The Harmonie Choir and Orchestra (Dir. Peter Bullett) performed an enchanting programme of Mendelssohn rarities this afternoon, in front of a large audience topping 100 (quite good to have a captive audience when the retiring collection is in aid of the Organ Restoration Fund….!)

As well as a rarely-performed overture Heimkehr aus der Fremde, a version of Hear My Prayer orchestrated by Mendelssohn himself and a youthful cantata on Vom Himmel Hoch (very much in Mendelssohn’s “Bach” style), we were treated to some gorgeous vocal solos and duos by two young postgraduate singers from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Miriam Mekel and Alex Jones.

Music in New Malden takes a very short break over Christmas and New Year, returning on Sunday 7 January with a programme of quartets for clarinet and strings by Swedish virtuoso, Bernhard Hendrik Crusell, played by our very own Jane Booth – part of a research project on Crusell leading up to a recording of his complete quartets starting later in 2018.

Then on 11 February, there’s a chance to hear one of the masterpieces of the symphonic repertory, Beethoven’s Symphony No.2 – in the composer’s very own Piano Trio arrangement. Peter Hanson (violin), Robin Michael (cello) and John Irving (fortepiano).

Both of these concerts will also feature separately as part of Music in New Malden’s outreach concerts at Burlington Junior School and Raleigh House Dementia Day Care centre – a new feature for our 10th series, generously supported with funding by the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.