Rhian Morgan on this year’s programme starting on June 30th

Ben Tarlton (cello) and Robin Green (piano) performing at the 2022 High Barnet Chamber Music Festival — Ben Tarlton (cello) and Robin Green (piano) performing at – (Credit HBCMF)

The programme for this year’s High Barnet Chamber Music Festival has been unveiled with ever-popular Beethoven and Haydn string quartets featuring alongside world premieres and a charity concert.

Artistic director Joshua Ballance says “after two very successful years, we’re delighted to continue to bring first-class performers to Barnet. There’s something for everyone with familiar orchestral music, including Suk’s Serenade and Grace Williams’ Sea Sketches, a piano recital at Queen Elizabeth’s Boys’ School, and Schoenberg’s Pierrot lunaire.

“Add to this our trademark contemporary offerings, which this year include the Festival’s first commissions, a new work by the emerging Australian composer Rob Hao performed by Mad Song, as well as the premiere of a newly commissioned version of Carol J. Jones’ chrysalis for string orchestra. Both of these came about through our highly successful composition competition, which attracted a diverse pool of over 60 entrants.”

Performers include the New London Orchestra, the Brompton Quartet and the pianist George Xiaoyuan Fu, who gives his recital at Queen Elizabeth’s Boys’ School. Fu’s programme includes two works from his recent, critically acclaimed album (5 stars from the BBC Music Magazine), Tailleferre’s Pastorale and the centrepiece, Ravel’s Miroirs.

The charity concert, at 3pm on Sunday July 16, features local musicians of all ages and is held in memory of Jean Middlemiss, a renowned music educator who lived in High Barnet.

The Festival, now in its third year, is supported by Arts Council England, the Leche Trust, the Fenton Arts Trust, the Music Reprieval Trust, and the Cavatina Chamber Music Trust.

“We’re enormously grateful to the trusts, and to our wonderful supporters and sponsors who help make this possible” added Ballance.

The Festival, which runs from Friday June 30 to Sunday July 16, is held at St John the Baptist Church, High Barnet, a short walk from the Tube and on many bus routes.

The full programme is available here.

Tickets prices are from £5 – £15, with some free entry for 25s and under

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