Two of the West Country’s finest fiddle-players join forces to form this fabulous duo with an innovative take on English traditional music and song. Nick Wyke & Becki Driscoll are highly-respected musicians, composers and workshop leaders based in North Devon. They first collaborated as a fiddle duo on a busking trip around Spain and Portugal,… Read More »Blackdowns Early Music Projects – Nick Wyke & Becki Driscoll – English Fiddles & Folk

The three members of Pandora’s Box, Emily White, John Kenny and Miguel Tantos Sevilliano are bringing a programme entitled The Turning Wheel in which the extraordinary versatility of all three musicians will shine, as instrumentalists playing a range of instruments from sackbut to trombone, baroque violin to bicycle frame (yes!), and as singers, arrangers and… Read More »Blackdowns Early Music Projects – Pandora’s Box – The Turning Wheel

‘Purcell and Friends’ brings together some gems of the late 17th century to present popular songs and tunes from Purcell’s theatre works alongside music by his continental contemporaries performed by Martin Perkins (organ), Henrik Persson ( gamba/cello) Lisete da Silva (baroque flute/recorders) and Nicola Wemyss (mezzo). The original Musical and Amicable Society was founded in… Read More »Blackdowns Early Music Projects – The Musical & Amicable Society – Purcell & friends

Steven Devine enjoys a busy career as a music director and keyboard player working with some of the finest musicians. He is the Principal Keyboard Player with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and also the principal keyboard player for The Gonzaga Band, Classical Opera (The Mozartists) and performs regularly with many other groups… Read More »Blackdowns Early Music Projects – Steven Devine & Kate Semmens – C16 & 17 English song

Formed by cornetto player Gawain Glenton, In Echo is a diverse ensemble that explores the rich repertoire of the 16th and 17th centuries. 17th-century Italy saw the development of instrumental music that was exuberant, playful and virtuosic. This celebration of Italian creativity features music for cornetto, trombone and organ - instruments capable of technical fireworks… Read More »Blackdowns Early Music Projects – In Echo – La Brillantina

The Waites of Gloucester are modelled on the band of musicians run by the City of Gloucester in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The Waites also perform locally in the Cotswolds under the name “Her Majestie’s Pleasure”. They enjoyed a long association with the Cotswold Early Music Festival, playing regularly at their concerts and other… Read More »Blackdowns Early Music Projects – The Waites of Gloucester – Seasonal Music

Henrik Persson and Caroline Ritchie: bass viols Jamie Akers: theorbo and guitar Picture the music collection of an imaginary viol player, living in London at the turn of the eighteenth century. Performed on two original bass viols built in 1675 and 1703 respectively, this programme explores the repertoire that might have been played by their… Read More »Blackdowns Early Music Projects – Newe Vialles – ‘The compleat violist’

Two of the West Country’s finest fiddle-players join forces to form this fabulous duo with an innovative take on English traditional music and song. Nick & Becki brought their finest fiddling form to Culmstock last year and are back by popular request. There is something very special about the way these two play together, it… Read More »Blackdowns Early Music Projects – Nick Wyke & Becki Driscoll – English Fiddles & Folk

We are absolutely thrilled and greatly honoured to be able to bring these two supremely accomplished musicians to Culmstock. Crispian Steele-Perkins has received widespread critical acclaim as a trumpet player with a purity of tone and artistic subtlety second to none. He collects and restores antique trumpets upon which he has performed and recorded with… Read More »Blackdowns Early Music Projects – Crispian Steele-Perkins and David Hill