The Ashford Baroque Ensemble is a mainly modern instrument ensemble for
professional, semi-professional and good amateur players.

We play music from the Baroque and early Classical periods in an appropriate style.
(Keywords: baroque orchestra / London / group / amateur / early music / Surrey / Berkshire / South East England, / South West London, / UK)

Site last updated: 17th May, 2012

Forthcoming Performances:

A short, 45 minute concert in a lovely setting,
with cream teas available in the church hall all afternoon!

Programme:

Admission free - retiring collection (No tickets needed - just come along!)
Please note - parking can be limited, so please leave enough time or come by public transport

Saturday 1st December, 2012: 7.30pm

St Matthew's Church, Church Road, Ashford. TW15 2PL

Programme to be announced

About Ashford Baroque Ensemble

• We rehearse at St Matthew's Church, Ashford, MIDDLESEX, (ie. not Kent!) approximately fortnightly on Monday evenings from 7.30 - 9.30, with about 3-5 rehearsals per concert. Formed in 2005, we are a mainly modern instrument Baroque ensemble, although many of our string players have Baroque bows. We aim for an ‘authentic’ playing style, and we do sometimes tune down a semitone to Baroque pitch - for example when we have music for strings only, or when Baroque wind instruments are available. We generally play music from about 1600-1785, from late Renaissance pieces at one end to early Classical at the other, including music by Haydn & Mozart. In most concerts we perform trio sonatas or other smaller scale works as well as concertos and sinfonias, and from time to time include vocal and choral music, to provide our audiences - and players - with plenty of variety. Many of our players play to concerto standard, so we do not normally employ paid soloists from outside the ensemble.
  
  
• About our Director: Philip Buckmaster gained an honours degree at the Colchester Institute School of Music, where Peter Holman (of The Parley of Instruments) was the resident early music lecturer. He studied the organ, piano, harpsichord, violin, singing, composing and conducting. He then followed a specialist course for music teachers at Kingston University, and now enjoys a varied career in and around London, playing, teaching, directing, composing and arranging. He has always had a keen interest in Baroque music and its performance. Well known locally, he is also Director of Music at St Matthew's, and Conductor of Feltham Choral Society.
  
  
• Listen to excerpts taken from our concerts:
    1.  Handel - excerpt from Water Music Suite in F
    2.  Handel - Excerpt from Overture to Rinaldo
    3.  Boismortier - Excerpt from Sonata in G for 2 Oboes, Bassoon & Continuo - 4th Movement, Gavotte
    4.  Bach - excerpt from Suite in B minor - Badinerie
    5.  Bach -excerpt from Suite in B minor - Ouverture
    6.  Bach - excerpt from Brandenburg 2 - 2nd Movement 
    7.  Thomas Linley - Excerpt from Overture to the Duenna - 3rd Movement: Allegro
    8.  Thomas Linley - excerpt from Cantata Ye Nymphs of Albion's Beauty-blooming Isle Soprano soloist: Rachel Major
    9.  Haydn - Excerpt from Cello Concerto No.1 in C - 1st Movement Soloist: Tatsuya Shirai
  10.  Mozart - Excerpt from Flute Concerto No.2 in D - 3rd Movement Soloist: Richard Austin
  
  

• Vacancies:
  We are always pleased to hear from instrumentalists, as extras are needed from time to time. Players who are at least grade 8 standard are invited to apply - we are looking for players with enthusiasm, good intonation, musicality and good sight reading. There are no fees to join.
  Currently we would be particularly interested to hear from players with Baroque bassoons and natural trumpets.
  Please e-mail info@ashfordbaroque.org.uk or phone 01932 783343 if you are interested in joining us.
  PLEASE NOTE that we do not normally employ paid soloists from outside the ensemble.
  

   

   

Players' Resources

For new or visiting players - view or download directions to St Matthew's Church.

The pdf download page of parts for practice. Scores are included if available.

A page with links to recommended recordings.

Have Baroque Ensemble, will travel!

Would you like us to come and perform in your church or other venue?

We have our own music stands and harpsichord. All we require is chairs (without arms) and space for about 15-20 players to be seated, and a fee of £300.
Occasionally this amount is exceeded if extra players need to be brought in for any special works you might want us to play, or if your venue is far away.
Any amount you raise above this you can use how you wish. We suggest a ticket price of £7-10 for a concert, which means that after the first 30-43 people, you make a profit!

Do you need an accompaniment for your choir?

We are also available to choirs seeking an historically informed Baroque accompaniment at modern or Baroque pitch. (A=415, ie. a semitone lower)
Fees are negotiable.
We also play the music from the Classical period or even later, on modern instruments, so you can include a more varied programme in your concert.
However, please note that it is impractical to play at different pitches within the same concert, so if Baroque instruments are desired, the whole concert needs to be at A415.

Some of the works we have performed

Related links:

St Matthew's Church

Thomas Linley

Concert-Diary.com

Baroque-Music.co.uk