more

Norwich Cathedral Consort and Norwich Baroque, directed by Paul Clarke and conducted by David McKee, returned to Norwich Cathderal for a performance of Handel`s masterpiece, Messiah. ...more

In the candlelit beauty of the Norwich Cathedral, Norwich Baroque again joined forces with the Cathedral Consort for our own atmospheric visit back in time to Christmas of the 17th and early 18th Centuries. ...more

Norwich Baroque, directed by Paul Clarke, was delighted to welcome Michael Chance, one of the finest countertenors of his generation, and David Mckee, bass, to sing three of Bach`s most beautiful cantatas. ...more

Visiting director and violin soloist Peter Hanson proved very popular with the musicians and audience alike. He was joined by Oboist Jeremy Foster and by far the biggest audience we have had to date for this popular programme lead with great freshness and energy by Peter in the serenity of Norwich Cathedral. ...more

Directed by Paul Clarke, Norwich Baroque headed out of town on a hot early summers day to the idyllic setting of Wymondham Abbey with the Norwich cathedral organist, David Dunnett. ...more

Norwich Baroque, directed by Keith Hobday, was joined by trumpet duo john Coulton and Bevin Mack for our first concert in the United Reformed Church, Princes Street, Norwich. ...more

Norwich Baroque`s first concert with the Norwich Cathedral Consort and conductor David Mckee was infact two; the first performance was as part of the evening service in the Cathedral and the second was a concert performance two weeks later. ...more

Directed by Paul Clarke and conducted by Jody Butler, Norwich Baroque teamed up with local choir, Viva Voce, and five excellent soloists for its first choral concert. ...more

Directed by Paul Clarke, Norwich Baroque enjoyed Telemann`s programmatic "Don Quixote" and the overture "Les Nations" plus two recorder concertos, beautifully played by Alison Baldwin. ...more

For our second concert we returned to St Peter Mancroft, welcoming guest director Andrea Morris of the Academy of Ancient Music and trumpet soloist John Coulton. ...more

Norwich Baroque`s first concert, in the church of St Peter Mancroft, Norwich, featured soloists Lucy Curnow - Violin, Jeremy Foster - Oboe and Geoff Davidson - Baritone. ...more