SPACE IN THE CITYWINCHESTERMay 2016
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4 May | The Reverend Canon Charles Stewart
Praying with Bach |
Charles Stewart is familiar to many locally, having spent twelve years from 1994 as Precentor of Winchester Cathedral. Since leaving the cathedral in 2006 he has been vicar of the Surrey parish of Walton on Thames, and last year he was appointed Priest in Charge of Christchurch Priory and its two daughter churches, in Dorset.
Charles has held singing and choral music at the heart of his musical interests since childhood. Born in Edinburgh, he was awarded a Choral Scholarship at St John’s College, Cambridge, where he sang in the Chapel Choir under the direction of Dr George Guest. Since his ordination in 1987, Charles has continued to be closely involved in music both as singer and conductor. During his time as Precentor of Winchester Cathedral he was involved in commissioning music from James MacMillan, Judith Bingham, Sir John Tavener, Andrew Simpson and Francis Pott. Charles Stewart was appointed conductor of Southern Voices in the summer of 2002. Under Charles’ direction, Southern Voices concerts became widely acclaimed as inspirational journeys of musical and emotional discovery for singers and audiences alike. Between 2002 and 2011 he directed the choir in a challenging and ever-expanding repertoire of music, ranging from plainsong to the world premiere of Andrew Simpson’s Magnificat. | |
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11 May | The Reverend Professor June Boyce-Tillman MBE
Experiencing Music: restoring the spiritual |
Dr June Boyce-Tillman read music at Oxford University and is Professor of Applied Music at the University of Winchester. She has published widely in the area of education, most recently on spirituality. Her doctoral research into children’s musical development has been translated into five languages. June has held visiting fellowships at Indiana University and the Episcopal Divinity School in Massachusetts. She is an international performer, especially in the work of Hildegard of Bingen. Her large-scale works for cathedrals such as Winchester, Southwark and Norwich involve professional musicians and school children. She is a hymn writer – A Rainbow to Heaven. June has written about and organised events in the area of interfaith dialogue using music. June is the artistic convenor of the Centre for the Arts as Well-Being and convenor of the Tavener Centre for Music and Spirituality at the University of Winchester. She is an Extra-Ordinary Professor at North West University, South Africa. She is an ordained Anglican priest and an honorary chaplain at Winchester Cathedral. | |
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18 May | Dr Penelope Cave
Pass the Parcel: a faithful heritage set to music |
Penelope Cave is an international prize-winning harpsichordist. She has a wide repertoire of recorded harpsichord music: from the traditional (her CD, From Lisbon to Madrid, received 5 stars from the BBC Music Magazine) to the contemporary (Shadow Journey – 21st Century Music for Harpsichord, in which she plays the title piece, Enno Kasten’s Schattenreise). Her recent CD of 20th Century harpsichord music, Panorama, is available on the Prima Facie label.
An interest in the early English piano led to the acquisition of a Broadwood square piano of 1795 and she has since taken charge of an 1819 Stodart grand. Research into this forgotten repertoire has led to piano recitals with duet-partner Katrina Faulds. Penelope gained her PhD in 2014 at Southampton University, part sponsored by the National Trust and now combines performance with lecturing, practical workshops in universities, museums and festivals, and writes and reviews for various early music publications. Last year, she was visiting Artist-in-Residence at the National Trust property, Dyrham Park near Bath. | |
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25 May | Dr Christopher Seaman
The Challenge of Conducting: self and orchestra |
British conductor Christopher Seaman has an international reputation for inspirational music making. His diverse musical interests are reflected in his range of repertoire, and he is particularly known for his interpretations of early 20th century English music, Bruckner, Brahms and Sibelius.
Christopher has had a long and distinguished career in the US, as well as in Australia, Italy and the UK. In May 2009 the University of Rochester, USA, made Christopher an Honorary Doctor of Music, acknowledging his outstanding leadership as conductor, recording artist, teacher and community arts partner. In 2013 the University published his first book, Inside Conducting, illustrating Christopher’s wealth of experience as a conductor and a teacher. The book was chosen by both The Financial Times and Classical Music magazine as one of their books of 2013; while The Spectator wrote that it “demystifies the art and the figure of the conductor”. Christopher makes a point of encouraging young talent and has been the Course Director of the Symphony Services International Conductor Development Programme in Australia for many years. Last season he led master-classes with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, and he has also worked with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. His 2015/16 season includes engagements with North American orchestras such as Cincinnati, Baltimore, Vancouver, Milwaukee, and Hawaii Symphonies. Christopher will also open the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra’s season and make debuts with Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, and the Orquestra Filarmônica de Minas Gerais in Brazil. | |
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Space in the City is an ecumenical venture organised by lay, licensed, ordained and associate members of Winchester’s city churches: St Bartholomew and St Lawrence with St Swithun-upon-Kingsgate, St Peter’s and the United Church.