With Easter just around the corner, we wanted to take a moment to wish you a peaceful and joyful time. We are so grateful to have you as part of our community, and we hope the season brings moments of rest, renewal and connection.

The GC season got off to a cracking start with the glorious 'Echoes of Vienna' concert - please see below for a detailed report and photos.

As spring unfolds, it feels like the perfect time to look ahead, and perhaps even plan something special. Why not share the experience of live music with someone you love this Easter? A concert can be a truly memorable way to spend time together, creating moments that stay with you long after the final note.

We are excited to invite you to Serenade for Voice and Valves, an evening that brings together two exceptional and exciting young artists playing a beautiful and varied programme, together with our orchestra in residence.

Tenor Laurence Kilsby, winner of the prestigious Kathleen Ferrier Award, has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting young voices in the UK. Praised for the beauty and refinement of his tone, he performs regularly at leading venues such as Wigmore Hall and the Barbican, captivating audiences with his expressive depth and musical sensitivity.

He is joined by horn virtuoso Ben Goldscheider, one of the most sought-after soloists of his generation. A finalist in BBC Young Musician of the Year and a Proms debut artist, Ben has performed across Europe's most renowned concert halls and has significantly expanded the horn repertoire through premieres and recordings.

At the helm is conductor Jonathan Bloxham, whose energy and insight continue to inspire both musicians and audiences alike, alongside the ever-brilliant London Mozart Players.

Together, they present a richly varied programme - beginning with Benjamin Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, one of the most original and atmospheric works of the 20th century. Written during the Second World War, it sets a sequence of English poems exploring night, sleep and mortality. Unusually, the piece opens and closes with a solo horn played using only the instrument's natural harmonics, creating an eerie, otherworldly sound that immediately draws the listener into its haunting world - a feature that has made the work both distinctive and deeply memorable.

We then hear Mozart's Horn Concerto No. 4, perhaps the most beloved work ever written for the horn. Composed for his friend, the virtuoso Joseph Leutgeb, Mozart filled the score with warmth, humour and playful exchanges between soloist and orchestra - even adding jokes and teasing remarks in the manuscript. Its effortless elegance and lyrical charm have made it a favourite with audiences for over two centuries.

The evening concludes with Felix Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 1 - a remarkable achievement written when he was just fifteen. Despite his age, the work displays striking confidence, dramatic intensity and an extraordinary gift for melody. Still performed regularly today, it offers a glimpse of a young composer already in full command of his craft, and remains one of the most exciting early symphonies in the repertoire.

It promises to be an evening of contrast, colour and emotional depth - one not to be missed.

Following a wonderful evening earlier this month, we are delighted to share a review of the performance below.

The first concert of Grayshott Concerts 2026/27 season kicked off in Classical style.. The London Mozart Players, under the spirited direction of Jonathan Bloxham, delivered a truly spectacular performance that celebrated the wit and bold imagination of the late eighteenth century. The programme was unusual, including, as it did, two established masterpieces and two works which would have been completely new to most, if not all, of the audience. From the first notes of Marianna Martines' Sinfonia in C major, the ensemble was in joyful form, capturing the vibrant energy of the Viennese salons where Martines once reigned as a celebrated composer and virtuoso. The centre-piece of the evening, however, was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23.

Soloist Cédric Tiberghien proved exactly why he is lauded for his intellectual command. His performance was a study in refinement and subtlety, navigating the work's operatic drama with a touch that was both crystalline and deeply felt. His interaction with the orchestra, and his evident passion as well as his technical brilliance made for a gripping performance. In the famous Adagio, Tiberghien's exemplary range of keyboard colour brought a profound lyricism to the hall, while his quiet authority anchored the more exuberant outer movements.

The Steinway piano didn't just play; it absolutely shone. The second half comprised a performance of two symphonies from the same era:

Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges' Symphony No. 2 was beautifully performed by the LMP and showcased the "French symphonic style"; with a crispness and elegance that honoured Bologne's reputation as a master conductor and virtuoso.

The simple central slow movement was a triumph of understated but haunting beauty. The evening concluded with Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 83 ("La Poule"). The orchestra leaned into Haydn's trademark wit and invention, bringing the "clucking" rhythms of the first movement to life with infectious vitality; the clucking initially brought to life by the oboes with great aplomb. The whole woodwind section got a special accolade for their first class playing throughout the evening.

This was a programme that successfully placed Tiberghien at the heart of a vibrant eighteenth-century world. Between Jonathan Bloxham's taut and energetic direction and Tiberghien's astonishing range of colour and tenderness, the concert was a brilliant reminder of the emotional range-from sparkle to deep pathos-that defines the Classical era.

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It's a wonderful way to stay closely connected to the music you love, while helping it flourish for others to enjoy.

With such a rich year ahead, now is the ideal moment to renew or join.

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Looking ahead - more to come in 2026

In Paradisum Saturday 13th June Excelsis choir and the London Handel Players and Friends This event brings together the award-winning Excelsis choir and the outstanding London Handel Players and Friends under the leadership of Adrian Butterfield and Robert Lewis. This atmospheric evening weaves together exquisite French sacred music, including Fauré's Cantique de Jean Racine, Saint-Saëns' Ave Maria, Franck's Panis Angelicus and selections from Langlais's Messe Solennelle. The second half features Duruflé's serene and transcendent Requiem - a masterpiece of consolation and quiet radiance. A concert of stillness, beauty and reflection. Please Click Here for more details of this concert and tickets

Return of the Guitar Maestro Thursday 17th September Sean Shibe with The London Mozart Players We are thrilled to welcome back guitar sensation Sean Shibe, one of today's most compelling and imaginative musicians. With multiple international awards and performances at Carnegie Hall, the BBC Proms and the Berlin Philharmonie, Shibe's artistry is unmatched. He joins the LMP for Vivaldi's sparkling Guitar Concerto which was originally written for the lute and a beautifully crafted guitar interpretation of Bach's Violin Concerto in E major - a mesmerising reimagining of a Baroque favourite. Please Click Here for more details of this concert and tickets

Friends' Evening October (Date TBC) Howard Shelley OBE This cherished annual tradition features our Patron Howard Shelley OBE, performing with members of the London Mozart Players. With more than 180 acclaimed recordings and a career spanning five decades, Howard brings unmatched insight, warmth and generosity to this special evening of music, conversation and celebration. Programme details will be revealed closer to the time - but rest assured, it will be one of the jewels of the year.

Rejoice! Bach's Christmas Oratorio Gala Evening! Saturday 12th December London Handel Players and Pegasus Choir under the direction of Baroque specialist Adrian Butterfield We close the year with one of the greatest celebrations in all sacred music: Bach's Christmas Oratorio, performed by the London Handel Players and Pegasus under Baroque specialist Adrian Butterfield. This is a new venture for Grayshott Concerts as we are combining forces with the prestigious Tilford Bach Festival to produce a joint event. With its jubilant opening chorus, tender arias and radiant orchestral writing, this festive masterpiece captures the wonder and joy of the season. A perfect centrepiece for Christmas at Grayshott. This will be our Gala Evening of the year! Please Click Here for more details of this concert and tickets

We very much hope you will join us for Serenade for Voice and Valves in May - and for many more special evenings throughout the year.

With warmest wishes for Easter

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