Wednesday 28 March 2007

The 2007 Asparagus Festival - Stay at Farncombe

The Evesham Asparagus Festival draws to a close on Sunday 3rd June in the gorgeous village of Bretforton. Bretforton is a short 10 minute drive from Broadway and events centre around The Fleece Inn - a "quintessential village pub" owned by The National Trust. The church Asparagus auction takes place on Sunday, and for Garden lovers it is also Bretforton Open Gardens Day.

We can help arrange return group transport to Bretforton for a small fee. Please let us know if this is of interest. Parking in Bretforton village can be restricted at busy times.

After a fabulous day in Bretforton return to Farncombe for a 3 course evening meal and overnight B&B from only £58.50 per person.
To register interest in this offer please visit the Farncombe website & complete the enquiry form. www.FarncombeEstate.co.uk/Asparagus

THE SMALL BALLET – Strut Luscious & Road Movies

New ballet with contemporary twists!!

‘Strut Luscious’ offers a sensuous swirl of duets & solos against a backdrop of fiery rhythms, with the dancers transforming their classical technique through the use of contemporary & jazz influences! ‘Road Movies’ gives hints of travelling along individual highways which cross at junctions & pit-stops – all interwoven with a love of the beauty & freedom of movement.

The dancers of The Small Ballet bring experience from a number of internationally renowned companies, such as English National Ballet, balletLORENT, Adventures In Motion Pictures, Michael Clarke Company, Cuban National Ballet, Vienna Festival Ballet & Welsh Independent Ballet. Choreography is by Anya Ison Wallace & music includes works by John Adams & Alfred Schnittke.

Saturday 21st April
7.30pm
Worcester Arts Workshop, 21 Sansome Street, Worcester WR1 1UH
Box Office: (01905) 21095
Tickets: £7.00 (£5.00 concessions) Family friendly show
Family Ticket: £19.50 (2 adults & 2 children under 16)

Quote “strutting lusciously” when you ring to book your tickets (as proof that you saw it here, on-line!) and we will knock off £1.50 from any of the above ticket prices – got to be worth a call!!!!!!

The Small Ballet tour is subsidised and supported by ‘Shindig’, Worcestershire’s rural and community touring scheme. Shindig is financially supported by Worcestershire Consortium of Arts Officers & Arts Council England (WM)

Marie (Oldaker) - Worcester Arts Workshop
01905 21095
www.worcesterartsworkshop.org.uk

Search Begins for County Heroes

Do you know someone who has made a difference and deserves recognition? The Citizen and its sister paper the Gloucestershire Echo are proud to announce the launch of the Pride of Gloucestershire Community Awards 2007 to honour the unsung heroes who work tirelessly in our county. This is a chance to thank those people who make life worth living for somebody else without asking for anything in return.

Gloucestershire Media's managing director, Andrew Blair, said: "This gives us an opportunity to give something back and to celebrate some of the special people in our community who do wonderful work."

There are seven categories, rewarding heroes from all walks of life - caring hero, community hero, young caring hero, environmental hero, local hero, public sector hero and community project of the year.

Editor of The Citizen, Ian Mean, said: "There are so many unsung heroes throughout Gloucestershire. We felt we needed to have a way of honouring their achievements."

Five finalists will be invited, along with their families and supporters, to a glittering Oscars-style ceremony at Cheltenham Town Hall on July 10. The inspiring winners will be announced and presented with their trophies and a donation for their chosen charity or community group, by some big names. Runners-up will receive certificates to celebrate their successes.


The deadline for nominations is Friday, May 4.

Completed forms should be sent to Lynn Elson, 2 Batsford, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire GL56 9QB, or email lynn@tropicarnart.com .

Cheltenham Jazz Festival in association with BBC Radio 2

Cheltenham Jazz Festival in association with BBC Radio 2
1st – 7th May 2007
Box Office 01242 227979
http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com
Tickets for this year’s Cheltenham Jazz Festival are now on sale!

If you haven’t already booked yours make sure you visit www.cheltenhamfestivals.com to read about all the events, order your very own copy of our gorgeous brochure and, of course, to book your tickets.
Our stellar line up offers an eclectic mix of music crammed into seven days. We don’t expect everyone to like all of it – after all, jazz means lots of different things to different people! – but if you’re a music fan and you enjoy great live events, we’re sure you’ll discover plenty of your own highlights. Here are just a sprinkling of ours…

Madeleine Peyroux
The festival opens with the smoky voice and poignant tones of Madeleine Peyroux, the French-American singer who took the world by storm last year with her million-selling album, Careless Love.
Charles Lloyd
Described by Carlos Santana as an "international treasure", the legendary American saxophonist and free spirit Charles Lloyd joins us with his new quartet and for an exclusive interview.
Marti Pellow
The Wet Wet Wet front man turns his honey-toned vocal talents to jazz for a spine-tingling conclusion to the festival.
Koop
The kitsch Swedish electronica duo that shot to fame with their albums Waltz For Koop and Koop Islands join us to turn their studio albums into a live experience with the BBC Big Band and guest stars.
The Michael Parkinson Show presents…
Presented by the legendary host Michael Parkinson, the weekend kicks off with a live Radio 2 broadcast of classic jazz from special guests including Curtis Stigers, Jane Monheit and Jamie Davis.

