Dear PEMS Supporter, 1st May 2019

The second concert of “Awake Sweet Love” last April was a celebration of John Dowland’s first publication of lute songs from 1597. It was a beautiful performance from our young s i n g e r s f r o m t h e R o y a l B i r m i n g h a m Conservatoire, (RBC) Willow, Rachael, Teddy and Jack. We had our biggest audience attendance so far in the series!

April also proved to be a good month for news! I am delighted to announce that RBC have very kindly agreed to renew the funding for the continuation of the Priory Early Music Series for 2019/20. I am already planning concert programmes and dates for next autumn and beyond!

Meanwhile, the 5th concert in our current season, “Strings: Old & New,” will be on Tuesday 14th May at 1pm.

For this concert, I am really excited to have invited four talented students from the RBC guitar department who will be performing solo’s as well as accompanying Kirsty Williamson, our wonderful soprano.

“Strings: Old & New” is a celebration of the lute and the modern classical guitar. Music from these two different sound -worlds will come together for this special occasion.

I shall be bringing a selection of instruments from my lute collection to demonstrate and give a brief background talk about the development of the lute and the guitar through the ages. Look out for the odd oud! Not to mention gitterns, early guitars, citterns, bandoras, mandolins, the chitarrone and of course, the lute and modern classical guitar.

I do hope you will be able to join us. With best wishes, Liz.