Our last concert before Christmas is on Sunday 26 November in St Mary’s Church, Main Road, Westonzoyland, TA7 0EP. The concert starts at 3 pm with refreshments served from 2.15 pm.

Thrill to the sound of brass in the fine acoustics of this wonderful church with Wallscourt Brass Quintet with seasonal music from composers ancient and modern.

Wallscourt Brass Quintet consists of Ailsa Bailey and Stephen Bodiley on trumpets, Dave Gee on horn, Alice Bodiley on trombone and Philip Chidgey on tuba. For this concert, it is joined by John Bodily on organ.

‘The group repertoire ranges from light jazz at country fêtes to formal performances at official engagements’, says Stephen Bodily. ‘This programme has been chosen to compliment the church acoustic which is best suited to classical music, but with some lighter numbers for variety.

‘At this concert, we’ll be including works by Handel and Gabrieli along with jazz, dance and song arrangements, and fascinating pieces by Joseph Haydn written for musical clocks!’

More about Wallscourt Brass

It was formed in 2002 when some Hewlett Packard Employees (and a couple of friends) discovered they had enough instrumentalists to form a group. Rehearsals were held in the old Wallscourt farmhouse which was part of the Hewlett Packard estate and is where the group derived its name.

Much has changed since the early days and the farmhouse is now owned by the University of West of England (UWE), but the group has formed links with the university and rehearses on the Frenchay campus in the shadows of the old farmhouse. It shares performances with the UWE chamber group and regularly supports the university choir. 

This year the group has performed at the esteemed Bristol Music club and last month supported the grand opening of the rebuilt organ at St Mary Magdalene in Taunton.

The regular programme of events includes the lunchtime concert series in Bristol, and the group supports the fund-raising programme at Southmead Hospital. ‘Christmas is a particularly busy time playing in carol services and concerts,’ comments Stephen.

Arrangements for this concert

Due to current circumstances, there is no need to book anymore. Up to now we’ve never exceeded the church’s capacity and never had to turn anyone away but please note, seats are available on a first come, first served basis. 

. and a reminder of last month’s concert:

The Truth About Love with Jacqueline Bevan, piano, and Niall Hoskin, baritone, here relaxing after the performance.

Our October concert features Niall Hoskin, baritone, and Jacquelyn Bevan, piano, in a programme entitled Tell Me The Truth About Love on Sunday, 29 October 3.00 pm (refreshments from 2.15) in St Mary’s Church, Main Road, Westonzoyland, TA7 0EP.

A light-hearted musical portrait of love in all its many forms, Niall describes it as, ‘a selection of pieces ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous. We’ll start with a group of English Song from some of the greats including Purcell, Vaughan Williams and Finzi, with his wonderfully, wistful To Lizbie Browne.’ 

Niall with be indulging his passion for languages, with songs and pieces from opera in French, German, Italian and Russian. 

The programme will include folk-flavoured pieces by Aaron Copland and Benjamin Britten, and numbers from the Great American Songbook. 

‘The song in our title is a poem by W H Auden’, Niall explains, ‘set to music here by Danny Lloyd. It’s a witty, catchy number that deserves to be better known. And of course we have a little something in reserve for the end of the concert, just in case.  I like to think there’ll be something there to offend everyone!’

Arrangements for the concert.

Refreshments (tea, coffee, choice of cakes) are available at a modest charge from 2.15 pm until the start of the concert.

In order to help with the artists’ and other costs a raffle is held. In addition donations are encouraged. It costs around £400 to put on a concert.

Due to current circumstances, there is no need to book anymore. Up to now we’ve never exceeded the church’s capacity and never had to turn anyone away but please note, seats are available on a first come, first served basis. From time to time, you may need to budge-up!

And looking back to our September concert . . .

You next free concert features Ali and the Swing Cats on Sunday 24 September 3.00 pm (refreshments from 2.15) in St Mary’s Church, Main Road, Westonzoyland, TA7 0EP.

Ali and the Swing Cats play their own versions of those amazing tunes collectively known at ‘the great American songbook’.

‘With its haunting melodies and interesting lyrics, this wonderful music was written between the 1920s and early 1950s’, says Ali Foyle, the group’s founder, going on to mention composers such as George and Ira Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Duke Ellington and Jerome Kern, who often wrote these tunes for the musical theatre and films. ‘They were written for stars such as Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and the songs were then picked up by many top bands and artists across America and Europe. Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong became international favourites by performing this music- the pop of their generation.’

Ali explains how the band was formed as a quartet in early 2020 ‘but only performed one gig before lockdown hit! ‘The band was reformed in summer 2021, performing previously at Music on the Levels as a Trio with Nick Strong on piano, and now back to its original line up of a Quartet, playing regularly at private parties, weddings and village halls across the South West.’

Featuring Ali Foyle on vocals and swing jazz violin, the songs are given a new lease of life, some with sounds reminiscent of the Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli of the Hot Club de Paris era. ‘Others get the more gentle, smooth jazz treatment,’ adds Ali, ‘with the odd Bossa Nova, as the band extends its music adventure into the 1950s world of Antônio Jobim.’

With pulsating rhythms, swinging bass lines, soaring solos and polished performances, the band will have your feet tapping along with these old favourites!

The full band line-up is: Ali Foyle (jazz violin/vocals), Alan Falkingham (guitar/vocals), Richard Llewellyn (guitar) and Adrian Smith (Double Bass).

Matilda, pictured here with Daisy Chapman and Sue Lord, made her debut on stage at Westonzoyland.

The next Music on the Levels concert is a performance by Daisy Chapman and Sue Lord on Sunday 25 June 2023 at 3.00pm (refreshments from 2.15) in St Mary’s Church, Main Road, Westonzoyland, TA7 0EP.

Daisy Chapman is an incredibly well-travelled pianist and vocalist. She says,’ I draw influences from the ‘anti-folk’ world. Every song harbours a dark story of love, lust and loss.’

Her exquisite voice and impeccable piano technique, with Sue Lord on violin, bring the performances to harmonious endings every time. 

Since her first solo release in 2006, Daisy has proven herself a talented and shrewd songwriter in constant demand.

With albums recorded both in the UK and abroad, touring in in all parts of Europe and a short trip to China, she has been noticed by leading bands and music magazines.

In 2012, Daisy teamed up with violinist, Sue Lord, and they have been playing together ever since. The violin bringing an extra voice to the already complex emotions.

Daisy Chapman has appeared at Glastonbury and festivals in Taiwan and Germany.

Her latest album, She Took Flight, was released this year and features the Red Carousel quartet.

Arrangements for this concert.

Refreshments (tea, coffee, choice of cakes) are available at a modest charge from 2.15 pm until the start of the concert.

In order to help with the artists’ and other costs a raffle is held. In addition, donations are encouraged. It costs around £400 to put on a concert.

Due to current circumstances, there is no need to book anymore. Up to now we’ve never exceeded the church’s capacity and never had to turn anyone away but please note, seats are available on a first come, first served basis. From time to time, you may need to budge-up!’

There is limited parking on the road by the church. Additional parking at The Young Farmers, The Old School, School Road, TA7 0LN.