past events
A concert of Christmas music and readings at St Deiniol’s Church, Itton, 16 Dec 2023. Players from the St Woolos Sinfonia: Christoph Mädler, Helen Rees, Rachel Stubley, Jane Leney, Alison Van Buren, Valerie May, James Leney and Karen Millar
J. S. Bach, Cantata 140, Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme. Sunday, December 10, 2023, 7:00 PM 8:00 PM, Newport Cathedral (Gwent), Stow Hill, Newport NP20 4ED United Kingdom (map)
The St Woolos Sinfonia and Chorale will perform J S Bach’s sublime cantata, Wachet Auf, ruft uns die Stimme (‘Sleeper’s Wake’) as the musical centrepiece of an act of worship to mark the season of Advent. We are privileged to have planned this event in collaboration with the Cathedral and its Director of Music, Dr Emma Gibbins.
The St Woolos Sinfonia Chorale is a choir of invited, experienced singers from the Newport/Cardiff area.
Soloists:
Soprano - Anna George, Baritone - Trystan Francis, Tenor - Jeff Davies
Violin - Christoph Mädler, Oboe - Llinos Jones
Organ continuo - Emma Gibbins, ‘Cello continuo - Antoinette Davies
Conductor: Huw Griffiths
The St Woolos Sinfonia Autumn Concert will take place on Saturday 11th November 2023 at 7pm in Newport Cathedral. The concert will be an all-Mozart programme, to include his clarinet Concerto in A Major K.622, with SWS principal clarinet, Robert Watson, the ‘Linz’ Symphony No. 36 in C Major K.425 and his overture, Der Schauspieldirektor (The Impresario) K.486, conducted by Emilie Godden, who will again join the players of SWS, after her very successful debut, earlier this year, with the strings of the orchestra. The concert will be dedicated to the memory of Anthony Meredith, friend and supporter of the orchestra, who very sadly died in May of this year. Tickets are available HERE…
SWS Musical Wine Tasting at Newport Cathedral, Thursday 5th October 2023 at 7.30pm. Learn about French wines, presented by Tom Innes and taste some very fine examples, whilst listening to live chamber music from French repertoire, performed by the musicians of St Woolos Sinfonia. Tickets £20, online HERE or on the door.
Our French café jazz trio set the tone for a lovely evening of French music and wine tasting. There was dancing in the aisles in Newport Cathedral. Thanks to everyone who supported the evening.
Members of St Woolos Sinfonia, Christoph Mädler (Vln), James Drummond (Vla), Sonia Hammond (Vcl) and Robert Codd (Bsn), will perform in this year’s SWS Summer Chamber Music concert in Newport Cathedral on Saturday 5th August at 3pm, in a programme to include, Francois Devienne’s Quartet for Bassoon and String Trio in C Major Opus 73 No. 1, Franz Danzi’s Quartet for Bassoon and String Trio in D Minor Op.40 No. 2 and Franz Schubert’s String Trio in Flat Major D471. Tickets £15(Under 16’s Free) available HERE, or on the door.
Four musicians from St Woolos Sinfonia, Huw Griffiths, Paula Kempton, James Drummond and Sonia Hammond, will present a programme of chamber music by Tintern based composer, Fiona Frank, including works for string trio, oboe quartet, music for cello & oboe and solo cello.
The concert will take place in St Michael’s Church in Tintern on Friday 12th May at 7.30pm. Tickets £10, student concessions £8, children free. Available at Abbey Stores, Tintern, or on the door.
The string players of the Sinfonia will be directed by the young, up and coming conductor, Emilie Godden, with soloists Gisele Boll (violin) and Bob Codd (bassoon)
Gisele Bonadeo-Boll
Robert Codd
A rare semi-staged performance of Handel’s great oratorio - probably the first professional performance in Bath since the eighteenth century. The Georgian Festival Chorale and St. Woolos Sinfonia present a spectacular performance of Handel’s Solomon directed by Daniel Robert Cushing and featuring countertenor Neil Moore as Solomon and soprano Emilie Parry-Williams as both Solomon's Queen and The Queen of Sheba. Tickets £25-£8, available online here…
Pedwardine Ensemble Recital at CGS Newchurch Sunday 2nd April 2023 at 3pm
After the wonderful reception our string quartet received from the folks at Knighton Music Society last weekend, it was a huge disappointment to hear of the cancellation of tonight’s repeat concert in Hay Castle, only two days ago. However, through the determination of cellist, Sonia Hammond and the wonderful support of Andrew Cresswell, we set up camp at CGS, Newchurch, this afternoon and performed our programme of Haydn, Moeran and Dvorak, again, to a very select, determined and appreciative audience! Many thanks to all who came along and supported us, both in Knighton and today, in Newchurch.
