Sadly, I only managed to get to one of the Highgate International Chamber Music Festival concerts this year, but possibly the most intriguing.
As many of you will know the festival is run by Irina Botan with cellist-composer Natalie Klouda and her husband, cellist Ashok Klouda.
For this concert, Natalie and Ashok joined forces – or rather ‘connected’ – with fellow cellist-artist Nathaniel Boyd. The sequence was as follows:
Inspired by six movments of Bach’s cello suites (music which is baked so hard into the subconscious of all cellists as to have almost become part of their DNA) Natalie wrote six movements of her own for her husband Ashok to play. In turn these went to fellow cellist, the artist Nathaniel Boyd, who created six images in response to Natalie’s music. (The pictures were on display in St Anne’s during the concert but you can also see them on Nathaniel’s site here.) As Nathaniel said, he did not ‘think’ about the pictures but allowed the music to ‘paint’ them. Then, in response to Nathaniel pictures, Natalie created a new work for a string trio, Hexaptych.
The concert first featured Natalie’s six suites, played by Ashok and illustrated by Nathaniel’s pictures – and then Natalie’s new Hexaptych, played by Nathaniel, Ruth Gibson and Natalie herself. The music was stunning but greatly enhanced by both Natalie’s and Nathaniel’s insights on the compositional process of both music and pictures.
Camden Family Jazz
And from Bach cello suites I headed straight off down to Camden School for Girls to listen to the Junior Camden Youth Jazz Band and the Camden Youth Jazz Band.
You may remember that back in October I reported that Salon Music was planning to team up with the Camden Music Trust to help raise money for Camden Music and the great work that they do for music in schools in Camden. As of January £5 of your ticket donation will go to the trust to help support young musicians who would not otherwise be able to access music, music teaching or, if their parents cannot afford them, musical instruments.
But having set all this in motion I had not been able to actually see Camden Music in action – so was very happy to be able go along to their jazz evening. Not being quite sure sure about the ethics of video-ing school children and then putting them on a blog, I did not actually record either band – which is really a shame as there was some cracking music from both the junior band and their senior fellows.
The jazz bands are now off till the new year but earlier this week the Concert Band and the Choirs were in action down at Euston Station and in the British Library. Maybe you might have heard them if you were passing. I definitely hope to report more of their activities in 2026.
Meanwhile….
There are still a couple of tickets left for the London Chamber Ensemble’s concert tomorrow. Book here for concert and supper.
And looking to the New Year….
Thursday 15th January – Hampstead Lane – The Bellot Ensemble
An impressive young early music group who use historical performance practice to explore 17th century repertoire. Lucine Musaelian – Voice & Viola da gamba, Edmund Taylor – Violin and Daniel Murphy – Theorbo & Lute – will take us to 17th century Venice and London.
For more details and to book, go here.
Sunday 18th January – Highgate Society Sunday Lunchtime concert.
Catriona Bourne (jazz harp) and Francis Tulip (guitar) will play some numbers from Cat’s new album, tunes by her favourite jazz harpists and some jazz classics.
To book, go here.
Thursday 26th February – Hampstead Lane
Nathaniel Mander and La Pompadour return to Hampstead Lane with a programme of music that might have been played at the court of the King Louis XV.
Go here for more details and to book.
Wednesday 11th March – Hampstead Lane
Joana Ly, Kirsten Jenson and Dorothea Vogel play Beethoven string trios – followed by buffet supper and wine.
Go here for more details and to book.
Monday 23rd March – Hampstead Lane
An hour with Noel Coward. William Godfree will be bringing ‘the Master’ to life with his songs and tales from his star spangled life.
Go here for more details and to book.
For other concerts in & around Hampstead – see our Upcoming Events page.
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