Friday June 12th, Saturday June 13th and Sunday June 14th This year's programme is as follows and if you'd like any more information about Coverwood Lakes and the celebrated Coverwood Concerts please go to www.coverwoodlakes.co.uk.
Friday June 12th Internationally celebrated quartet, 'Cantabile', join Kathryn Harries and virtuoso recorder player, Heather Tomala, for a fun-filled evening of music ranging from Madrigal to McCartney.
Cantabile, also known as the London Quartet, are four highly professional singers with a highly developed sense of humour!
Please note the later starting time of 7-45pm for this evening's concert in the Barn.
Saturday June 13th The brilliant conductor and star of the BBC hit series, 'Maestro', Christopher Warren-Green, returns to Coverwood with members of the London Chamber Orchestra for a programme that will include Samuel Barber's 'Adagio for Strings' and Elgar's famous 'Serenade for Strings.' Soprano, Kathryn Harries joins the orchestra for a selection of songs and arias and Rosemary Furniss, leader of the LCO and dazzling violin soloist for the evening will play items including the beautiful 'Meditation' from Thais.
This evening's concert commences at 7pm in the Barn.
Sunday June 14th This classic Coverwood concert features all the usual suspects plus one newcomer to the Barn in the person of international soprano, Victoria Joyce.
Linda Ormiston, Donald Maxwell, James Nicol, Angela Livingstone, Melissa Ball and Kathryn Harries join Victoria for an evening of musical brilliance and sensational humour.
This evening's concert commences at 7pm in the Barn.
I'm planning an exciting series of operatic weekends in the stunningly beautiful Surrey Hills. This area of designated outstanding natural beauty is wonderful for walking, horse riding, mountain biking and simply relaxing.
The courses will begin on Saturday morning at 9.30 am with an introduction to the weekend, and a chance to meet fellow singers. The weekend will finish at 9.30 pm on Sunday evening with a concert featuring those singers on the programme who wish to take part.
Participants will be able to enjoy individual and group training in vocal technique: drama; singing in English, French, Italian, German and Czech; they will have the opportunity to learn about stage craft and stage make-up; and above all they will experience coaching from some of the world's greatest musicians.
Cranleigh is the largest village in the UK. Surrounded by beautiful countryside, this friendly community boasts a great variety of shops, restaurants and amenities.
Bed and breakfast in the village can be arranged and if you would prefer to stay in a more rural setting, this too is possible should you have your own transport.
Guildford is only fifteen minutes from Cranleigh by car and you can enjoy a leisurely bus ride into Surrey's famous and historic county town from the centre of the village.
The Course Each singer will be offered an hour of individual vocal technique, and an hour's individual coaching on both days.
There will be master classes so that singers can benefit from performing to an audience whilst receiving constructive and encouraging advice from an international professional singer.
Individual and group sessions can be arranged to improve singing in Italian, French, German and Czech.
Professional opera singers, directors and repetiteurs will offer advice on how to improve performance on the operatic stage and concert platform.
The aim of SHOWS is to help singers of all standards to improve in a friendly and inspiring environment. All instruction will be carried out in a constructive manner which will bring the best out of every student.
I believe that the superb, high-level tuition will improve not only students' skill in singing but also build confidence in performing. Enjoyment is the key word for students and teachers alike.
If you are interested in SHOWS, do please let me know and I shall put you on the mailing list. A leaflet containing information about dates, location and artists taking part in this exciting new venture will be available in the autumn.
Internationally renowned soprano Kathryn Harries, popular broadcaster Margaret Howard and virtuoso young pianist Sarah Beth Briggs have recently joined their considerable talents to create a series of programmes.
Margaret Howard became a household name through BBC Radio 4's Pick of the Week.
Also well known as a founder presenter of Classic FM, Margaret's awards have included:-
The Sony Radio Personality of the Year 1984 The Voice of the Listener Award for Individual Excellence in Broadcasting 1991 Television and Radio Industry Personality of the Year 1996
Acclaimed world-wide as a "great singing actor", Kathryn Harries' performances in 2004 and 2005 included dates in Antwerp, Ghent, Hamburg, Amsterdam and Chicago. She stunned audiences and critics alike as the Kostelnička in Janacek's Jenufa at the 2004 Glyndebourne Festival.
"Kathryn Harries was terrific in the central role of the Kostelnička. Her singing was superb; the part has a huge range and Harries gave it everything in terms of colour, expression and piercing, focused pianissimo." (The Sunday Telegraph)
Kathryn, Margaret and Sarah have created a number of fascinating programmes with themes as varied as 'Women and Love', 'In Praise of England' and 'The Elements', designed to attract and enrapture audiences wherever they are performed.
An inspiring combination of music selected from the best of opera, concert arias and lieder, together with gems from the solo piano repertoire, is complemented by Margaret Howard's carefully chosen readings – some thought-provoking, some light-hearted.
Highlights from the first of these evenings, 'Women and Love', include extracts from Schumann's 'Frauen Liebe und Leben', operatic arias from Mozart, Puccini and Verdi and solo piano music by Beethoven, Chopin and Brahms.
Inventively-themed poetry and prose complete this rather special trio's performance in a collaboration sure to delight concert-goers everywhere.
The Sony Radio Personality of the Year 1984