ST WOOLOS STRING QUARTET RECITAL FOR KNIGHTON AND DISTRICT CONCERT SOCIETY - SUNDAY 26TH MARCH 2023
Paula Kempton, Christoph Madler, James Drummond & Sonia Hammond will perform at St Edward’s Church Hall in Knighton, Powys on Sunday 26th March 2023 at 3pm. The programme will consist of Joseph Haydn’s String Quartet in D Major, Op 64 No. 5(‘The Lark’), EJ Moeran’s String Quartet in A Minor and Antonin Dvorak’s String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96(‘The American’)
Members of the St Woolos Sinfonia wind section will perform Mozart’s Serenade in E Flat Major and Hummel’s Partita in E Flat Major.
Please join us for afternoon tea as well, where you will have a chance to chat to the players. Tea will follow the concert and must be pre-booked. You can buy a glass of Prosecco on the day too!
St Woolos Sinfonia present their annual Christmas concert at St Deinol’s Church in Itton with a programme of chamber music, carols and readings. Tickets £10(Students & Under 16’s free.) available on the door only
One of the highlights of our year was when the St Woolos Sinfonia was be joined by three internationally renowned soloists. Gernot Süßmuth has appeared as a violin soloist, orchestral leader and chamber musician around the world, and has performed with us before on two memorable occasions. Gernot was this time joined by cellist and fellow member of the Thuringia Bach Collegium, Dagmar Spengler-Süßmuth, and pianist Frank Dupree, a recent winner of the prestigious International Classical Music Awards.
Ravel: Le Tombeau de Couperin
Saint-Saens: Cello Concerto No.1 in A Minor, Op.33
Beethoven: Symphony No.4, Op.60
Conductor: Eugene Monteith
Violoncello: Sonia Hammond
Tom Innes from Fingal-Rock Wines in Monmouth, will introduce a selection of Italian wines, accompanied by music and readings from members and friends of St Woolos Sinfonia. Please do join us for what will hopefully be a very enjoyable and entertaining fundraising event. Tickets Here, or on the door.
A string quintet of players from St Woolos Sinfonia, will join Matthew Coleridge to perform his Requiem at Pershore Abbey on Saturday 15th October 2022. The solo cellist on this occasion will be Maxim Calver (BBC Young Musician Finalist 2018), together with Soprano Emily Hicks.
The principal string players of St Woolos Sinfonia will perform Haydn's 'Lark' Quartet and Mozart's Clarinet Quintet, at Thomas a Becket Church in Shirenewton, on Saturday 30th July at 7pm. There will be no interval and refreshments will be served afterwards. Tickets Here…
St Woolos Sinfonia’s ‘Gig in the Garden’ Party will be held on Sat 2nd July, here in The Chantry, Shirenewton (NP16 6RL) from 2pm onwards. A £10 ticket will get you a dainty ploughman, a glass of wine and some sultry music from ‘Something Sultry’. There will of course be a raffle, as no event is complete without a raffle. We are doing this to raise funds for St Woolos Sinfonia….and it’s not just for Friends and Patrons, Fans and Followers – its for anyone and everyone!
Beethoven – Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Piano in C major Op. 56 – the ‘Triple Concerto’
Schubert – Symphony no. 5 in B flat, D485
Soloists:
Gernot Süßmuth – violin
Dagmar Spengler-Süßmuth – ‘cello
Frank Dupree – piano and Director
The SWS is pleased to invite you to a concert free of charge in Newport town centre. Please come along to the next instalment of The Hope Project! It is happening on March 26th in an empty shop at Friars Walk Newport. It will be a bit different this time. Beautiful classical music by Bach, Mozart and other popular composers.
11am, 1pm and 3pm. Hope to see you there!
Members of the St Woolos Sinfonia will perform a concert of chamber music in the beautiful, country church of St Deiniol’s at Itton. There will be readings and carols too for everyone to sing and uplift our spirits ready for Christmas.
You can buy tickets now, by telephone, as indicated on the poster. Any remaining tickets will be available on the door but numbers are limited so booking in advance is advised.
