West Wycombe Chamber Music Festival

22/09/2024

All good things must come to an end and yesterday evening’s concert was a triumphant close to this year‘s West Wycombe chamber music festival. 
The packed Church was treated to virtuoso performances of works by Britten, Thomas Ades, Mozart and Dvorak.
Once again we have been privileged to feast on the exceptional musicianship of Lawrence Power and his contemporaries and proteges, all of whom contributed to an exceptional musical experience.
The Festival hopes to be back in Hambleden next year - the provisional dates are September 18 - 20, so you might like to pencil in the dates!

21/09/2024

We have just come from the fourth Festival concert. This was a multi generational performance from the Power and Crawford-Phillips families and friends and was a wonderful example of how Lawrence and his contemporaries are nurturing talented young musicians. The artistry and virtuosity was quite extraordinary.

Sadly, there is now only one performance remaining in this inspirational concert
series, tonight at 7:30. 
It features the Mozart piano Concerto K488 and Dvorak’s piano quintet Opus 81, alongside Britten’s Young Apollo and Thomas Ades’s Marchentanze.

Www.westwycombemusic.org.uk

20/09/2024

20/09/2024

Tonight‘s marvellous concert, the third of five, treated the audience to the music from Psycho and compositions by Arvo Part and Berio, followed by a string arrangement of a Bach Prelude and the monumental Schumann quintet for piano and Strings Op 44.

And there’s more tomorrow morning, with music by Prokofiev, Dvorak, Telemann Faure and Ravel. The evening’s closing Concert features music by Thomas Ades, Britten, Mozart and Dvorak. 

Huge thanks to Lawrence Power for his imaginative programme building and the inspiring and exemplary performances by all the musicians.

There’s still time to join us for tomorrow’s concerts: details at www.westwycombemusic.org.uk






"One of the top ten classical music events of 2021" West Wycombe Chamber Music Festival ★★★★★ Fiona Maddocks The Guardian, Classical Music Critic The West Wycombe Chamber Music Festival was established thirteen years ago by the internationally acclaimed viola player Lawrence Power. Lawrenc...

20/09/2024

And the music goes on!

A stunning concert at lunchtime today with virtuoso performances of music by Beethoven, Janacek and Stravinsky.

Just time to draw breath before this evening’s concert at 7:30 - a few tickets are still available – definitely worth a visit to hear these world-class musicians, performing for us at Hambleden church.

19/09/2024

We’ve just enjoyed the first concert of this year‘s five-concert series. Stunning performance by Lawrence Power and his fellow musicians. The Brahms piano quintet was a high spot!

Back tomorrow to Hambleden for the 1 pm concert and the 730 evening concert and two more on Sunday! 

www.westwycombemusic.org.uk

10/09/2024

The 2024 West Wycombe Chamber Music Festival @ Hambleden -

14/05/2024

Lawrence Power, the internationally acclaimed viola player, is delighted to announce that the West Wycombe Chamber Music Festival 2024 will take place over the three days of September 19 - 21.

He founded the Festival thirteen years ago and it has gained a justifiably deserved reputation for bringing exceptional musicians of the very highest calibre to perform in this area. It is a key musical event in our locality and has now earned a much wider following.

The 2024 Festival will return to the Church of St Mary the Virgin in the exquisite village of Hambleden, Buckinghamshire; details of the eagerly-awaited programme of five concerts and the artists will be announced shortly.

In the meantime the organisers would like you to know that there is the opportunity to support the events by becoming a Friend of the Festival or by supporting it in other ways.

Friends enjoy the benefit of early booking for the concerts and the opportunity to attend a private recital, given by Lawrence Power and other musicians at Lea Barn, Winter Hill, Cookham Dean on Sunday 26th May from 6.30 pm. for which a limited number of places are available.

For further information about how to become a Friend of the Festival and details of the launch recital, you are invited to contact Deborah Behrman at [email protected]

There is a huge level of enthusiasm and anticipation as we approach the run-up to the Festival and we look forward to sharing this with the audiences and supporters of this very popular series.

16/09/2023

This evening ‘O Albion’ brought this year’s Festival to a triumphant conclusion in a packed church. Over the past three days we’ve enjoyed five concerts of huge variety and superlative quality, linked by the theme ‘Internal Fire’ and bringing stunning performances to our area.

We are so very fortunate that Lawrence Power is able to direct and curate this marvellous event - long may it continue to prosper, and thanks to the support of the Festival’s Friends and audiences it assuredly will!

16/09/2023

Lawrence Power, Tom Poster and friends rehearsing the Elgar piano quintet for tonight’s closing Festival concert. Virtually sold out……

16/09/2023

The show goes on - and the Internal Fire has blazed this morning!

16/09/2023

Good morning! It’s another lovely sunny day down here in Hambleden village and already rehearsals are underway for this morning’s 11.30 Vivaldi concert. 

15/09/2023

So on we go. This evening’s concert - the 3rd of 5 in the Festival - saw the second Festival appearance of the very young pianist, Gabriel Power, impressing in an early piano trio of Shostakovich. The luscious string quintet of Glazunov and Schoenberg’s ‘Verklarte Night’ were the stand out performances of the evening.

