Month: September 2012

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Song Workshop at Ansells Farm, October 2012: Tales of the Unexpected

Saturday October 20th, ‘Tales of the Unexpected’.

With Hallowe’en just around the corner, visions of ghosts, gods and all things Gothic provide the subject matter for our latest Song Workshop. Whether it be a mystical experience, an eerie folk legend, a story of mischief wrought among men by the immortals, or something altogether darker and more macabre, let your imagination conjure some spells and incantations in song form, and bring them along to chill the blood and tingle the spine. If vampires and witches are not to your taste, you could lighten the mood with the cherubs, fairies and sprites which abound in songs through the ages. Or perhaps offer a helping of heavenly harmony? Whatever aspect you choose, there is plenty to explore here, and we look forward to some interesting ideas.

Contact us at stephen@varcoe.com for more details of this day, or to be added to the mailing list for future workshops.

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Music at Ansells Weekend June 29th – July 1st 2012

Our 4th annual music weekend was the other major national event of this summer, taking place as it did between the Jubilee celebrations and The Olympics! Friday night’s opening concert saw Stephen Varcoe and the marvellous soprano Patricia Rozario, with pianist Christina Lawrie, presenting a sometimes hilarious, sometimes poignant programme of words and music ‘All Creatures Great and Small’.

Then on Saturday world-renowned chamber ensemble The Fibonacci Sequence played music by Mozart and Bach, ending with Poulenc’s enchanting ‘Babar the Elephant’ narrated by Stephen Varcoe, for many the highlight of the entire weekend. Sunday afternoon’s tea concert, given by the singers participating in the daily workshops, rounded off another wonderful, intense musical experience; the sun shone for us, as it always seems to do, despite the dismal weather this summer, and all agreed it had been a tremendous few days.

Plans are already afoot for next year’s Music at Ansells weekend, which will take place from Friday 28th- Sunday 30th June 2013. Put the date in your diary, and watch for more information nearer the time.”