We encourage audience members to take a LATERAL FLOW TEST before coming to the concert
The strings of the St Woolos Sinfonia will perform:
Arwel Hughes – Fantasia in A Minor
Harold Arlen – ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’. Arr. for soprano and strings by Ben Heneghan (special commission by the Sinfonia)
John Jeffreys – Bickleigh Idyll
Edward Elgar – Sospiri
Edward Elgar – Serenade for Strings
Mozart – Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Soprano soloist: Sarah Jane Griffiths
Conductor: Eugene Monteith
The concert will last approximately 1 hour, with no interval. Tickets are available on line by clicking BUY TICKETS or at the door on the night
Audience members are encouraged to take a Lateral Flow Test before coming to the concert
Last Saturday, singers from as far afield as North Wales, Nottingham and Weston-super-Mare, plus many from South East Wales, joined the St Woolos Sinfonia for the Welsh premiere of Matthew Coleridge’s Requiem. After so few opportunities for choral singing over the past 18 months, singing again in a large choir was an emotional and uplifting experience. The day was directed by the composer himself (right). Click HERE for a short video and see MEDIA for more photographs from the day. Working with Matthew was a great pleasure and the Sinfonia is delighted that his Requiem will receive its United States premiere in San Francisco on 2 November.
A "MUSICAL PLOUGHMAN'S" WITH ST WOOLOS SINFONIA. Saturday, September 11, 2021, 1:00 PM 6:00 PM
This is a private event for Patrons, Friends, Players, Fans and Followers of the Orchestra
As there is definitely light at the end of this COVID tunnel we thought we would have a late-summer get-together, catch the mellow September sun, and drift, chat and listen to some Saturday-afternoon jazz. You are warmly welcome to come along to listen to ‘Something Sultry’ and to pick up a ploughman’s and a glass of wine. Entry is free of charge and includes the ploughman’s and a drink.
An invitation has been sent out to all Patrons, Friends and players on our mailing lists. If you are a Patron or Friend (past or present) or have played with the Orchestra, and have not received an invitation but would like to come, please contact Friends’ & Patrons’ Secretary, Glynis MacDonald - contact details HERE
Huw Griffiths – Oboe/Cor Anglais
Christoph Mädler – Violin
James Drummond – Viola
Sonia Hammond – Cello
Programme to include:
J.S. Bach – Goldberg Variations BWV 988, arranged for string trio (selection)
J.C. Bach – Quartet for oboe and string trio
Fiona Frank – Quartet for oboe and string trio (selection)
Jean Françaix – Quartet for cor anglais and string trio (one movement)
Huw Griffiths – Oboe/Cor Anglais
Christoph Mädler – Violin
James Drummond – Viola
Sonia Hammond – Cello
Programme to include:
J.S. Bach – Goldberg Variations BWV 988, arranged for string trio (selection)
J.C. Bach – Quartet for oboe and string trio
Fiona Frank – Quartet for oboe and string trio (selection)
Jean Françaix – Quartet for cor anglais and string trio (one movement)
Music by Phillip Glass, Max Richter, James MacMillan, Eric Whitacre, Michael Nyman, Arvo Part and Samuel Barber
This event is free of charge for anyone who happens to be at Friars Walk Shopping Centre, Newport at the time. Pop in and listen to some music at your leisure (whilst observing supervised social distancing!)
There will be some overhead costs to stage the event and St Woolos Sinfonia would be grateful to anyone, businesses or other organisations who are able to support the event. Please contact swsinfonianews@gmail.com or kindly support the HOPE project via this LINK
Thank you
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
From an original idea by Gisele Boll, violinist with the St Woolos Sinfonia, the orchestra wishes to give a positive message of hope to the people of the city of Newport who have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. A string quartet of players from the orchestra will play a selection of beautiful music in a disused shop which had to close because of the current economic downturn.
Music by Phillip Glass, Max Richter, James MacMillan, Eric Whitacre, Michael Nyman, Arvo Part and Samuel Barber
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
This event is free of charge for anyone who happens to be at Friars Walk Shopping Centre, Newport at the time. Pop in and listen to some music at your leisure (whilst observing supervised social distancing!)
There will be some overhead costs to stage the event and St Woolos Sinfonia would be grateful to anyone, businesses or other organisations who are able to support the event. Please contact swsinfonianews@gmail.com or kindly support the HOPE project via this link: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/the-hope-project
Thank you
Members of the St Woolos Sinfonia will perform a special concert to celebrate the 800th foundation anniversary of Shirenewton, a village and community of Monmouthshire in south east Wales near Chepstow. Together with the acclaimed trumpeter Phillipe Schartz, one of the most exciting trumpeters of today and Principal Trumpet of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, they will perform music by Elgar, Telemann, Hovhaness and Mozart in the beautiful country church of St Thomas à Becket in Shirenewton.