Bob Brookmeyer & Eliane Elias Composer, trombonist and all round New York jazz legend Bob Brookmeyer is our artist in residence throughout the festival. For his opening concert, he joins the wonderful Brazilian singer and pianist Eliane Elias for an evening of big band music.


Jerwood Jazz Generation Our rising stars – the young British artists you have seen cutting their teeth at Cheltenham over the last five years – join us for electrifying performances and brand new music. Seb Rochford, Ingrid Laubrock and Gwilym Simcock are just some of the musicians we can’t wait to hear.

How to book tickets
Call the Box Office 01242 227979

To request a brochure call 01242 237377
We look forward to seeing you in May!
The Jazz Festival team

Friday 23 March 2007

Paul Clark and Farncombe: Building on what Paul started for us

I am writing to all those who have attended or expressed an interest in Paul Clark’s Recorder Ensemble weekends to let you know that Paul will no longer be leading them. Many of you will be aware that he suffered a heart attack earlier this year. He has since decided that he should not run weekend courses. This is a huge loss to Farncombe as it was Paul who in October 2003, just after our launch in September that year, ran the very first weekend course to take place in the Farncombe Estate Centre programme. The splendid start he gave us with a group of committed and happy students was a huge fillip for an embryonic activity and set us on the way to having over 3,000 people here on evening talks, day schools, weekend courses and special events in 2006, with 4,500 expected in 2007.

We have in the programme for 2007, two more Recorder Ensemble weekends: 15 to 17 June and 21 to 23 September. On Paul’s recommendation we have asked Andrew Collis to take over these weekends. A brief CV for Andrew is attached together with the course description for his June course which is slightly different from Paul’s original programme. We hope he will continue to run weekends for us in future years.

Meanwhile, immediately following Paul’s heart attack when we were unable to speak to him, we contacted Helen Hooker who very kindly stood in at short notice to lead the weekend in February. We hope that she will also run weekends for us in 2008 and beyond. In addition we had already added to the programme some Recorder Day Schools which will be led by Cathy Dew who lives here in Worcestershire. The first of these is 13 October.

Paul has given us a great start to recorder playing at Farncombe. I hope we are taking that forward in ways that reflect his love and commitment to the instrument and its music.

If you have any questions or would like more information on any of the events, do please contact us.

With regards, William Reddaway - Head of Lifelong Learning


Andrew Collis
Andrew studied recorder with Paul Clark and at Trinity College of Music with Philip Thorby. Andrew performs in various ensembles at venues and festivals throughout the UK. An experienced teacher at all levels and as a tutor on courses/weekends he coaches a wide range of music from Early to avant-garde.

Ensemble Weekend 15 to 17 June 2007
The weekend is for competent recorder players in an ensemble situation. We will play some great music from a diverse collection of composers, something for all tastes. Music includes works by Gibbons, Purcell, Bach, Haydn, Hilling and Staeps. Instruments from sopranino down to Contra bass are welcome. The sessions will look at style and performance practice as well as recorder technique and playing in an ensemble.

Helen Hooker
Helen studied the recorder at Trinity College of Music under Philip Thorby, graduating in 1993 with a first class degree and the Post-Graduate Certificate in performance with distinction. She now combines performing on the recorder with teaching the instrument in and around her home town of Chichester. Helen regularly teaches on residential courses for recorder players of all ages, including the Recorder Summer School, of which she is Chairperson. Helen has directed weekend recorder courses at West Dean College since 2003. Helen is a visiting conductor and Musical Advisor to the Society of Recorder Players, regularly conducting recorder ensembles throughout the British Isles.

Helen has performed widely on the recorder, both as a soloist and chamber musician. She gives regular recitals throughout the UK with The Parnassian Ensemble. Helen has also been a tutor for the National Youth Recorder Orchestra of Great Britain since its inception in 2002.

