Concerts during Stoney Middleton Well Dressing

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 20th Jul 2008

During our Well Dressing week there will be two concerts for you to enjoy in Saint Martin's Church, which has ideal acoustics for vocal and chamber group music. Each evening will offer you a varied programme of popular music, but in two very different styles.

"QQ at Stoney" - Amanda Rowden-Martin and her Quintessential Quartet will give the first of these, at 7:30 pm on Sunday 27th July. Amanda used to live in Stoney Middleton and has performed for us on previous occasions. She formed the Quintessential Quartet in 1990 specifically to provide background music for society functions and weddings. It has in the past performed for the Royal Family and at many Stately Homes and fine Hotels, and often alongside celebrities including Kiri te Kanawa and Pavarotti; it has also featured on a number of Radio and TV programmes.

More recently QQ has given concerts in Spain, where they have a strong connection with the Alpujarra, the home now of their cellist. They play there regularly and have been involved in a summer concert series for the last 3 years called "Music in the Mountains". The Alpujarra is forming links with the Peak District (the Peak District String Orchestra has been there to play as well as the QQ, and some of their musicians have been to play over here too). Because of this, QQ will be including some Spanish music in their programme for us, which may get everyone in the mood for their summer holidays!

Amanda herself studied music at Sheffield University, specializing in the piano, at which she now has a high reputation as a teacher. She also plays the violin and viola and formerly held a leading position as a member of the English Philharmonic Orchestra. She now leads the Bach Choir, among others.

The Sheffield Folk Chorale, who will sing for us on Saturday 2nd August, also at 7:30 pm, are coming to Stoney Middleton for the first time and are fitting us in to a busy season of 11 concerts which they are giving this year. Since the Folk Chorale was formed in 2001 they have gone from strength to strength. At the start the aim was simply to get together a choir to put on a carol concert at Christmas featuring some less well-known carols and songs. That concert of 2001 was so successful and enjoyable it was decided to sing on!

Liverpool-born Eileen and London-born Graham Pratt have been playing on the folk circuit since the early 70s. Sheffield became their home in 1981; Graham works at Hallam University and Eileen teaches at a local Nursery Infants School. Their music has often focused on Eileen's voice accompanied by Graham's guitar, harmonium, keyboard and English concertina; it also features Graham's songwriting. The Sheffield Folk Chorale is now an 80-strong choir (of which about 35 singers will be coming to St. Martin's), which performs Graham's 4-part arrangements of traditional songs and less familiar carols. They have made a number of recordings and the details of their CDs can be found on their website: www.grahamandeileenpratt.co.uk.

For each concert the price for entry will be £6, which will include interval refreshments. Do come along!