The Ashford Baroque Ensemble is a mainly modern instrument ensemble for
professional, semi-professional and good amateur players.

We play music from the Baroque and early Classical periods in an appropriate style.
(Keywords: baroque orchestra / London / group / amateur / early music / Surrey / Berkshire / South East England, / South West London, / UK)

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Site last updated: 14th May, 2013

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Forthcoming Performances:

A joint concert with the Collis Choral Society

Programme to include:

About Ashford Baroque Ensemble

• We rehearse at St Matthew's Church, Ashford, MIDDLESEX, (ie. not Kent!) approximately fortnightly on Monday evenings from 7.30 - 9.30, with about 3-5 rehearsals per concert. Formed in 2005, we are a mainly modern instrument Baroque ensemble, although many of our string players have Baroque bows. We aim for an ‘authentic’ playing style, and we do sometimes tune down a semitone to Baroque pitch - for example when we have music for strings only, or when Baroque wind instruments are available. We generally play music from about 1600-1785, from late Renaissance pieces at one end to early Classical at the other, including music by Haydn & Mozart. In most concerts we perform trio sonatas or other smaller scale works as well as concertos and sinfonias, and from time to time include vocal and choral music, to provide our audiences - and players - with plenty of variety. Many of our players play to concerto standard, so we do not normally employ paid soloists from outside the ensemble.
  
  
• About our Director: Philip Buckmaster gained an honours degree at the Colchester Institute School of Music, where Peter Holman (of The Parley of Instruments) was the resident early music lecturer. He studied the organ, piano, harpsichord, violin, singing, composing and conducting. He then followed a specialist course for music teachers at Kingston University, and now enjoys a varied career in and around London, playing, teaching, directing, composing and arranging. He has always had a keen interest in Baroque music and its performance. Well known locally, he is also Director of Music at St Matthew's Church, Ashford, and Conductor of Feltham Choral Society.
  
  
• Listen to excerpts taken from our concerts:
    
    1.  Bach - excerpt from Suite in B minor - Badinerie
    2.  Bach - excerpt from Brandenburg 2 - 2nd Movement 
    3.  Thomas Linley - Excerpt from Overture to the Duenna - 3rd Movement: Allegro
    4.  Thomas Linley - excerpt from Cantata Ye Nymphs of Albion's Beauty-blooming Isle Soprano soloist: Rachel Major
    5.  Handel - Excerpt from Overture to Rinaldo
    6.  Handel - excerpt from Water Music Suite in F
    7.  Boismortier - Excerpt from Sonata in G for 2 Oboes, Bassoon & Continuo - 4th Movement, Gavotte
    8.  Haydn - Excerpt from Cello Concerto No.1 in C - 1st Movement Soloist: Tatsuya Shirai
    9.  Mozart - Excerpt from Flute Concerto No.2 in D - 3rd Movement Soloist: Richard Austin
  
  

• Vacancies:
  We are always pleased to hear from instrumentalists, as extras are needed from time to time. Players who are at least grade 8 standard are invited to apply - we are looking for players with enthusiasm, good intonation, musicality and good sight reading. There are no fees to join.
  Currently we would be particularly interested to hear from players with Baroque bassoons and natural trumpets.
  Please e-mail info@ashfordbaroque.org.uk or phone 01932 783343 if you are interested in joining us.
  PLEASE NOTE that we do not normally employ paid soloists from outside the ensemble.
  

 

