The free concert on Sunday 23 February 2025 in St Mary’s Church, Main Road, Westonzoyland, TA7 0EP is by Trio Paradis.
The concert starts at 3 pm and refreshments are available at modest charge from 2.15 pm.
Much appreciated at Music on the Levels many times over the past few years, Somerset-based Trio Paradis (Jacquelyn Bevan – piano, Ruth O’Shea – violin and Linda Stocks – cello) return with a programme entitled ‘The Latin American Collection’.
‘This collection of music by South American composers will bring some sun to dark winter days’, says Jacquelyn, ‘with popular dances such as Tango and Rumba alongside classical and reflective pieces.
‘Composers include Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, the king of Argentinian Tango, Astor Piazzolla, fellow Argentinian Magdalena Garcia Robson, Cuban brother and sister composers Ernestina and Ernesto Lecuona, Mexican Manuel Ponce and Carlos Guastavino, the Schubert of the Pampas.
‘The music will be introduced as we go along – it’s a fun and informal concert.’
Arrangements for this concert
There is limited parking on the road by the church but there is additional parking at Somerset Young Farmers on School Road TA7 0LN, map attached. Please do not park in Church Lane as this prevents resident access.
There is no need to book as the church’s capacity have never yet been exceeded. However, it should be noted that seats are available on a first come, first served basis.
In order to help with the artists’ and other costs a raffle is held. In addition, donations are encouraged. It costs over £400 to put on a concert.
. . . . ..and a reminder of our January concert:
The Barnacle Buoys delighted a packed and enthusiastic audience.
As it approaches its tenth year, Music on the Levels announces another varied programme of Sunday afternoon concerts. It is maintaining its winning formula of making the concerts free to attend while raising money to cover costs by offering refreshments at modest charges, holding a raffle and accepting donations
The first concert of the year is with The Barnacle Buoys on Sunday 26 January 2025 in St Mary’s Church, Main Road, Westonzoyland, TA7 0EP. Starting at 3 pm with refreshments served from 2.15 pm and reveals outline details of concerts for the rest of the year.
The Barnacle Buoys is a group of a cappella sea shanty singers based in North Somerset. It exists to enjoy their craft, entertain audiences and raise money for charities.
‘In recent times we have consistently completed over 40 performances each year’, comments Clare Flay, the group’s organiser, ‘and this has been a significant contribution to the charities we support. Our main charities are CHSW and RNLI and over the past 12years since the group was established, we have raised thousands of pounds for them including may other charities. We have also organised shanty events on board the cherished MV Balmoral.
‘The Barnacle Buoys have known each other for many years before realising that they had something in common: the appreciation of shanty music. After making the discovery the Buoys got together in February 2013 and shared a pint or two in the Old Inn, Clevedon and experimented with a few shanties. The rest, as they say, is history . . .’
Arrangements for this concert
There is no need to book as the church’s capacity have never yet been exceeded. However, it should be noted that seats are available on a first come, first served basis.
In order to help with the artists’ and other costs a raffle is held. In addition, donations are encouraged. It costs over £400 to put on a concert.
The final concert for 2024 is on Sunday 24 November 2024 at 3 pm in St Mary’s Church, Main Road, Westonzoyland, TA7 0EP, with a performance by Joyful Spirit. Refreshments available from 2.15 pm.
‘We sing a range of music both accompanied and a capela with a broad gospel theme’, says choir representative, Marshall Clements, ‘Some of the songs we may sing could include: O Happy day, Dancing Queen, You love is lifting me higher, Son of a Preacher Man, Ain’t no Mountain high Eng, Hold on to the Rock, Feel the Spirit, Burning Love, Bridge over troubled Water. Lord I know I’ve Been changed, Mr Blue Sky, Hamba Lulu, Africa, Amazing Grace. I wish, Deep River. Walking on Sunshine. Let the River run.
Joyful Spirit is a community choir, made up of people over 18 and under 100 from all walks of life and backgrounds with different musical ability, based in Wrington.
‘We are enthusiastically led by Alison Cooper White and her understanding of musical harmony makes the choir want to improve to reward her for all the work she puts in.’
The choir is supported by its band which is made up of Andrew Tyrell on Key board, Richard Fairs on Drums and Michael Gillett on Bass.
Arrangements for this concert
There is no need to book as the church’s capacity have never yet been exceeded. However, it should be noted that seats are available on a first come, first served basis.
In order to help with the artists’ and other costs a raffle is held. In addition, donations are encouraged. It costs over £400 to put on a concert.
