The Town that Keeps on Playing and Singing
VICTORIA KINGHAM delights in the summer programme at Holy Trinity Church in central Hastings.
Hannah Shilvock
Lunchtime concerts are always a good idea, especially if they are free. They are an opportunity for new players to gain exposure, publicity, and performance practice. They are an opportunity for a random audience to experience something unexpectedly fine, or a type of music that they are not necessarily used to. They don’t usually last more than an hour, so are never a waste of time and furthermore can be a useful way to spend your lunch hour if you happen to work in a city centre office. This applies of course to London, but I recently saw the summer progamme at Holy Trinity Church, Robertson Street, Hastings. The actual pieces played are not yet listed, so it will all be something of a surprise.
There is no surprise about the excellence of all the musicians, however. Here I pick out just a few of them, only because space does not permit for everyone. Joseph Spooner is a cellist of considerable standing and experience whose playing has taken him to venues all over the world. In addition he has an extraordinarily eclectic academic background. In his extensive work as a chamber musician he has rehabilitated a number of under-performed but outstanding pieces by diverse international 19th and 20th century composers. Joseph performs with Duncan Honeybourne, a piano soloist who is also a teacher, writer, and broadcaster.
Hannah Shilvock is a pioneer of the classical bass clarinet, publishes her own arrangements, and doubles on various woodwind instruments. She is based in Brighton and has a Masters in Bass Clarinet Performance from Trinity Laban. She also teaches yoga. She performs with talented young Italian pianist Viola Lenzi, who was also an advanced student of Trinity Laban.
Thomasin Trezise, soprano, was born in Brighton, and has had a long and distinguished career in international opera. Qualifying in 1984, she has sung many times at Glyndebourne and has developed her own ‘opera cabaret’ as a result of her own singing experience. She is also a singing teacher and voice coach. She will be accompanied by pianist Robert Connolly in a programme of English music.
Mike Hatchard is local, and well known. He always gives an excellent performance, effortlessly mixing his jazz and classical repertoire. Steve Law is a composer and pianist from London who has written jazz operas and specialises in transcription. Nigel Howard is organist of the church, works with various local choral groups and musicians, and is in demand as an accompanist for singers and choirs. There are many more, the programme is exciting, varied, and free.
Go and see them any Wednesday, June to August. The complete schedule and further details can be found at hthchurch.org/lunchtimeconcerts
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