Spring is finally here, bringing beautiful sunny days, blossoming landscapes, and of course a season of exceptional music at Grayshott Concerts.

Our Caledonian Evening on 28th March was a triumph, and we were delighted to welcome back our former patron Sir Karl Jenkins together with Lady Jenkins, attending in a personal capacity to enjoy the evening's stunning performances.

In this Newsletter, we look back at this unforgettable and joyous concert and look ahead to our next couple of performances, featuring world-class musicians Jess Gillam and Emma Johnson. With tickets selling fast, don't miss your chance to be part of these spectacular events!

A Triumphant Caledonian Evening - 28th March 2025

One of many highlights of A Caledonian Evening was the very welcome return of Joo Yeon Sir to Grayshott Concerts to play Max Bruch's Scottish Fantasy.

Bruch tends to be considered something of a one hit wonder - his first violin concerto, one of the greats of the genre, tends to overwhelm everything else he wrote, including two other violin concertos, but the Fantasy is really another concerto in all but name, and its qualities are on a par with the famous one.

They were fully brought out by Joo Yeon, who conveyed both the drama and the poetry of the work, while not short changing us on the Scottish character portrayed in the music.

She has all of the world class technique and power to fill St Luke's, yet can also refine her tone down to a whisper and communicate stillness and romance. Both this work and the Mendelssohn that followed after the interval incorporated a considerable number of traditional Scottish folk songs into their scores to give them even more of an authentic Scottish atmosphere.

The London Mozart Players had provided their customary excellent accompaniment to Joo Yeon for the fantasy.

However, they were not needed for Joo Yeon's extraordinary encore, when thanks to a retuning of her violin, she was able to emulate bagpipes really impressively as she gave us the premiere of her own version of traditional Scottish lament 'Sleep Dearie Sleep' which had been played at our late Queen's funeral.

Somehow, she managed to combine playing the melody on one string whilst giving us the drone of the bagpipes on another. Joo Yeon has a magnetic personality - no wonder Sir Karl and Lady Jenkins were there to show their support - and I hope we shall see her at Grayshott again.

Very appropriately surrounding the Fantasy were two other works with a strong Scottish connection. Firstly, Hamish MacCunn's The Land of the Mountain and the Flood  is a concert overture - an excellent example of a genre which gets little played these days, yet when it's as good as this, it makes an ideal opener to a concert, and it's astonishing to realise that this beautifully scored work was written by an eighteen year old. All of its character and Scottish snap were eloquently brought out by the LMP and their conductor Jonathan Bloxham, and appropriately raised expectations for the rest of the concert.

Those expectations were well met, firstly by Joo Yeon as described above, and then by Mendelssohn's Scottish Symphony. It is a great work, reflecting the composer's love of Scotland (perhaps the concert was only missing the Hebrides overture!), combining both standard symphonic structure yet with a return to the opening introduction at the finish, and the ever reliable acoustic of St Luke's enabled the LMP to sound like a much larger orchestra than they were, and capture both the music's warlike grandeur, and also its resigned passion. Another top-notch concert!

Upcoming Concerts - Book Now! A Festival of the Saxophone Thursday 29th May 2025 Jess Gillam For the first time at Grayshott Concerts, we are delighted to welcome the internationally renowned saxophonist, Jess Gillam. Bursting onto the classical music scene as the first saxophonist to reach the finals of BBC Young Musician of the Year, Jess has captivated audiences worldwide with her vibrant and expressive performances and irrepressible personality. She will be joined by the London Mozart Players for a diverse and exhilarating programme that spans genres from classical to jazz, including: ♫ James MacMillan - Saxophone Concerto Commissioned for Jess in 2021, this powerful work showcases the expressive and virtuosic capabilities of the saxophone, drawing on Scottish folk influences and MacMillan's distinctive compositional style. ♫ Béla Bartók - Romanian Dances A lively and rhythmic set of folk-inspired dances, originally composed for piano and later orchestrated by the composer himself. The work captures the energy and spirit of traditional Romanian music. ♫ Joni Mitchell - A Case of You A heartfelt arrangement of one of Joni Mitchell's most beloved songs, demonstrating the saxophone's ability to convey deep emotion and lyrical beauty. For more details of this concert and for ticket options please Click Here Friends Evening with Emma Johnson & The Orchestra for the Environment Thursday 19th June 2025 Emma Johnson For our Friends Evening, we welcome the distinguished clarinettist Emma Johnson, one of the UK's best-loved classical musicians. A former BBC Young Musician winner and internationally acclaimed soloist, Emma brings a unique ability to connect with audiences through both music and storytelling. She will be performing alongside the Orchestra for the Environment, a hand-picked group of virtuoso musicians who share a passion for environmental causes. Emma will also provide a personal narrative throughout the concert, giving insight into the music and its themes. The programme will feature pieces inspired by nature, including: ♫ Holst - Brook Green Suite A charming and elegant work written for St Paul's Girls' School, where Holst was Director of Music. The suite is filled with delightful melodies and a sense of pastoral beauty. ♫ Puccini - Crisantemi A deeply expressive elegy composed in memory of the Duke of Savoy, this short but moving piece showcases Puccini's gift for melody. ♫ Gershwin - Walking the Dog Originally composed for the 1937 film Shall We Dance; this light-hearted and jazzy piece is a delightful contrast in the programme. ♫ Emma Johnson - Tree of Life A powerful and evocative work composed by Emma herself, Tree of Life explores themes of nature, renewal, and conservation. Tickets for this concert may only be purchased by Friends of Grayshott Concerts. For more details and ticket options please Click Here If you are not yet a Friend of Grayshott Concerts please Click Here to review the benefits of Friends membership that gives: ♫ Priority ticket booking ensuring you have the best seats at a concert. ♫ Exclusive invitations to Friends-only events ♫ The satisfaction of knowing you are supporting the arts in your local community.

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