Finally we are back, by popular demand, as a full autumn festival after some challenging years! It was interesting, as we emerged from the worst of the pandemic, to experiment with spreading our activities throughout the seasons, and we do intend to continue some limited seasonal work, but the main focus is returned to three October weekends.
As we peer over the horizon and plan the future of BREMF in an unpredictable world, it is encouraging to see so much talent emerging and evolving. Our BREMF Live! Showcase (Event 13) will reveal some of tomorrow’s most promising ensembles while the preceding lunchtime concert, Battle Cry: She Speaks, features mezzosoprano Helen Charlston and lutenist Toby Carr, both former BREMF Live! artists and now winning major awards. Other former BREMF Live! artists, now leading performers, include Fieri Consort, Ensemble Hesperi and The Gesualdo Six who will honour the 400th anniversary of William Byrd’s death with an extraordinary immersive music drama, Secret Byrd, which is getting rave reviews around the world.
Our pre-events also return with something for every age group. Come and join us!
Deborah Roberts Artistic DirectorWe would like to thank our supporters and all of our Festival Friends. Without your generosity, Brighton Early Music Festival could not continue to bring top quality artists to Brighton or deliver its vital work in the community. Thank you!
Brighton Early Music Festival gratefully acknowledges financial support from Arts Council National Lottery Project Grants and charitable trusts including The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust and The Behrens Foundation, as well as funders who have confirmed support after this brochure went to print. Lighting design and supply for all Festival events provided by Natalie Rowland and Pitch Black.
EVENT 1
Saturday 16 September, 11am-5pm
Friends’ Meeting House
led by Andrew Carwood
The inimitable Andrew Carwood, director of music at St Paul’s Cathedral and director of multi-award-winning The Cardinall’s Musick, will lead a workshop for experienced choral singers on the music of two composers with anniversaries this year, William Byrd and William Cornysh. Participants should have reasonable sight reading skills, although music will be available in advance.
Registration: £20; for half price places see page 11
Saturday 23 September
Join BREMF Consort of Voices at short, free performances of music by William Byrd:
11am St Paul’s Church
12.15pm St Bartholomew’s Church
2.30pm Holy Cross Woodingdean
3.45pm St Margaret’s Rottingdean
See website for further details
EVENT 2
Saturday 30 September 11am-5pm, St George’s Church
led by Emily Baines
Play an early or folk instrument? Come and celebrate the 400th birthday anniversary of composer John Playford, playing music from The English Dancing Master, with the option to stay on and play in the band for the following ceilidh. All music supplied but aural players also welcome.
Registration: £20; for half price places see p11
Saturday 30 September, 6pm St George’s Church
An event for the feet, eyes and ears!
With a big band of participants from the previous workshop led by Emily Baines, fabulous music and a caller to teach the steps, this is going to be the liveliest ceilidh, with something for all age groups.
Tickets: £5; under 12s free
Saturday 7 October, 2.30-5.30pm
Brighton Unitarian Church
Find out more about what’s on at BREMF this year, with talks, discussions, short performances and a chance to ask questions and meet the BREMF team.
Tickets: £5
EVENT 4
Saturday 7 October, 10.30am & 12 noon, Brighton Unitarian Church
Climb aboard your imaginary scooter. Bring your clapping hands, singing voices and stamping feet for this lively concert for 2-5 year olds and their parents and carers.
Tickets: £8; under 12s free
Thursday 12 October, 7.30pm
Ironworks Studios
Liturina baroque ensemble
Ground Bass Jazz Trio
A spicy collaboration between baroque and jazz musicians on popular basslines across the centuries.
Tickets: £15; for half price tickets see page 11
visit bremf.org.uk to find out more
EVENT 7
Friday 13 October, 6pm & 8.30pm, St Bartholomew’s Church
An immersive staged Mass celebrating the 400-year legacy of William Byrd
The Gesualdo Six
Owain Park director
Fretwork viol consort
Created and directed by Bill Barclay
Produced by Concert Theatre Works
Tickets: £30/£22; for half price tickets see page 11; under 12s free. Prom (standing) tickets £5 on the door
England’s finest composer was a covert Catholic facing brutal prosecution. Hear Byrd’s Mass for Five Voices as he intended: sung for private worship in strictest secrecy. The Gesualdo Six and Fretwork collaborate for the first time in a theatrical seance by candlelight that invites you inside the music like never before.
