The 2010 PLAXTOL MUSIC FESTIVAL was held between January and September and was a great success with 2 of the concerts completely sold out. The next one will now be in 2013.

www.plaxtolmusicfestival.co.uk

Artists who appeared in 2010:

Actors Timothy West and Prunella Scales
Claire Jones, Harpist to HRH The Prince of Wales and Chris Marshall, percussionist
The King’s School, Canterbury Crypt Choir
David Rees-Williams Jazz Trio
Tasmin Little and John Lenehan, violin and piano

Sunday 24th January 2010 saw Timothy West and Prunella Scales in ‘The battle of the sexes’ - an afternoon recital of prose and poetry given by two of the UK’s most versatile and well-loved actors, Timothy West and Prunella Scales. Tim and Pru chose their favourite selection of literature exploring that conundrum of who should dominate in a relationship between a man and woman!The fact that they are a married couple added even more fun to the occasion! 

Saturday 27th February 2010
Recital by Royal Harpist Claire Jones and percussionist Chris Marshall began the day with a harp and percussion workshop at Plaxtol Primary School. In the evening both gave a recital in the church.
Claire Jones was making a return visit to Plaxtol, following her sell-out 2008 recital. This time Chris joined her in a duo recital. Both Claire and Chris represented Wales in the Best of Britain in 2009 and have performed at various festivals in UK. Claire is now in her 4th year as Royal Harpist to HRH The Prince of Wales. For Prince Charles’ 60th birthday in 2008,  Patrick Hawes, Classic FM's Composer in Residence, composed a solo piece for harp and strings called 'Goddess of The Woods' which Claire performed with the Philharmonia; the piece has been turned into a 30 minute concerto for harp and orchestra which was premiered in spring 2010. Chris Marshall plays in West End shows including We Will Rock You and Carousel and does recording sessions in London.

Saturday 24th April 2010          
The King’s School, Canterbury Crypt Choir gave an evening recital. The acclaimed Choir were due to give their concert in Apirl but got held up by the ash cloud at the end of their tour of South Africa and Swaziland. They returned in the Autumn to a sell-out event.
The music tradition of the King’s School, Canterbury, set in the shadow of Canterbury Cathedral, is widely acknowledged throughout the UK. With its roots going back to 6th century, music has always played a major part in the school’s life since its monastic origins. Its musical reputation was established in the 1950s under Edred Wright, one of the conductors at the Queen’s Coronation and a former Director of Music. Under its current Director of Music, Howard Ionascu, that reputation has increased further.

Saturday 12th June 2010   
David Rees-Williams Jazz Trio gave a concert in the gardens of Schoolfields, Yopps Green by kind permission of Colin & Caroline Creed with a picnic interval during the middle of the concert.
The David Rees-Williams Trio celebrated their 20th anniversary last year with a new CD. Called Thinking Allowed it has been played regularly on BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM's the Jazz. The Trio consists of David Rees-Williams on piano, Neil Francis on bass guitar and Phil Laslett on drums. Based in Canterbury, they perform in a number of concerts and festivals both in the UK and abroad and are regular guests at Pizza on the Park in London.  The Trio specialise in a programme that unites the best of Classical and jazz. David, a former student at the Royal College of Music, wrote his arrangement of Purcell's famous aria When I Am Laid In Earth for his CD Classically Minded in 2001. First played on Radio 3 on Sean Rafferty’s programme In Tune, the response was extraordinary, resulting in the BBC being inundated with enquiries, and subsequently inviting them to record a commercial disc on their new Late Junction label.
This recital took place in the beautiful oak barn at Schoolfields and guests brought a picnic to enjoy during the extended interval. A licensed bar was provided by the Friends of Plaxtol Church which stayed open after the performance for coffee and brandy.

Friday 10th September 2010 saw the a recital by the celebrated violinist Tasmin Little accompanied by John Lenehan. The duo gave a violin workshop at Plaxtol Primary School in the afternoon and then a recital in the evening at the chirch.
Tasmin won the prestigious 2008 Classic FM/Gramophone Award for Audience Innovation in recognition of the overwhelming success of ‘The Naked Violin.’ Spurred on by the success of this pioneering recording she has created a further imaginative CD and recital concept ‘Partners in Time’© with the pianist John Lenehan. ‘Partners in Time’© explores the chronology of the development of the relationship between violin and piano and uncovers the way in which composers related to and fell in love with this partnership. Their concert is linked to this idea, and features works by Bach, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Grieg, Bartok and Kreisler. Tasmin performed on both the “Regent” Stradivarius of 1708, on loan from the Royal Academy of Music, and her own instrument, a 1757 Guadagnini.

Refreshments: The Friends of Plaxtol Church will be offering refreshments at each concert.
The Papermakers Arms, just down from the church in The Street, is also open for food on each of the performance days.  Any profit after from the concerts after costs goes to Plaxtol Church.
Photography: photography is not permitted during the performances.

www.plaxtolfestival.co.uk

Marius Carboni. Phone: +44 (0) 1732 888585. Email: mcarboni@carbonimedia.com
Gill French. Phone:+ 44 ( 0) 1732 810155. Email: gfrench@carbonimedia.com