Tomorrow’s 11.30 Vivaldi concert features his cello sonata and the Four Sessons concerto.

The closing concert at 20:00 ‘O Albion’ offers an anthology of British music across the ages, from Byrd to Ades and a lot in between.  It includes a performance of Vaughan Williams’ the Lark ascending and concludes with the sublime Elgar piano quintet.

15/09/2023

This afternoon’s second concert of our festival’s five concert series was a remarkable, inventive, but emotionally draining experience for everyone. Beethoven’s sublime music and Adam Hickox’s narration made for a powerful and dramatic insight into the composer’s tormented life….
Yet another memorable and inspirational performance brought to us by Lawrence Power, and his wonderful musicians. 

14/09/2023

We’ve just experienced a wonderful opening concert of this year’s festival. St Mary’s Church, Hambleden resounded to amazing music by Kreisler, Schubert, Brahms and Korngold. And all this performed by the legendary Lawrence Power and his fellow musicians.
Two more concerts tomorrow, Friday and two more on Saturday! Definitely too good to miss! 

14/09/2023

Here’s a peek into rehearsals for this evening’s WWCMF concert at Hambleden Church…. A treat in store!

13/09/2023

 Just one more day before our 2023 Festival starts here at St Mary’s Church in the beautiful village of Hambleden. 
There are five concerts, all under the inspirational guidance of festival artistic director, the renowned Lawrence Power. 

Setting up is now well underway for the five concerts:
On Thursday Sept 14 at 7.30;
Friday at 1 pm; and 7.30
Saturday at 11.30 am with a gala closing concert at 8 pm.

19/08/2023

The 2023 West Wycombe Chamber Music Festival @ Hambleden -

03/10/2022

More local music news -

24/09/2022

This morning’s concert is now over and a highlight within the marvellous programme was Charlotte Spruit’s wonderful performance of the J S Bach solo partita number 2. It was also great to welcome back lutenist Sergio Bucheli.

Tonight‘s concert is the final opportunity to see these superb artists before the festival closes.

24/09/2022

Another day dawns and we are now into the final day of the WWCMF's series of concerts.
After last night's today stupendous performances, today we start at 11.30 with 'Musical Delight' with PACHELBEL - Partita No 4 from 'Musical Delight'
BACH - Partita No 2 for Solo Violin
MATTEIS - Prelude from Suite in G Major
BUXTEHUDE - Chaconne for Solo Violin

And the Festival closes at 7.45 this evening with 'Fairy Tales and Nightingales':
COUPERIN - 'La Piémontoise' from Les Nations
WOOLRICH - 'Ulysses Awakes' for Viola and Strings
JOHN CAGE - Story
BEDFORD - 'Wonderful Two-Headed Nightingale' for Viola, Violin and Strings
MAXWELL-DAVIES - 'Farewell to Stromness' for Viola, Violin and Strings
BIBER - 'La Battalia' à 10
SHOSTAKOVICH - Chamber Symphony Op 110a

As always Lawrence Power's music offers virtuoso performances to entertain and provoke our interest. Be sure not to miss it!

23/09/2022

We've just experienced the second of the five concerts in this amazing Festival - and what a treat it was. Well attended, too!
We bade farewell to Vilde Frang and Simon Crawford-Phillips and welcomed a rising star - Gabriel Power.
We now have tonight's concert, 'For Harry' (Birtwistle) whose music appears alongside that of Brahms, Weber, Couperin and Bach. Another evening of delights is in prospect!

23/09/2022

Last night‘s opening concert of the festival was phenomenal success- a full house and stunning musicianship by Lawrence Power and his celebrity instrumentalists Vilde Frang, Annabelle Meare, Simon Crawford-Phillips, Adrian Brendel and Matthew Hunt.
The second of the five concerts is at 1 pm this afternoon followed by another at 7:45 this evening.
Any music lovers who can get to West Wycombe over the next two days will be assured of thrilling and memorable performances.
Details at www.westwycombechambermusic.org.uk

12/09/2022

The West Wycombe Chamber Music Festival 2022 & other local music news -

16/08/2022

The West Wycombe Chamber Music Festival 2022 - https://mailchi.mp/ba0f8f1b7bb7/classical-music-in-and-around-the-chilterns-7272239

24/04/2022

Music in Maidenhead and the Chilterns - https://mailchi.mp/a1a817ba7d0f/classical-music-in-and-around-the-chilterns-7109305

12/02/2022

Music in Marlow and Maidenhead - https://mailchi.mp/e3ed9af6f7f7/classical-music-in-and-around-the-chilterns-6757818

07/10/2021

A five-star review of this year's Festival in the Guardian - and some news about its venue, St. Lawrence's Church, which is in need of financial support.
https://t.co/x2bLS8FKwV

Janáček’s rapturous masterpiece and a top cast withstand the Royal Opera’s rigid new production

06/10/2021

Classical music in Bucks an update and a correction - https://mailchi.mp/96342b9ae141/classical-music-in-and-around-the-chilterns-5006326