A socially-distanced day of incredible music with world class musicians in the North East of England.
Sunday 25th October 2020
Northern Chords is excited to announce a day of socially distanced performances at St. James’ and St. Basil’s Church in Fenham. We hope you will join us for this celebration of music, hope and community. Details for each exciting event can be found below, as well as the link to buy tickets. There are very limited tickets available so be sure to book soon, and please also read our “Keeping you safe” section on the About page before you join us at a concert.
Tickets are available individually for each concert and there is also a Festival Pass.
When you follow this link you will also find our “Keeping you safe“ guidelines. Please read these before attending any of the events. You can also find this information on our About Page.
For updates, please visit the Northern Chords website
10.00am Mass at St. James’ and St. Basil’s
Haydn Mass No. 6 in G major, Hob. XXII/6 “Nicolaimesse”
Join us for this special morning service at which Voices of Hope, Northern Chords Festival Orchestra will perform Haydn’s glorious “Nicolaimesse” conducted by Jonathan Bloxham. Seat reservations (tickets for the Service are free) will be available to the general public from Monday 28th September; all other tickets are on sale now.
All the tickets for the 10am Haydn Mass have been reserved. Please follow the Registration link to add yourself to the waiting list. You will be contacted with instructions automatically if a seat becomes available.
12.00pm Lunchtime Concert
BBC Young Musician of the Year Winner 2014 pianist Martin James Bartlett joins the Festival Orchestra in a performance of Mozart’s ‘Jeunnehomme’ piano concerto – a piece full of fun and surprise.
Elgar Serenade for Strings op.20
Mozart Piano Concerto in E flat major “Jeunnehomme” K.271Martin James Bartlett piano
Jonathan Bloxham conductor
Northern Chords Festival Orchestra
2.30pm From Night to Day
In this concert, curated by Cardiff Singer of the World Audience Prize Winner 2013 tenor Ben Johnson, we explore music that takes us on journey from moonlight to the birth of a new day.
Schubert
An den Mond
Nacht und Träume
An den Mond in Einer Herbsnacht
Willkommen und AbschiedNotturno for piano trio Op. 148
Finzi Dies Natalis Op. 8
Ben Johnson tenor
Martin James Bartlett piano
Benjamin Baker violin
Jonathan Bloxham conductor
Northern Chords Festival Orchestra
4.00pm Music in Times of Pandemic
A programme exploring music and words that were written during a Pandemic. Starting with a vocal work by one of the most important French medieval composers and poets, Guilliame de Machaut, who survived the Black Death (1347-51).
The programme also includes works by Bartok, Elgar and Lili Boulanger that were written during the Spanish Flu (1918-20) and a new composition written during the current pandemic of COVID-19. The concert closes with songs with texts written by Shakespeare, who lived through the Great Plague (1665-66) – a time when all theatres were closed at regular intervals and, like now, live performance was a rare and much sought after occurrence.
For this programme we welcome back baritone Jonathan McGovern, fresh from his main stage debut at the Royal Opera House, and introduce a new face at Northern Chords, the incredible Hungarian pianist Daniel Lebhardt.
Ben Johnson tenor
Jonathan McGovern baritone
Martin James Bartlett piano
Daniel Lebhardt piano
Benjamin Baker violin
Jonathan Bloxham cello
6.00pm Gala Concert
To finish our special day of events we present a fabulous and varied Gala Progamme. From famous opera arias, magnificent solo piano works, virtuosic violin pieces by Paganini, music by Florence Price and one of the masterpieces of the chamber music repertoire, Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No.2, this will be a musical celebration to remember.
Ben Johnson tenor
Jonathan McGovern baritone
Martin James Bartlett piano
Benjamin Baker violin
Daniel Lebhardt piano
Jonathan Bloxham cello