Sadly, I am not able to give you a proper foretaste of the 2024 festival as my still rampant Christmas cough prevented me from attending last night’s festival preview concert and fund raiser at the amazing St Pancras Clock Tower.
However I am sure that a wonderful evening was had listening to Joana and Martin perform Dora Pejačević, Edvard Grieg and Dvorák – plus a special surprise guest musician!! I wonder who that was…. And hopefully they raised lots of money for the festival.
Details of the 2024 festival will go live in March but for now, just block out 5 – 20th July in your diaries. And if you want to get really ahead of yourselves you could buy a gift voucher for yourself or a friend – to be redeemed when the programme comes out.
For any of you who do not know about the Islington Festival, it was born out of the garden concerts that Joana and Martin organised after lockdown in the summer of 2020 – one of which was held here in the garden at Hampstead Lane.
In the festival they aim to recreate the community spirit that inspired us during lockdown – bringing people together to experience high-quality live music and art in fun venues throughout Islington. More on the Islington Festival site.
Busy weekend coming up
Having had to miss last Friday’s concert I certainly do not intend to miss any of next weekend’s musical events!
First Up – 20th January 3.30pm at St Michaels’ Church Highgate
Tales and Tunes Family Concerts call all party animals to a perfomance of Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals – with prizes for the best animal costumes and the best behaved 4 legged friends!
Sunday 21st January – Highgate Society Lunchtime concert
The Lior Solomons Wise trio. Lior (piano), Edouard (double bass) and Jonah (drums).
12 noon – £15 to include the Bucks Fizz! Book here or pay on the door.
Sunday 21st January – 6.30pm – Hampstead Lane
Emma Kirkby and Jakob Lindberg playing and singing songs and solos by John Dowland at Hampstead Lane.
We are sold out for this concert but if you would like to put yourself on the waiting list you can do so here. And I promise to report on the evening, with at least a few snippets of Mr Dowland for you to listen to.
And then……. Friday 8th March
Madeleine Mitchell and the London Chamber Ensemble – the programme to include Charles Wood’s Quartet in D Major and Debussy’s wonderful String Quartet in G minor.
A blog post to come very soon but you can now find more details and book here.
