Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Club marks milestone with special visitors
YOUR LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT SCENE
Canterbury Music Club is celebrating its 75th anniversary and to mark this special occasion has organised a superb series of concerts.
Many of the recitals feature musicians with strong Canterbury connections, including world famous harpsichordist Trevor Pinnock, the Sacconi Quartet and tenor Mark Padmore and pianist Simon Lepper, who both grew up in the city.
The season starts on Monday, September 26, with a recital by the world-renowned violinist Rachel Podger – who also has strong Canterbury connections – and her virtuosic group Brecon Baroque. It ends in April with a performance by Canterbury’s Kentish Piano Trio.
Among the season’s eight concerts is a performance by the Wihan Quartet, described by International Record Review as “one of the best quartets in the world today”.
It was in the dark days of 1942 in Canterbury that Nora Saville-peck and a few friends decided to put on performances by the finest musicians.
Things were not easy and one of the first recitals ended abruptly when a visiting pianist fled from the stage during an air raid.
Since then, the club, which has met in various venues in the city, has hosted musicians including Jack Brymer, Peter Donohoe and John Lill, small orchestras such as the London Mozart Players and Primavera and the Allegri and Coull Quartets.
International concert pianist Freddy Kempf, who was educated in Canterbury, played for the club when he was 17 in a demanding programme.
Now the club meets monthly at St Gregory’s Centre for Music in North Holmes Road – although its September concert will be in St Paul’s Church, Church Street St Paul’s, Canterbury, at 7.45pm.
A subscription ticket can be bought for £80 for all eight concerts, which is great value to see such world-renowned performers locally, while admission to individual concerts is £15 on the door. To buy a subscription ticket contact membership secretary Sarah Nightingale on 01227 765906.
To find out more about the club’s celebratory season and to see details of all eight concerts visit www. canterburymusicclub.com. Tickets may also be booked in advance through the website.