December 2023

NEWSLETTER

Welcome to the last newsletter of 2023. Firstly, many congratulations to all our students who sat their music exams in November: your hard work has paid off with great marks across the board.

 

Our Christmas Students' Concert on 16th December is fast approaching. There is still time to book your tickets and register performers by emailing us. The deadline is 11th December. We cannot wait to hear everyone perform!

 

We are also delighted to welcome four new piano teachers, Veronika Kopankova, Jennice Huang, Xin Yee Ong and Arjuna Oakes. Do follow these links to read their impressive biographies.

 

We would certainly recommend attending one of the fantastic local concerts in this newsletter. If you can make Orpington Symphony Orchestra's concert (2nd December!), do be sure to read Rishita Mishra's Composer of the Month article on Mendelssohn. Rishita also informs us that Mendelssohn is the composer of a much-loved piece of music many of us will hear or sing this Christmas. Thank you Rishita!

 

Wishing a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.

 

LOCAL CONCERTS

 

Mendelssohn's Scottish Symphony

Saturday 2nd December, 7.30pm

All Saints Parish Church, Bark Hart Road, Orpington, BR6 0QD

 

The Orpington Symphony Orchestra perform Mendelssohn's evocative third symphony - the Scottish Symphony - inspired by his 1829 visit to the highlands.

Tickets: £15 for adults, £5 for children. Book in advance online or by calling 020 8851 4502. Tickets also available on the door

 

 
Buy tickets
 

Christmas Concert

Saturday 9th December, 4.30pm

All Saints Parish Church, Bark Hart Road, Orpington, BR6 0QD

 

The Orpington Chorale perform a selection of Christmas music and extracts from one of the most enduringly popular Christmas pieces: Handel's 'Messiah' oratorio.

 

Tickets: Free entry, no need to book

 
More information
 

Christmas Bells

Thursday 14th December, 7pm

St Martin-of-Tours, Church Road, Chelsfield, BR6 7SN

Worlds End Music present a concert of beautiful Christmas music performed by a brass ensemble.

 

Tickets: £10 or pay what you can. Book in advance

 

 
Buy tickets
 

The Snowman

Sunday 17th December, 2pm

St Mary's Church, Worlds End Lane, Green Street Green, BR6 6AG

Come to hear the enchanting Christmas story of the Snowman alongside the original music played by string quartet.

Tickets: £12.50 adults, £2.50 children or pay what you can. Book in advance

 
Buy tickets

TEACHER NEWS

Carol Service

 

Jack Stone will lead the music in a service of nine lessons and carols at St. John's church in Catford on Sunday 17th December at three o'clock. All are welcome: come to hear beautiful Christmas music and sing carols alongside readings from the bible. Ralitsa and Alexander will also be singing in the choir.

 
Learn More

Handel's Messiah

 

The Merry Opera Company are touring their unique and highly-acclaimed production of Handel's Messiah. Jack Stone joins their creative team as organist. Click below to see available dates and locations. St. John's Church in Catford on Saturday 9th December is the closest to Orpington.

 
See dates and buy tickets

COMPOSER OF THE MONTH

Felix Mendelssohn

Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy(3 February 1809 – 4 November 1847), widely known as Felix Mendelssohn was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions include various types of music such as symphonies, concertos, piano music and chamber music. One of his best known works is incidental music for A Midsummer Nights Dream. The melody for the Christmas Carol "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" is also his. Mendelssohn's Song without words are his most famous solo piano compositions.

Although Mendelssohn's father was Jewish, he was raised without religion until being baptised into the Reformed Christian Church at age 7. This was a little later than when he started taking piano lessons from his mother. From at least May 1819 Mendelssohn (initially with his sister Fanny) studied counterpoint and composition with Carl Zelter in Berlin. This was an important influence on his future career. Zelter, having a conservative view on music and an admiration for Bach, heavily influenced Mendelssohn himself as his works reflect this study of Baroque and classical music although he was a composer of the Romantic era. It is speculated that Mendelssohn performed in his first concert at age 9, and between age 12 and 14, he wrote 13 string symphonies for such concerts aswell as many chamber works.

By the end of his life, Felix Mendelssohn had written around 750 music peices in nearly every genre, and his works are still enjoyed today.

 

by Rishita Mishra

 

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