Spiritato! - Hackney Proms - 'Gulliver’s Travels: A voyage to Lilliput’

‘Spiritato!’ performed a family-orientated programme as part of the ‘Hackney Proms’ at Stoke Newington Town Hall on at 13:15 on Sunday 22nd November 2015. The programme was entitled ‘Gulliver’s Travels: A voyage to Lilliput’. The programme consisted of many short movements that fitted around a script - which was excitingly narrated by Will Russell (dressed as Gulliver). The lively narration
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Purcell - Hail Bright Cecilia - Middle Temple Hall

In what has been a busy week, I returned (early in the morning) from Wrocław in Poland to the United Kingdom for a concert on Thursday 19th of November 2015. I returned to the Temple area in London to perform just a few metres away from where I performed ‘Let the Bright Seraphim’ and Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’ on Monday 16th of November 2015. This time it was with slightly different forces (The
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Gorczycki - Completorium - National Forum of Music, Wrocław

I travelled to Wrocław in Poland to perform Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki's 'Completorium' in a concert of chamber music, played in the Red Hall (Sala Czerwona) at the National Forum of Music (Narodowe Forum Muzyki). The concert was given on the 18th of November 2015 and it marked the 50th Anniversary of a message being sent from Polish Bishops to German Bishops after World War 2. 'Chamber
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Let the Bright Seraphim & Vivaldi Gloria at Temple Church

London's Temple Church was the venue for a concert given by The Bar Choral Society and The Temple Players on Monday 16th of November. The Bar Choral Society, formed in 2014, is a musical collaboration of barristers, judges, other people who work within the legal profession and their family members. "The Society rehearses and performs in Temple Church which has a long association with the Law, providing
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Handel - Messiah - Ars Eloquentiae - Basingstoke Choral Society

At 7pm on Sunday the 15th of November I played first trumpet in a Messiah at ‘The Anvil’ in Basingstoke. The performance was given by the orchestra Ars Eloquentiae and the Basingstoke Choral Society and was directed by David Gibson. Details from the Basingstoke Choral Society website (below) had outlined their aims for the work and I would like to congratulate them on achieving them - it was a
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Roman, Zelenka & C.P.E Bach in Great Malvern

On Saturday 14th November 2015, I played Roman’s Drottingholm Music, Zelenka’s Missa Paschalis and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach’s Magnificat in a trumpet section with Richard Fomison and Matt Wells. We were playing under the directorship of Richard Knight at the Malvern Theatres in Great Malvern. The concert was given by the Malvern Festival Chorus and The Musical and Amicable Society. I had never
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Birmingham University - Baroque Orchestra Coaching Session

On Saturday morning, I tutored students who were participating in Birmingham University’s Baroque Orchestra. The trumpet players had been asked to play Bach’s Orchestral Suite No.3 (BWV 1068) and Rameau’s Suite from Les Indes Galantes. I spent a few hours helping the students with issues of playing in Baroque style and ensuring they were prepared for the intensive weekend of music.
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I Fagiolini - Monteverdi - L'Orfeo - Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista, Venice

“I exhibite in this my Journall to your Princelie view, that most glorious, renowned, Virgin Citie of Venice, the Queene of the Christian world, that Diamond set in the ring of the Adriatique gulfe, and the most resplendent mirrour of Europe…” - Thomas Coryate, c.1608 There are few places in the world that are as instantly recognisable. Venice is a paradise for the eyes and for the ears.
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Messiah - Royal Hospital Chelsea

Was today, 4th November 2015, the beginning of the ‘Messiah season’ this year? Quite possibly, but it began in style at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea. The Messiah was directed by William Vann, who holds the Director of Music and Organist position there. I played in a section with Richard Fomison and Robert Howes (Timpani). There were many familiar faces in the choir and orchestra including many
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Zelenka the Bohemian Bach - St. John's Smith Square & Bury Court Barn

Playing with ‘Spiritato!’ is becoming synonymous with performing innovative programmes in interesting settings. I participated in a project which involved two performances, the first of which was on October 20th in St. John’s Smith Square in London and the second was on November 1st at Bury Court Barn, in Bentley near Farnham in Surrey. The performances were presented by St. John’s Smith Square
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Eternal Source of Light Divine at Temple Church, London