Avoid disappointment and purchase tickets (£10, under 18 free) on-line, or, if still avialable on the door.
TICKETS HERE
St Woolos Sinfonia and Come and Sing Cardiff are jointly planning a ‘Come and Sing’ event on Saturday, 11th January 2020 at the Auditorium of Rougemont School in Newport, Gwent.
We invite established choir members and aspiring singers to take part. This is a great opportunity to perform Haydn’s beautiful Nelson Mass with an orchestra, directed by the conductor Eugene Monteith.
The day will be informal, starting late morning with a workshop session. After lunch we will be joined by the orchestra and we will then give an early-evening concert performance. You are welcome to invite your family and friends to come and listen to the evening performance.
Further event details are summarized on the Information Leaflet.
For booking a choir place or audience tickets for the evening performance please use the Booking Form.
The School coffee shop will be open where you can purchase light refreshments – hot/cold sandwiches, paninis etc.
As now almost a tradition, members of the St Woolos Sinfonia are pleased to perform a Christmas concert in the no doubt wonderfully decorated small country church of St Deiniol’s.
There will also be some readings and everyone is invited singing carols to uplift the spirits for Christmas
Many will remember the extraordinary performance in the 2018 Spring Concert featuring Brahms’ Double Concerto with the highly acclaimed soloists Gernot Süßmuth (Violin) and Arne Christian Pelz (Cello). We are pleased to say that Gernot Süßmuth will be returning to Newport again: as a soloist and to conduct the St Woolos Sinfonia in Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” Overture, Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” and Mozart’s “Jupiter” Symphony No. 41 K551.
Musical Wine Tasting 18th October 2019 “Germany”
Come and learn about wine growing, making and grape varieties in Germany and sample some of it’s finest examples – all presented by the very educational and truly entertaining Tom Innes of Monmouth’s Fingal Rock.
Enjoy some fine chamber music by German composers suitably matching the wines, performed by members of the St Woolos Sinfonia in the beautiful setting of St Woolos Cathedral.
All wines tasted will be available for purchase at the end of the event – so you have the unique opportunity to stock up for Christmas on superb quality yet reasonably priced wines and support the orchestra of the St Woolos Sinfonia at the same time!
Second concert of Summer chamber music in two Newports: 25th August 2019, 4pm , Ebenezer Chapel Newport Pembs
After the success of our “Chamber Music in Two Newports” series in 2017, principal musicians of the St Woolos Sinfonia will return with another exciting programme:
Sunday 25th August 2019, 4pm: Ebenezer Chapel, Newport, Pembrokeshire NP42 0TS
Hosted by the Newport Music Society (Contact Ann George Tel 01239-820248)
Tickets £10 on the door (£5 for members of the Newport Music Society; accompanied children and students free)
Huw Griffiths (oboe), Christoph Madler (violin), James Drummond (viola), Sonia Hammond (cello) and Christopher Williams (piano) will perform a selection of Bach’s Goldberg Variations transcribed for String Trio, Mozart’s Oboe Quartet K370, and Mozart’s Piano Quartet No1 K478.
Summer Chamber Music in Two Newports 2019, performed by musicians of St Woolos Sinfonia: 6th July – Newport Cathedral, Gwent. 25th August – Ebenezer Chapel, Newport, Pembrokeshire
After the success of our “Chamber Music in Two Newports” series in 2017, principal musicians of the St Woolos Sinfonia will return with another exciting programme:
Huw Griffiths (oboe), Christoph Madler (violin), James Drummond (viola), Sonia Hammond (cello) and Christopher Williams (piano) will perform a selection of Bach’s Goldberg Variations transcribed for String Trio, Mozart’s Oboe Quartet K370, and Mozart’s Piano Quartet No1 K478.
Sat 6th July 2019: 7pm, Newport Cathedral, Newport, Gwent
No tickets required. There will be a retiring collection at the end of the concert.