Cathy Dew
Cathy is a recorder player specialising in music of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. She studied at the University of York, where she completed a PhD on instrumental music of the early seventeenth century. With Robert Howarth, she reached the final of the Early Music Network International Young Artists Competition in 1995, has broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and has performed as a soloist with a number of baroque orchestras. She regularly performs with harpsichordist Micaela Schmitz and enjoys leading educational workshops on early music for young people and adults across the UK.

Attention all cyclists!

Blur bass player, journalist, broadcaster and organic farmer Alex James will launch the publication of a series of Cotswold cycle routes in April.

The packs were developed by Gloucestershire Rural Community Council (GRCC) to promote local businesses and the benefits of cycling as a form of sustainable transport.

Cycle enthusiasts from across the district are invited to join Alex on 5 April at 11.30am in the King’s Head pub in Bledington. Alex is keen to promote this project because having moved to the area three years ago he understands the importance of supporting local businesses.

The packs include five circular cycle routes which start and finish from the following towns and villages; Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water, Kemble, Kingham and Moreton-in-Marsh. The start of each route is accessible by public transport and will take cyclists past several businesses including farm shops, post offices, cafes, restaurants, pubs and cycle hire shops.

Melanie Tarrant, a rural adviser for GRCC, came up with the concept for the packs after speaking to rural shop and pub owners who expressed concern about the lack of passing trade. Melanie, a keen cyclist, saw an opportunity to promote these businesses, while also encouraging both visitors and locals to ditch their cars and explore the Cotswolds by bike. "Many of the businesses featured on the routes are off the beaten track", said Melanie, "We hope that these packs will inspire visitors and residents to discover new pubs, shops and tourist attractions and rediscover the pleasure of cycling in such a beautiful area."

Packs will be available on the day and can also be obtained from visitor information centres, businesses on the routes, tourist attractions and train stations.

Farncombe Estate in the Cotswolds: Worcestershire Arts Forum - new website now available

Farncombe Estate in the Cotswolds: Worcestershire Arts Forum - new website now available

Worcester International Piano Series Concert 5

Michael Bochmann & Michael Blackmore at Huntingdon Hall, Saturday 28th April 8.00pm Tickets £12.50 www.WorcesterLive.co.uk

Worcestershire Arts Forum - new website now available

The Worcestershire Arts Forum is the new voice of the thriving arts scene in the County - set up to champion the arts at all levels of our community, help build audiences, develop skills and attract funding! Visit the website for more details and how to join.

Grants for the Arts roadshows 2007

Arts Council England
Grants for the Arts roadshows 2007
Wednesday 17 October, 11am-1pm - Worcester Porcelain Museum
Booking is essential for these events. To reserve a place, contact Mathew Hanratty on 0121 631 5737 or email mathew.hanratty@artscouncil.org.uk

Thursday 22 March 2007

Win a Farncombe Weekend Break for Two & Last Of The Summer Wine DVDs

www.50Connect.co.uk is a leading website for the over 50's. The site includes forums on a wide range of topics and is free to join. Visit the website and you'll find us linked on the home page ! The competition closes 2nd April.

Wednesday 21 March 2007

The Paul Simon Songbook comes to Farncombe

Hard to believe (for those of us who remember the 60s), but 2007 is the 50th anniversary of Paul Simon’s first recorded song! He formed the group Tom and Jerry with his childhood friend Art Garfunkel in 1957, and had his first taste of success with the minor hit Hey Schoolgirl which reached 49 in the US charts when Simon was only 16.

Paul Simon’s song writing career has gone on to span six decades and many different genres. In 2006 he released his 10th solo album Surprise. He will be 66 on October 13th this year. This workshop has been especially designed to celebrate the long and successful career of this much-loved singer/ songwriter.

Paul Simon’s early songs were strongly influenced by his love of the Everly Brothers, and his feel for vocal harmony has continued to influence his song-writing. Consequently his songs particularly lend themselves to being arranged for unaccompanied harmony singing.

Everyone is familiar with much of his output going back to the days of Homeward Bound, Mrs Robinson and on into his many collaborations with world music artists like Ladysmith Black Mambazo (Homeless). Paul Simon’s songs cover a huge range of styles and genres which makes for a very varied weekend of singing!

Tutor Chris Rowbury says: “I chose Paul Simon because not only are people already familiar with many of his songs (which gives us a head-start when learning harmony arrangements!), but his song-writing output covers such a wide range of styles, that there is bound to be something to suit everyone in this workshop. His love of harmony makes his songs particularly suited to unaccompanied singing.”

Chris Rowbury will be tutoring the very popular "Paul Simon Songbook" at Farncombe 7-9 September. Read Chris's regular blog "From the Front of the Choir"....

Jazz Saxophone day workshop



Latest projects from Mike Hall.

More from www.FarncombeEstate.co.uk

Carducci debut CD released!



