Grant from the Continuo Foundation

Fiori are delighted to announce that we have been awarded a grant from the Continuo Foundation for our Autumn/Winter series! This is fantastic news enabling us to give four exciting performances between now and the end of January:

12 Days of Christmas at Woodford cum Membris 9 December with members of His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts and the Fiori choir
12 Days of Christmas programme repeated at All Saints’ Parish Church, Bakewell 19 December
Mr Handel’s Messiah at Northampton Cathedral on 22 December
Telemann’s World at Northampton Museum & Art Gallery on 27 January

The Continuo Foundation’s aim is “to help UK period-instrument ensembles to create inspiring live music experiences for more people in more places, enhancing the lives of musicians and audiences of all ages in communities across the country.” To date, the Continuo Foundation have supported 95 projects engaging in over 630 freelance musicians, “…touring to under-served areas of the UK.” This is a vision about which Fiori also care passionately.

Classical definitions – know what you’re talking about!

After my first couple of Fiori concerts it was obvious that there was a gap in my classical and baroque knowledge. I can easily enjoy the music without knowing the technical bits but I rock the geek chic (or I’m just a geek) so I like to know the whys and wherefores.

Meet the performers – Kerstin Linder-Dewan

Fiori Musicali work very hard to give you a great repertoire of beautiful baroque and classical music near you. I wanted to learn more about the players who regularly make up Fiori Musicali and what makes them tick.

Meet the team – Heidi Fardell

On the occasion of Fiori Musicali’s performance of their ‘Vivaldi’s Venice’ at Bilton Grange Chapel, I thought I’d have a chat with one of the main instrumentalists of the evening, Heidi Fardell. Heidi’s instrument is quite familiar for many of us. It’s often the first experience that we have playing music. ‘London’s Burning’ might give you a clue.

Fiori Musicali – Meet the skipper

When it comes to Fiori Musicali Penelope Rapson is the person in the know. Penelope is director (she keeps everyone in line) and founded the classical group in 1983 after studying music at Oxford. She’s a clever bunny and as I know pretty much nothing about classical music, we had a chat so I could swot up!

See our choir for Evensong

Just a quick note to let you know some good news. You can see Fiori for free! When the Fiori Choir sings traditional Sunday Evensong during the Summer months.

Meet the performer – Judit Felszeghy

For a sneak peak behind the scenes of Fiori Musicali I decided to start a series of short interviews with the people who make up Fiori.

This post we hear from Hungarian Soprano extra-ordinaire Judit Felszeghy.

Is classical music for the posh and privileged?

Is there a misconception about classical music? It seems to me that the general public thinks that it’s old fashioned or enjoyed only by older, posh people.

Fiori Musicali – Vivaldi’s Four Seasons

It may be cold and wintry in the UK but Vivaldi so easily reminds us of tempestuous summer days in his L’Estade Presto (Summer) from The Four Seasons.

Fiori’s guide to the Opera!

You won’t just get sparkling quality music with a Fiori performance. Oh no!

To give you even more of a sense of occasion, boss lady Penelope Rapson recounts the history of the composers, their music and the times in which it was created.