Calendar

This year’s pantomime is Red Riding Hood by Jim Sperinck. The proceeds will support Cancer Research, The Brain Tumour Charity, Mind, The Association of Young People with ME and Hibbs Lupus Trust.

This year’s pantomime is Red Riding Hood by Jim Sperinck. The proceeds will support Cancer Research, The Brain Tumour Charity, Mind, The Association of Young People with ME and Hibbs Lupus Trust.

This year’s pantomime is Red Riding Hood by Jim Sperinck. The proceeds will support Cancer Research, The Brain Tumour Charity, Mind, The Association of Young People with ME and Hibbs Lupus Trust.

This year’s pantomime is Red Riding Hood by Jim Sperinck. The proceeds will support Cancer Research, The Brain Tumour Charity, Mind, The Association of Young People with ME and Hibbs Lupus Trust.

Mambo Jambo – In Concert
Musical sunshine from a multi-talented, multi-instrumental acoustic roots duo: an upbeat, feel-good concert mixing sounds and styles from around the world with wonderful banter and a great stage presence.
www.mambojambo.co.uk

Adult £9 (£8 in advance), Child £5, Family (2+2) £21

tickets available from church office – 0115 9431164

Churchfitters Trio – Concert

The Churchfitters is a folk band like no other. A double bass made out of a saucepan. Heart-wrenching vocals accompanied by a musical saw. Foot-stompingly fast fiddle mixed with infectious funk-rock rhythms. And traditional tunes reinvigorated with mesmerising jazz sax.

The three virtuoso musicians from England  and France strut their stuff on a stage that bristles with instruments – adding flute, banjo, dulcimer, tin whistle, guitar, ukulele, electric hub-cap bass-bouzouki and a sackful of percussion to their ensemble. And let’s not forget the unique ‘bing-bong’ machine made out of hack-saw blades.

Throw in some exquisite harmonies, a slew of startlingly original songs and a few jokes that create instant rapport and you’ve got a high energy show that always leaves audiences cheering. How do you adequately describe such a musically diverse, uplifting band? You leave it to Mike Harding, a self-confessed ‘huge, huge fan’. He calls their music ‘totally brilliant and beautiful’.

‘Like Annie Lennox in full flow’  (Fab Nights Productions) – Londoner Rosie Short’s  achingly beautiful voice is equally at home singing husky blues, plaintive femme folk or ethereal originals. A talented songwriter, she’s also a ‘one woman orchestra’, deftly swapping between flute, saxophone, banjo, tin whistle, dulcimer, ukulele and any number of things you can shake, rattle, or whack with a stick.
Rosie’s brother Chris is a feverishly fast fiddler who has the annoying habit of getting people, who were sitting quite comfortably, out of their seats and dancing. When required, he also plays slowly and most of the other speeds. A mean mandolin player, he sings great vocal harmonies too. Finally, he’s a raconteur with a great sense of humour – but then you need that if you play the musical saw.

Part bass player, part mad inventor, Boris Lebret from Lannion (France) hates to play a regular instrument when he can cobble together a better one out of scrap metal. Like when he discovered four strings weren’t enough for his driving bass rhythms, so he simply reached for the Black & Decker and bolted on another two.

Tickets are available from the church office – 0115 9431164

www.churchfitters.com

Fordante’s 2017 programme is called “From Puccini to the Movies and more…” and will see the critically acclaimed ensemble perform some of the most beautiful light classics and movie music ever written – from composers such as Strauss, Puccini and Ravel, with a repertoire that includes popular classics such as Skater’s Waltz, Sleeping Beauty Waltz, Roses of The South, Humming Chorus, Bolero, Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana plus a mix of music from the movies as well as some of Fordante’s own enchanting, mesmerising songs.
The concert contains stunning projected visuals and computer controlled lighting, presented in a light hearted entertaining manner with plenty of audience interaction and the ladies wear beautiful, colourful ballgowns all adding to the concert atmosphere. Skilfully produced bespoke musical arrangements result in a much bigger sound than would be expected from a five piece ensemble (violin / viola / cello / oboe / piano).
Described as “Like André Rieu with a smaller orchestra“, Fordante perform another spellbinding concert suitable for absolutely anyone who enjoys music – not just for classical aficionados!

Tickets available from the church office – 0115 9431164

www.fordante.com

Damekoret Hedda, Women’s Choir from Norway, and the Bling Singers, a local group. This concert has been arranged by Simon Thompson and a large audience is expected..
Damekoret Hedda consists of about 24 song-happy ladies. They focus on having a varied repertoire, alternating between having ecclesiastical and secular music in focus. The choir was founded in 1969 under the name Heimdal female choir. The choir changed its name to Damekoret (Women’s Choir) Hedda in 2004.
The choir has been on overseas trips to Scotland, Prague, Tallin, Riga and England, and has participated in “Sing with us” in Bergen and several choral competitions where they have gone to the top of their class, winning both 1st and 2nd place. In March 2016, they participated in the international competition in Riva del Garda, and received a Gold Diploma. http://damekorethedda.no
The Bling Singers are a small group of talented singers who came together in November 2013 to sing for fun, friendship and to support local charities.

Tickets are available from the church office – 0115 9431164
http://damekorethedda.no