Treat for music lovers with second piano festival and church recitals in Louth
Lovers of music are in for a treat in Louth thanks to a special piano festival and also lunchtime recitals at a church.
The second Louth Piano Festival has been earmarked for Saturday, September 12 (2 pm to 5 pm) at the Conoco Room at Louth Library on Northgate.
While this year’s programme of Friday lunchtime recitals by musicians at St James’s Church on Westgate begins on Friday, July 3 (1 pm).
The festival, which has been organised by the community group Allegro Appassionato (AA), invites pianists of all ages to join in a celebration of the instrument.
AA provides weekly concerts, funded entirely by donations, in the Conoco Room. The organisation takes special interest in encouraging young musicians, offering them a platform once they are ready for an audience and sometimes helping them in a small way financially.
Maggie Mann, chair of Allegro Appassionato, said: “After the success of last year’s festival, when seven adults and three children played, this is again to be a non-competitive event.
"Performers, of grade three standard and above, will have a maximum of 15 minutes to play their chosen repertoire (classical, jazz or pop) at the festival.
"Pianists accompanying a singer or instrumentalist (again of grade three standard and above) will also be most welcome.”
Anyone interested in taking part should contact Richard Keeble at [email protected], indicating repertoire and musical standard, by the deadline of Wednesday, August 12.
The lunchtime entertainment in the stunning setting at St James’s starts on July 3 with a recital by distinguished organist Paul Hale.
The former organist at Southwell Minster in Nottinghamshire, Paul is an internationally known player and a widely acclaimed expert on church organs.
He is currently the organ adviser to the Lincoln Diocese and a respected writer about the organ in several national journals.
The recitals will continue throughout July and August, each one starting at 1 pm and lasting about 45 minutes.
Admission is free, although a collection in aid of the church’s organ fund will be held. Refreshments will be available in the church coffee shop before the recital, until 12.45 pm, and then afterwards.
The accomplished musicians on this year’s programme include four organists, three singers, a cellist and a saxophonist. Further details can be found at stjamesrecitalslouth.co.uk