EVENT 8
Saturday 14 October, 1pm
Friends’ Meeting House
Ensemble Hesperi
The inaugural Malcolm Rose Memorial Concert in memory of Lewes-based harpsichord maker, supplier and tuner Malcolm Rose. Ensemble Hesperi performs early baroque gems for recorder and harpsichord.
Tickets: £15; for half price tickets see page 11; under 12s free
EVENT 9
Saturday 14 October, 7.30pm, St George’s Church
Fieri Consort
with Harry Buckoke viola da gamba
Toby Carr lute, theorbo
Aileen Henry harp
Tickets: £20; for half price tickets see page 11; under 12s free. Prom (restricted view) tickets £5 on the door
After 400 years, the Fieri Consort reveals the newly discovered madrigals of Maddalena Casulana alongside works by another of Italy’s greatest composers, Barbara Strozzi.
EVENT 10
Sunday 15 October, 7pm
St Martin’s Church
BREMF Consort of Voices
Deborah Roberts director
BREMF Community Choir
Andrew Robinson director
Jeremy Avis voice, composer, director
Simo Lagnawi voice, guembri
Sam Stadlen viol, videographer
TBC voice, kora
Children from Elm Grove and Westdene Primary Schools led by Rebecca Askew
A large-scale multi-media event featuring a varied range of traditional and early music from Europe, Morocco and West Africa tracing routes followed by migrating swallows. Includes the world premiere of a new commission by Jeremy Avis.
Tickets: £22/£18; for half price tickets see page 11; under 12s free. Prom (standing) tickets £5 on the door
Hassan Hajjaj
Photo by Matt Benson on Unsplash
EVENT 11
Friday 20 October, 7.30pm, St George’s Church
La Fonte Musica
Michele Pasotti director
Voted ‘Best ensemble of 2022’ by Italy’s Rai Radio 3, La Fonte Musica returns to BREMF with an extraordinary programme by a figure now emerging as the leading composer of 14th-century music, Antonio Zacara da Teramo. The music is some of the most exciting you will ever hear, as are their performances!
EVENT 12
Saturday 21 October, 1pm
St Nicholas Church
This 2023 BBC Music Magazine award-winning duo presents a programme challenging the 17th-century obsession with female abandonment and lament. Includes music by Purcell, Monteverdi and Barbara Strozzi.
Helen Charlston mezzo-soprano
Toby Carr theorbo
Tickets: £15; for half price tickets see page 11; under 12s free. Prom (restricted view) tickets £5 on the door
Tickets: £20; for half price tickets see page 11; under 12s free. Prom (restricted view) tickets £5 on the door
…effortless aplomb and needle-sharp precision.Oscar Ortega
Saturday 21 October, 3.30pm
St George’s Church
20-minute sets from emerging early music ensembles featuring music covering 500 years. Tea and BREMF’s famous home-made cakes will be served in the interval.
Tickets: £20; for half price tickets see page 11; under 12s free. Prom (restricted view) tickets £5 on the door
Saturday 21 October, 9pm
The Rose Hill
Enjoy informal performances from BREMF Live! ensembles over a pint at The Rose Hill.
Tickets: £8. Standing event (very limited seating)
Sunday 22 October, 7.30pm
St Martin’s Church
Musica Secreta
Laurie Stras director
Celestial Sirens
Music and intriguing stories of women across the ages, including much newly discovered music, and a new commission The Veiled Sisters by Joanna Marsh.
Tickets: £22/£18; for half price tickets see page 11; under 12s free. Prom (standing) tickets £5 on the door
EVENT 16
Saturday 28 October, 7.30pm, St Martin’s Church
The BREMF Players
Alison Bury leader
Baroque Collective Singers
Arculo Consort of Viols
John Hancorn director
Sofia Kirwan-Baez
and Lucinda Cox sopranos
Rebecca Leggett mezzo-soprano
Kieran White tenor
Edward Jowle bass-baritone
As a young man, Johann Sebastian Bach walked 400 kilometres in order to meet Dieterich Buxtehude, a composer who had a profound effect upon him. This programme includes Bach’s Cantata No. 4 Christ lag in Todesbanden and Buxtehude’s beautiful Membra Jesu nostri.
