Saturday 2 May, 7.30pm, St. Mary’s Church, Totnes
Dartington and Totnes Early Music Society have teamed up to bring award-winning young vocal ensemble Stile Antico to St. Mary’s Church in Totnes with their new twist on an old classic – staging a concert inspired by the moving and passionate biblical love poem, the ‘Songs of Solomon’.
The concert, entitled ‘Songs of Songs,’ is being performed by Dartington International Summer School regulars Stile Antico, fresh off the back of their recent tour with pop musician Sting. Although the ensemble’s name literally translates to “Old Style”, these talented young singers are breaking new ground in the performance of early music and their recent CD has received rave critical reviews.
On Saturday 2nd May residents of Totnes and beyond have the opportunity to see the 12-strong group, who will be performing motets and plainsongs by composers such as L’Heritier, Nicolas Gombert and Tomas Luis de Victoria.
Sisters and founding members of the group Kate, Helen and Emma Ashby are long-standing visitors to the Dartington International Summer School, where they first came as children, then as students on a musical bursary and more recently as artists and course tutors.
Kate Ashby said, “Dartington International Summer School has long formed part of our musical education, so it is a real pleasure to be returning to the area to perform this concert in such a beautiful venue as St. Mary’s ahead of our Vocal Ensembles course at this year’s Summer School”.
The concert itself is regarded as a celebration of sexual love and passion, taken directly from the ‘Songs of Solomon’s’ rich imagery, which repeatedly inspired the great European composers of the Renaissance to some of their greatest work.
Katrina Hurford from The Arts at Dartington said “Dartington is taking more and more performance work off the estate and into venues our local communities, By putting this fabulous concert on in St Mary’s Church, and by partnering with Totnes Early Music Society, we are hoping to give more people the chance to see innovative and entertaining music.”
Click here to hear a taste of Stile Antico’s music – and to book tickets for the concert.
Ticket prices: £12.50, £11.50, £5, available from 01803 847070
Concert, venue & access information: www.dartington.org/arts
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The Dartington Hall Trust is a registered charity no. 279756. Company no. 1485560. Registered Office: The Elmhirst Centre, Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon TQ9 6EL United Kingdom. Telephone 01803 847000; Fax 01803 847007;