The Carducci quartet have released their debut CD of Haydn string quartets - under their own record label 'Carducci Classics'. The CD which includes three great Haydn quartets, including the 'Frog' and 'Fifths' is now available to buy through their website.


Three other recording projects will follow in 2007 under the 'Carducci Classics' label. The Carduccis will be recording the string works of Joseph Horovitz (including the oboe quartet with Nicholas Daniel), the quartets of Graham Whettam and the complete quartets of Brian Boydell. The latter with funding from the Irish Arts Council and Music Network.

The Carduccis will be tutoring at Farncombe 3-4 January 2008. Don't forget to visit the website for news and information. Visit www.FarncombeEstate.co.uk/Carducci or www.myspace.com/carducciquartet

Writer's blog


Crysse Morrison
Writer: fiction, articles, performance poetry & Farncombe tutor.
More online from http://crysse.blogspot.com

New website - What's on in Worcestershire!

Worcestershire Arts Marketing have developed a new website to include events from around the county. The site has direct links to theatres, exhibitions and activities giving you a unique "one stop shop" for online booking. www.WhatsonWorcestershire.co.uk

A night at Longborough opera

The Longborough Opera season begins in June. Bed & Breakfast accommodation can be booked at Farncombe Estate so that you can stay nearby and avoid a late return home.
Elite Travel Broadway can also help with transport to and from Longborough.

String Chamber Music weekends

In the past few years we have had a number of enquiries from individual musicians that have been unable to join one of our preformed group String Chamber music weekends.
We hope that this blogline will give you the chance to meet and discuss forming a group.

Festival of Quilts 2007, NEC Birmingham

A number of our tutors will be exhibiting, so you'll have a first hand opportunity to discuss their courses and techniques in more detail!. Find Jennie Rayment, Barbara Chainey, Alicia Merrett and many others .... For course information visit our Arts and Crafts page.

Bridge Weekends - only a few bedrooms left for June

Bridge weekends at Farncombe are always popular. Please book soon if you would like accommodation on the Estate.

Painting Holiday Directory

Farncombe courses are now listed online with The Painting Holiday Directory. To order a copy please visit the website.

Tuesday 20 March 2007

Year of the Cotswold Garden


Gardening, and garden visiting is a passion of the British, as a growing number of specialist TV programmes and magazines bear witness.

2007 will be an important year for England’s gardens and Farncombe have a number of events you may find of interest. You will also find plenty of other events listed at www.EnjoyEngland.net

Advanced Vocal Techniques


We are very sorry that we did not receive sufficient enquiries in order to confirm this course for March 2007.
However, we are planning for 2008, so if you are interested in advanced singing courses please do let us know and ask us to keep you posted !.

Glenfall House Gardening Weekend

Thursday 12th to Sunday 15th April 2007

Does the idea of spending a weekend working in beautiful gardens appeal?
Whilst enjoying the gracious house with its special atmosphere, renowned welcome and good cooking, you would help maintain the landscaped grounds. The development of the grounds and gardens is supervised by the Gardens Committee with the support of the Friends of Glenfall House, and we would like to offer others the chance to help in this peaceful place.
The weekend will be ideal for both novice and experienced gardeners.
Residential and non-residential places available.

Discounts on WorcesterLive Events

Farncombe subscribers will receive a discount on tickets for select Huntingdon Hall events March - May 2007. Please email us to sign up to our free newsletter at Subscribe@FarncombeEstate.co.uk

Click here for for more details on Worcester Live and events at Huntingdon Hall

Closing date 30 March for Wildlife Photographer of the Year -

Now open for entries, this year's competition includes a new category, special award, plus a dramatic increase to £10,000 for the title, Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
An imaginative eye, a love for nature, and a camera are all it takes to enter the competition. We're looking for fresh and new imagery - pictures that will stop the judges in their tracks.
Online entry is also now live - the easiest, quickest and cheapest way to submit your digital entry from almost anywhere in the world.
Visit our website for details !

Welcome Nydia ....

Farncombe Estate has been a very busy place in 2007 !

Firstly, we welcome Nydia Knight to the Farncombe Team. Nydia works full time on booking administration and assisting William Reddaway.

For more details about The Farncombe Team visit our website page http://www.farncombeestate.com/Team

Farncombe Estate Centre's Fan Box

Where to find us and what we do

Farncombe Estate is situated just outside the Cotswold village of Broadway. We are approximately 50 minutes from Oxford, Birmingham and Bristol and easily located from the M5, M40 and M42.

There is a direct rail service from London Paddington to Moreton in Marsh which is our nearest rail station. To help rail travellers we offer a return taxi collection service from the station.

For a location map and further directions please visit our website.