Summer Music in City Churches Festival Director Ian Maclay said: “We’re delighted to welcome some very exciting new young artists this year alongside a number of the festival’s greatest friends. We’re grateful to them all for their imaginative ideas for programming on this year’s theme, ‘Eternal Light’, and we are looking forward to hosting these excellent lunchtime concerts in some really beautiful churches that are new to us.”
Breaking down musical barriers at St James Garlickhythe (appropriately nicknamed “Christopher Wren's lantern" due to its profusion of windows), rising stars Eleanor Grant (voice and double bass) and Gus McQuade (guitar) will bring a delightfully eclectic programme - from Hildegard von Bingen to Duke Ellington to Jacob Collier - focusing on hope and comfort to be found around us in light. Eleanor and Gus formed their duo as undergraduates at the Royal Academy of Music. While working together, they became aware of a mutual passion for exploring multiple genres, from the Renaissance period to the present day, embracing folk and jazz influences. The performance coincides with the release of their debut album Seasons in Time. Hear them on 20 June.
Under the barrel-vaulted ceiling of St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate, award-winning classical guitarist Jack Hancher will perform solo works programmed around a theme of remembrance, including those by Debussy, Ravel and Antonio José. There will be the opportunity to hear excerpts from his new album The Memory Garden, named after a commission from Laura Snowden, and Dani Howard’s You Don’t Have To Tell Me Twice, replete with the guitar’s richest tones and colours. Hear Jack’s programme on 24 June.
Other lunchtime concerts include Tier3 Trio performing at St Giles, Cripplegate on 19 June in works for piano trio by three brilliant young composers confronting tragedy: Mozart, Lili Boulanger and Smetana, and Brother Tree Sound performing Haydn's magical 'Sunrise' Quartet and Mendelssohn's final work, his Sixth Quartet - at St Mary Abchurch on 23 June.
Summer Music in City Churches was founded in 2018, presenting beautiful music to engage, divert and inspire, in ancient and architecturally stunning churches in London's Square Mile. Standing cheek by jowl with City offices, these churches are glorious settings in which to listen and reflect: oases of history, beauty and peace amidst the 24-7 hurly-burly of City life.
Tickets (including a festival season ticket) are on sale from the website, priced at £12 for a lunchtime concert, and are half-price for students and under-30s. Evening concerts are individually priced, please see website.