A SPECIAL weekend of music which has been inspired by the Royal School of Church Music is being planned to take place in villages in the Culm Valley during the first weekend of next month.
Local musicians, singers, and instrumentalists have been collaborating for what will be a celebration of the wealth of music which has been brought to parishioners through the centuries by their churches in the Upper Culm Valley Group.
Among those making the occasion happen are Wellington Choral Society director Laurence Blyth, former Wellington School director of music and now freelance musician Andrew Trewhella, the current Wellington School director of music Gareth Dayus-Jones, Catherine Bass, from the Blackdown Early Music Project, and Nigel Atkinson, who is the regular organist for St Mary’s Church, Hemyock, and All Saints’Church, Culmstock, and also the leader of the Culm Valley Orchestra.
The itinerary for the weekend includes:
Saturday, June 8, All Saints’ Church, Culmstock, 7 pm, a concert of early church music from plainsong to renaissance plus music to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Tickets £10 in aid of church development fund, with wine and nibbles available.
Sunday, June 9, St Mary’s Church, in Castle Hill, Hemyock, 10.30 am to 12 noon, benefice communion service. Choral mass - Haydn’s Missa Sancti Nicolai, by a group of instrumentalists and singers, with refreshments.
Sunday, June 9, All Saints, in The Cleeve, Culmstock, a service of sung Compline, refreshments from 7.30 pm, service 8 pm to 8.30 pm, led by Andrew Trewhella and singers.
A spokesperson said: “It promises to be a unique and joyful weekend.
“Besides the music to enjoy, there will be plenty of opportunity for meeting with friends and enjoying a glass of wine and other refreshments in the tranquil church grounds.
“It is a not to be missed occasion.”