Some of the works we have performed

Albinoni	Oboe concerto in Dm, Op.2, No.9 (Soloist: Karen Gibbard)
Arne	Overture (Symphony) No.1 in Em Overture (Symphony) No.4 in F Overture (Symphony) No.5 in D Overture (Symphony) No.7 in D
Bach	St John Passion Magnificat in D Brandenburg concerto No.1 in F Brandenburg concerto No.2 in F Brandenburg concerto No.3 in G Brandenburg concerto No.4 in G Orchestral suite in Bm Concerto in Cm for Violin & Oboe (Soloists: Jocelyn Slocombe & Karen Gibbard Cantata No.51: Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen (Soprano soloist: Christine Brown, Trumpet soloist: Hilmar Hauer) Cantata No.82: Ich habe genug Cantata No.140: Wachet auf Cantata No.209: Non sa che sia dolore (Soprano soloist: Rachel Major) Unaccompanied Cello Suite No.1 in G (Soloist: Tatsuya Shirai) Unaccompanied Cello Suite No.3 in C (Soloist: Tatsuya Shirai)
CPE Bach	Magnificat
Blavet	Sonata for Flute & Basso Continuo in D minor (Soloist: Richard Austin)
Boismortier	Sonata for 2 Oboes & Basso Continuo in G
Boyce	Symphony No.1 in Bb Symphony No.2 in A Symphony No.3 in C Symphony No.5 in D Symphony No.6 in F Symphony No.7 in Bb Symphony No.8 in Dm
Corelli	Sonata da Chiesa Op.1, No.11 in Dm Sonata da Chiesa Op.1, No.4 in Am
Couperin	Sixième & septième concerts from Les Gouts Réunis
Fiorenza	Concerto for Recorder & Strings No.1 in G minor  (Soloist: David Hansell)
Gallo	Trio Sonata No.1 in G
G. Gabrieli	Various Canzons for brass
Handel	Messiah Organ concerto in Gm Op.4 No.1 HWV289  (Soloist: Philip Buckmaster) Organ concerto in F, HWV295 "The Cuckoo & the Nightingale" (Soloist: Philip Buckmaster) Overture to Rinaldo Water music suites in F & D Arrival of the Queen of Sheba Concerto Grosso Op.6, No.11 in A Chandos Anthem: My song shall be alway Coronation Anthem: The King shall Rejoice Coronation Anthem: Zadok the Priest
Haydn	Symphony No.6 - "Le Matin" Symphony No.8 - "Le Soir" Cello Concerto No.1 in C (Soloist: Tatsuya Shirai) Nelson Mass
Thomas Linley the Younger	"Arise! Ye spirits of the storm" Overture to the Duenna Overture, Menuetto & 1st Chorus from A Lyric Ode Cantata: "Ye nymphs of Albion’s beauty-blooming isle"  (Soloist: Rachel Major)
Locatelli	Introduttione (Concerto Grosso) in D, Op.4 No.1
Monteverdi	Toccata, Prologue Ritornello & Moresca from Orpheo (arr. PB)
Mozart	Requiem Piano Concerto No.19 in F, K459 (Soloist: Philip Buckmaster) Piano Concerto No.23 in A, K488 (Soloist: Philip Buckmaster) Flute Concerto No.2 in D, K314 (Soloist: Richard Austin) Vesperae solennes de Dominica Vesperae solennes de Confessor Coronation mass in C Eine kleine Nachtmusik Andante in C for Flute & Orchestra (Soloist: Richard Austin) "Per questa bella mano" (Soloist: Dean Ferrell)
Purcell	Chacony in Gm The Fairy Queen Fantazias & In Nomines
Rosenmüller	Sinfonia No.5 in D minor Sonata Terza a 2
Quantz	Trio in C for 2 Flutes & Continuo
Telemann	Trio in G for Flute, Violin & Continuo Trio No.12 from Essercizzi Musici Quartet in Dm
Torelli	Sinfonia in D for Trumpet & Strings (Soloist: Hilmar Hauer)
Vivaldi	Concerto in Dm RV96 for Flute, Violin, Bassoon & Strings.  (Soloists: Kate Hunter, Lara Hoccum & Stephen Morris) Concerto Grosso in Dm, Op.3, No.11 Concerto in C for Recorder & Strings  (Soloist: David Hansell) Concerto in Am for Oboe & Strings, RV461  (Soloist: Joanne Houghton) Gloria in D, R589
Woodcock	Concerto No.3 in D for Recorder & Strings (Soloist: Richard Austin)
Zelenka	Ouverture-suite in F, Z188 Sonata No.1 in F for 2 Oboes, Bassoon & Continuo, Z181

 

 

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Have Baroque Ensemble, will travel!

Would you like us to come and perform in your church or other venue?

We have our own music stands and harpsichord. All we require is chairs (without arms) and space for about 15-20 players to be seated, and a fee of £300.
Occasionally this amount is exceeded if extra players need to be brought in for any special works you might want us to play, or if your venue is far away.
Any amount you raise above this you can use how you wish. We suggest a ticket price of £7-10 for a concert, which means that after the first 30-43 people, you make a profit!

Do you need an accompaniment for your choir?

We are also available to choirs seeking an historically informed Baroque accompaniment at modern or Baroque pitch. (A=415, ie. a semitone lower)
Fees are negotiable.
We also play music from the Classical period or even later, on modern instruments, so you can include a more varied programme in your concert.
However, please note that it is impractical to play at different pitches within the same concert, so if Baroque instruments are desired, the whole concert needs to be at A415.

 

 

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Players' Resources

For new or visiting players - view or download directions to St Matthew's Church.

The pdf download folder of parts for practice only - there is no need to print them out to bring them to rehearsals. Scores are included if available. This page is password protected for copyright reasons. If you have forgotten the login details, please email me.

Rehearsal and concert dates and details. Now there's no excuse for not knowing about a rehearsal or concert!!

A page with links to recommended professional recordings.

Live recordings of our own concerts in mp3 format. This page is password protected! If you have forgotten the login details, please email me.

 

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Related links

St Matthew's Church - where we are based

Thomas Linley - the 'English Mozart'

Isleworth Baroque - another local Baroque group

Concert-Diary.com - where you can look for concerts to go to

Baroque-Music.co.uk - a Baroque resource website

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