I played for the blessing of a marriage at the Temple Church in London on Saturday 17th of October 2015 at 2pm. The groom, Jonny Sells, is the musical director of 'Solomon's Knot' and resultantly the service was filled with musical excitement. There was an eight-piece choir from Solomon's Knot. The ensemble also included myself on trumpet and William Vann playing the magnificent organ at the Temple
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Spiritato! - Sound the Trumpet at Wiltshire Music Centre

On Wednesday 30th of September I performed with 'Spiritato!' in their lunchtime concert at the Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford-on-Avon. The concert, entitled 'Sound the Trumpet', included music by Purcell, Corbett, Matteis, Albrici and Francescini. It explored the links between English and Italian styles. We had performed similar programmes to this earlier this year at the Forge in Camden and
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Cantus Thüringia - Johann Peter Kellner - Gräfenroda

I travelled to the Thüringen region of Germany to participate in Cantus Thuringia's project; to perform and record music by Johann Peter Kellner (1705-1772). The project took place in the village of Gräfenroda, where Kellner was born and we performed in the church in which Kellner worked as the Cantor from 1732. The village of Gräfenroda is around 50 kilometres South-West of Weimar and it is set
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OAEducation - St. Mary Brookfield - London

On Saturday 19th of September, I performed with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in their 'Water Cycle' Education project. The event took place in St. Mary Brookfield church (NW5) at 6pm. The trumpet section consisted of William Russell, myself, Adrian Woodward and Adrian Bending on Timpani. We played Händel's 'Zadok the Priest' and excerpts from Purcell's 'The Fairy Queen'. Will had more
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Reconstructing, Performing & Recording Marcin Mielczewski’s ‘Vesperae Dominicales' for 50th Wratislavia Cantans Festival

The National Forum of Music in Wrocław commissioned me to 'recreate' cornett and sackbutt parts for Marcin Mielczewski's Vesperae Dominicales. The original version of the piece has eight vocal parts, two violin parts, a dulcian part and basso continuo, though historical sources indicate that this would have been extended to include cornetts and sackbutts in a later version. A later manuscript
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Interpretation Course - Míča & Telemann - Wratislaia Cantans, Wrocław

The Wratislavia Cantans festival, now celebrating its 50th year, has a long tradition of holding an 'Interpretation Course' for young instrumentalists and singers to perform cantatas and oratorios. The importance of this course became quickly apparent in the first ever festival, where the participants of the course had to spring into action to replace an orchestra that could not get to Wrocław in
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National Forum of Music - Wrocław - Opening Concert

It was an immense honour to perform in the opening concert of the new National Forum of Music (Narodowe Forum Muzyki) in Wrocław, Poland. The NFM is an incredible facility and a stunning addition to Wrocław's architectural skyline and musical culture. It will play a valuable role during Wrocław's 'European Capital of Culture' status in 2016.   The musicians of the Wrocław Baroque Orchestra
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Grand Baroque II - Exeter Cathedral - Blackdowns Early Music Projects

Exeter Cathedral was the venue for a concert entitled 'Grand Baroque II', organised by Blackdowns Early Music Projects. It was the sequel to their successful debut concert in 2013.The Altenburg Ensemble, consisting of Steve Bailey, Steve Burke, Steve Gilbey, myself, Katie Hodges, William Russell and guest player Jean-François Madeuf, opened the concert with a performance of Biber's Sonata for 6 trumpets
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Prince of Denmark's March - Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University

I performed Clarke's "Prince of Denmark's March" at the wedding of Karen Clarke and Paul Taylor at Lady Margaret Hall in Oxford on Saturday 29th of August 2015. I performed alongside a professor of music from Oxford University who is the resident organist at Lady Margaret Hall, Dr. Nicholas Prozzillo. As well as being a fabulous day for the happy couple it was also a great excuse for me to spend time
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Festival Interceltique de Lorient - The Year of Cornwall and the Isle of Man

Festival Interceltique de Lorient (FIL) was one of the highlights of summer 2015. The festival jointly featured the Isle of Man and Cornwall as host nations - in what they call the ‘Année de la Cornouailles et de l’Île de Man’. The festival ran from the 7th to the 16th of August 2015 and it incorporated a staggering number of events and cultural delights from numerous Celtic nations. The festival
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Russell Gilmour
Russell Gilmour Blog
writing on music, photography, engraving, travel and life as a freelance professional musician.