Ristorante Vittorio – Newport’s premier family-run Italian restaurant, situated just across the road from the cathedral, is offering its warm and welcoming atmosphere for a Pre-Concert Dinner. For £14.90 you may enjoy a two course dinner with a special Menu put on by Vittorio’s for our audience. Please be so kind and book by the 3rd July 2019 with the restaurant Tel: 01633-840261
Concert 6th April 2019, 7:30 pm, PLEASE NOTE NEW VENUE: Rougemont School, Newport NP20 6QB: Mozart & Beethoven, Tianyi Lu – Principal Conductor, Christopher Williams – Piano
All at St Woolos Sinfonia are very pleased to welcome back its Principal conductor Tianyi Lu on her return to Europe and to conduct the St Woolos Sinfonia in:
W.A. Mozart: Overture of “The Marriage of Figaro”
W.A. Mozart: Piano Concerto No 23 (KV 488) – Soloist: Christopher Williams *
L. van Beethoven: Symphony No 5 (Op 67)
Please note the NEW VENUE for this concert at the new auditorium at Rougemont School in Newport. Instead of performing at their beloved residence of Newport cathedral the orchestra on this occasion, was faced with finding an alternative venue at extremely short notice, because of unforeseen building works in the cathedral. The orchestra is indebted to Rougemont School for providing a more than worthy concert hall, within their new facilities, which opened in December 2018.
Rougemont School and St Woolos Sinfonia invite (not only!) children and their parents to join the orchestra in the last part of their Saturday afternoon rehearsal to experience the real-life rehearsal work of a professional standard orchestra on Beethoven’s 5th Symphony. Tianyi Lu, SWS’s Principal Conductor will be delighted to welcome everyone and very happy to answer questions! Please could everyone who wishes to join the rehearsal at 4.15 pm in the auditorium. There is no need to pre-book for the rehearsal experience, and this is free of charge.
A delicious two-course Pre-Event dinner experience with a mouthwatering Menu is available from 5.30pm on the night of the concert at Rougemont School for £10.95. All dinner bookings must be made in advance. If you would like to secure a place, please contact Jackie Williams at Rougemont School on 01633 820800 or email jackie.williams@rsch.co.uk.
* The piano soloist Christopher Williams is very generously sponsored by Meredith Motors of Devauden.
TICKETS (£15, under 16 free): We currently experience difficulties with the e-ticket purchase via this website. Please secure your ticket by kindly ringing our Box Office on Tel: 01291-641271. Tickets will also be available on the door.
Haydn’s “A little Organ Mass” with the cathedral choir at St Woolos’ day 29th March 2019
Members of the St Woolos Sinfonia will support the Newport Cathedral Choir during the Eucharist starting at 7pm at St. Woolos’ day conducted by Emma Gibbins in Joseph Haydn’s “Eine kleine Orgel Messe” – “A little Organ Mass”.
Christmas Concert 8th December 2018, St. Deiniol’s Church in Itton near Chepstow
Baroque Concert 1st December 2018, 7:30pm, Newport Cathedral
Ristorante Vittorio – Newport’s premier family-run Italian restaurant, situated just across the road from the cathedral, is offering it’s warm and welcoming atmosphere for a Pre-Concert Dinner and will put on a special menu for our audience. Please be so kind and book by the 28th November 2018 with the restaurant Tel: 01633-840261.
A 20 minutes Pre-Concert Talk about the composers of the concert will be given by Professor Huw Griffiths, starting at 6:45 pm in the main nave of Newport cathedral. We would be grateful if members of the audience wishing to join for the Pre-concert talk will arrive in time.
Programme:
Boyce (1711-1779) Symphony No. 1 in B flat Major
Albinoni (1671-1751) Adagio in G Minor
Vivaldi (1678-1741) Concerto for Two Violins in A Minor Rv. 565
INTERVAL – light beverages available (complementary for Patrons and Friends)
Corelli (1653-1713) Concerto Grosso in G Minor, Op 6 No 8 ‘Christmas’
Cimarosa/Benjamin (1749-1801) Oboe Concerto in C Minor
Mendelssohn (1809-1847) String Symphony No 6 in E flat Major
Guest Conductor: Eugene Monteith
Soloists:
Emilie Godden – Violin
Gwenllian Haf McDonald – Violin
Huw Griffiths – Oboe
Emma Gibbins – Organ
Musical Wine Night “Spain” 17th November 2018, 7:30, Newport cathedral
Learn about wine growing, wine regions and wines and its grapes in Spain, and taste some examples of fine Spanish wine presented by Tom Innes of Monmouth’s Fingal Rock.
Enjoy Spanish chamber music performed by members of the St Woolos Sinfonia.
All in support of the Orchestra!
At the end of the event you will have the opportunity to stock up for Christmas with the very reasonably priced yet high quality wines you tasted beforehand and support the orchestra yourself – Tom Innes will donate 10% of all proceedings of the after-event-wine-sale to the St Woolos Sinfonia