There is limited parking on the road by the church but there is additional parking at Somerset Young Farmers on School Road TA7 0LN, map attached. Please do not park in Church Lane as this prevents resident access.
The next free concert on Sunday 30 June 2024 in St Mary’s Church, Main Road, Westonzoyland, TA7 0EP with Voce Chamber Choir. The concert starts at 3 pm, refreshments served from 2.15 pm.
Voce is a 16-piece auditioned choir led by Joe Beckhelling. Started in November 2021 with members from a variety of backgrounds including music graduates, and others for whom singing in such a small choir is a new venture.
‘Our repertoire includes sacred and contemporary choral music, English madrigals, arrangements of popular music’, says Joe Beckhelling, ‘as well as performances of new compositions and arrangements written by members of the choir: There will be the debut performance of Your Call – have you ever phoned, been put on hold, and then told to use the website! The varied programme with John Bennet, Paul Mealor, Emile Sande, Steeleye Span, Sting and more will have something for everyone. A concert not to be missed!
Arrangements for this concert
There is no need to book as the church’s capacity have never yet been exceeded. However, it should be noted that seats are available on a first come, first served basis.
In order to help with the artists’ and other costs a raffle is held. In addition, donations are encouraged. It costs over £400 to put on a concert.
. . . and a reminder of our May concert with Dan Whitehouse:
Our next concert on Sunday 26 May 2024 in St Mary’s Church, Main Road, Westonzoyland, TA7 0EP features the first appearance at Music on the Levels of Dan Whitehouse who is touring nationally a programme entitledA Night Of Glass.
‘Of course, for Music on the Levels we’d call it An Afternoon of Glass, says Dan.
As usual, the concert starts at 3 pm, refreshments served from 2.15 pm.
Over the past two years, acclaimed Black Country singer-songwriter Dan Whitehouse has been in a transparently reflective mood with three albums all themed around the nature of glass. The Glass Age, Voices From The Conesand Reflections On The Glass Age. Songs from these projects have now been gathered together for Night Of Glass, a simple but hypnotic live experience in which, variously behind a piano or on guitar Dan takes audience deep into the heart of glass in its myriad manifestations. His expressive style has a hint of Bowie here, a touch of Cohen there, and the performance is interspersed with narrative in his hearty Black Country voice.
Dan Whitehouse is recognised as one of the most individual voices in the field. Tom Robinson recently invited him to join him at an important gig at The Bolehall Manor in Tamworth.
‘My debut solo release was the balloon EP in 2009 and Tom Robinson was the first DJ to give it a spin on national radio’, comments Dan, ‘He went one step further and invited me to an immersion song writing retreat in rural Kent, an experience that shaped me and steered me towards the path I tread today.’
Along that path, Dan has received many favourable reviews. Here are a few:
Dan glides elegantly between propulsive guitar work and a refined pianistic sensibility that snatches intervals almost out of thin air, like glimpses of sunlight sparked off the facias of distant skyscrapers. MusoMuso
Gorgeous . . Intriguing. The Guardian
Dan has an outstanding singing voice, possesses a unique artistic vision and displays songwriting excellence. Chris Difford
Wonderful production and writing. Tom Robinson BBC 6 Music
Perhaps Mr Whitehouse’s greatest gift is his knack for writing seemingly simple songs that most listeners will be able to relate to. MAVERICK
Subtle and delicate melodies. The Sunday Times
Nothing short of beautiful – **** . RnR Magazine
Devotees of inventive, imaginative music-making should enjoy the new offerings from the excellent Dan Whitehouse. Morning Star
For an album partly inspired by distance, barriers and locked-down-ness, people and connection ripple through The Glass Age. Arts Culture Mag
… an earworm chorus hook that should send a luminous glow through Radio 2. Mike Davies
A seven track meditation on the way human experience and connecting has changed through the medium of virtual communication.folking.com
Maybe one day social historians will document the cultural impacts of screens and instant communication. When they do this album should be mentioned as it sums up this Zeitgeist better than anything I’ve heard. FATEA
. . . like glimpses of sunlight sparked off the facias of distant skyscrapers. MusoMuso
Arrangements for this concert
There is no need to book as the church’s capacity have never yet been exceeded. However, it should be noted that seats are available on a first come, first served basis.
In order to help with the artists’ and other costs a raffle is held. In addition, donations are encouraged. It costs over £400 to put on a concert.
Music on the Levels 