Shrewsbury church hosting a year of lunchtime concerts

Concerts begin on February 7, and take place every Friday until Christmas, together with extra organ recitals on the first Tuesday of summer months. Concerts begin at 12.40pm, they last 40 minutes and concertgoers can park from noon to 2pm free of charge at the church. After Friday concerts there is a light lunch served in the church hall.

Concert Director Richard Walker said: “Our growing audiences are enthusiastic, and many regard Friday at St Chad’s as the most enjoyable part of their week. Well over 100 usually attend the Friday events.

"Both the organ and the piano at St Chad’s are the best church instruments for miles around, and excellent performers are constantly asking us to give them a platform. Where else can you find a regular concert series with free parking, no tickets required and lunch on site afterwards? Audiences come from all over the West Midlands to enjoy high quality music-making by performers of all ages.”

Highlights

"A few highlights are on February 7, soprano Catherine Rooney returns with trumpeter Wendy Jones for a spectacular concert. On April 3, Galina Vale returns and gives us another of her unique guitar recitals, and two vocal students from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire visit us on April 24 and May 1. Georgina Taylor - one of the country’s leading young harpists returns on May 22.

"Once again, there are two cello recitals – Corinne Frost with Janine Parson on June 19, and Ulrich Heinen with John Humphreys on July 3, and the Kell Wind Trio, who gave their St Chad’s debut to a really enthusiastic audience in 2019, return on October 2.

"Concerts by students from Chetham’s School of Music are on February 28, June 12, October 9 and November 6; Pupils from The Old Hall School, Wellington, appear on February 14; Packwood Haugh on March 13, and Shrewsbury High School on September 11.

"Organ recitals again form a significant part of the year’s entertainment, and amongst many other excellent players we welcome international organists Sara Musemuci from Sicily, Colin Andrews from the USA, Peter King and Paul Carr; others include Martin Brown from Bangor Cathedral and Carleton Etherington from Tewkesbury Abbey together with recitals by Anthony Pinel and Richard Walker from the home team at St Chad’s."

Full listings, including programmes of forthcoming concerts, can be found at stchadschurchshrewsbury.com, where details of other musical activities at St Chad’s, including regular choral services, are posted.