Tickets: £24/£18; for half price tickets see page 11; under 12s free. Prom (standing) tickets £5 on the door
Friends booking from Monday 17 July
Public booking from Monday 31 July
Advance booking is strongly recommended as we cannot guarantee the availability of tickets on the door. Seats are not numbered and are unreserved, but for most events we provide an informal seat reservation service for BREMF Friends at Silver level and above. Find out more at bremf.org.uk/festival-friends
Tickets will be sold mainly online at bremf.org.uk (£1 transaction fee) or by post (£2 transaction fee). A postal booking form may be downloaded from bremf.org.uk or call 01273 833746.
Half price concession tickets are available only for young people (age 12-25 inclusive), full-time students and those in receipt of Universal Credit (or equivalent benefits) or Pension Credit (but not state pension alone). Free tickets are available for children under 12 and carers. For queries about access issues please contact jenny@bremf.org.uk
Season Ticket Discount: Bookings for 6 or more main festival events (Events 7-16, excluding Event 14) in one transaction will receive a 10% discount.
£5 Prom tickets will be available on the door for most events. This admits you to a standing place or restricted view seat depending on the venue.
Workshops: pre-registration is essential for BREMF workshops (Events 1 & 2). Deadlines are given on the website but in all cases booking may be closed earlier if all places have been allocated.
We regret that tickets can only be refunded if the event is cancelled or in exceptional circumstances.
St Martin’s Church, Brighton BN2 3HQ
St George’s Church, Brighton BN2 1ED
St Bartholomew’s Church, Brighton BN1 4GP
St Nicholas Church, Brighton BN1 3LJ
Brighton Unitarian Church, Brighton BN1 1UF
Friends’ Meeting House, Brighton BN1 1AF
Ironworks Studios, Brighton BN1 4GD
The Rose Hill, Brighton BN1 4JL
St Paul’s Church, Brighton BN1 2RE
Holy Cross Church, Woodingdean BN2 6BD
St Margaret’s Church, Rottingdean BN2 7DF
Please see bremf.org.uk for full details of how to find each venue, including public transport and parking information.
Professional filming may take place at some events for archive and promotional use.
Full terms and conditions may be found at bremf.org.uk/terms-and-conditions
Brochure design and production by: Kate Benjamin – katebenjamin.com
The past few years have been very challenging for the arts sector, with large reductions in ticket income, grant funding and donations. The support of our audience has never been more important in helping the Festival survive and thrive for the future. Thank you!
Become a Festival Friend
Many audience members commit to a regular gift via our Friends scheme, with levels starting at £35 per year. Join us at bremf.org.uk/festival-friends or call 01273 833746 for a form.
BREMF Sponsorship Scheme
Our Sponsorship scheme enables you to help fund the areas and priorities which interest you most –from sponsoring a concert, to supporting young artists or helping to fund our work in schools. Find out more at bremf.org.uk/bremf-sponsor or contact harriet@bremf.org.uk
Donations
BREMF is a registered charity and welcomes all donations large and small to support our work. You can donate at bremf.org.uk/donate, or contact us to pay by cheque or BACS. You can also find us on JustGiving.
Volunteers
Our volunteers are at the heart of BREMF, helping at events and assisting with spreading the word about the Festival through the year. Join our friendly team at bremf.org.uk/volunteer
Full details and tickets at bremf.org.uk
BREMF
brightonearlymusic
brightonemf brightonemf
Registered charity no 1097288
All events subject to change or cancellation
BREMF@CHRISTMAS
Seasonal music for Advent with BREMF Consort of Voices
Saturday 2 December
St Paul’s Church, Brighton
Sunday 3 December
Holy Cross Church, Woodingdean
Sunday 10 December
St Andrew’s Church, Crawley