St Chad’s iconic lunch-hour concert series is up and running again! Audiences are back to pre-Covid levels, lunches are on offer after concerts, and there is a sparkling line-up of musicians ready to perform in this Grade I listed building. Concerts last 40 minutes and concert-goers can park from noon to 2.00pm free of charge at the church, space permitting. Each event starts at the slightly earlier time of 12.30pm. Concerts begin on February 4th, taking place every Friday until Christmas 2022. Extra organ recitals will take place on the first Tuesday of summer months.
Concert Director Richard Walker said: “Many people in our concert audiences regard ‘Friday at St Chad’s’ as the most enjoyable part of their week. Well over 100 people attend the Friday events and as both the organ and piano at St Chad’s are among the best church instruments for miles around, we have excellent performers constantly asking us to give them a platform. Where else can you find a regular concert series with free parking, no tickets required and lunch at the venue afterwards? Audiences come from all over the West Midlands to enjoy high quality music-making by performers of all ages”.
February concerts: The Lunchtime Concert Year begins with students from the renowned Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, performing on February 4th. (Their future performances at St Chad’s in 2022 will take place on March 25th, May 13th and November 4th). The next concert is by Philip Rushworth, organist at Chester Cathedral on 11th February, and then pupils from The Old Hall, Wellington will perform at the February 18th concert. February’s concerts conclude with a performance by violinist David Joyce and pianist Richard Silk.
Young performers can be heard at concerts in March given by Concord College (March 4th) and Packwood Haugh (March 11th). Students from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire will be coming to perform, with Aimée Maria Harris (soprano) and pianist Kirsty Ligertwood appearing on April 8th. Further visits from them take place on April 29th and October 21st.
Richard Walker concluded: “A few highlights, on July 1st, Galina Vale returns to give us another of her unique guitar recitals, and Georgina Taylor – one of the country’s leading young harpists – returns on July 8th. Former City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra principal cellist Ulrich Heinen with pianist John Humphreys (November 11th), and something really special: we hope that the wind and brass of Shrewsbury’s own excellent Symphony Orchestra will play Handel’s Fireworks Music on June 3rd, to honour the Diamond Jubilee of HM Queen Elizabeth (this might be at a changed time). Organ recitals again form a significant part of the year’s entertainment, and amongst many other excellent players we welcome Hans Uwe Hielscher from Wiesbaden in Germany. There will also be recitals by Anthony Pinel and Richard Walker from St Chad’s”.
Full listings, including programmes of forthcoming concerts, can be found on the church website: www.stchadschurchshrewsbury.com , where details of other musical activities at St Chad’s, including regular choral services, are posted.
