1671 - Colonel Blood - Tower of London - April 2019
24 April 2019 17:00
Here lies the man who boldly hath run throughMore villainies than England ever knew;And ne'er to any friend he had was true.Here let him then by all unpitied lie,And let's rejoice his time was come to die. - Colonel Thomas Blood’s EpitaphI performed on the cornetto at the Tower of London for a day of events centred around the year 1671 and Colonel Thomas Blood’s (1618 - 1680) notorious attempt
Monteverdi - Vespers - Stockholm
24 March 2019 18:00
I performed Monteverdi’s Vespers in the Swedish capital city of Stockholm on Sunday 24th March 2019. Prior to this visit I had spent only a few hours in Sweden (in Malmö, on a day trip over the railway bridge from Denmark) so I took the opportunity to extend my visit over a long weekend that tied in with the cheapest flights. This opportunity had arisen at fairly short notice and my Mum (who lives
Mielczewski - Wrocław Baroque Ensemble - Płock & Warsaw
03 February 2019 18:00
Andrzej Kosendiak and the Wrocław Baroque Ensemble performed music by Marcin Mielczewski in two cities alongside the Vistula river in central Poland. The first concert took place in Płock Cathedral (the Bazylika Katedralna Wniebowzięcia Najświętszej Maryi Panny) on Saturday 2nd February 2019, and the second concert took place in the Great Hall of the Royal Castle in Warsaw on Sunday 3rd February
Chronicles - St. Paul's - Ramsey Music Society
28 December 2018 19:30
Inspired by the Medieval manuscript the Chronicles of Mann, two Manx-born musicians Russell Gilmour (trumpet) and David Kilgallon (organ) performed in the duo ‘Chronicles’ at St. Paul’s Church in Ramsey on the Isle of Man on Friday 28th December 2018.The Chronicles of Mann mentions various locations including: the Isle of Man, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and even places as far away as Norway and
The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice - Shakespeare’s Globe
09 August 2018 22:30
Situated on the south bank of the River Thames (just 230 metres away from the site of the original) is the modern reconstruction of the Globe theatre. The name of the theatre (reconstructed in 1997) comes from the original theatre, which was built in 1599, and rebuilt in 1614 after a fire, on Maiden Lane (now Park Street) in Southwark. The original Globe theatre was initially owned by Richard Burbage
Monteverdi - Vespers - The Torbay Singers
24 March 2018 19:30
I first encountered The Torbay Singers prior to their performance of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio on Saturday 7th December 2013 at St Matthias’ Church in Torquay. Although I did write occasional blog articles back then, I had a tendency only to do so after long tours and even then I kept only the briefest of notes as an aide-memoire. In July 2013, for example, I wrote just seventy words after making
Valletta International Baroque Ensemble - Music at the Court of Kroměříž
21 March 2018 20:00
The Teatru Manoel presented a concert on the occasion of the European Day of Early Music (Wednesday 21st March 2018) at the Basilica of St. Dominic in the European Capital of Culture 2018: Valletta. Valletta is on the island of Malta in the Maltese Archipelago. I have been very fortunate to visit on two previous occasions (January 2013 and January 2015). It was great to return two subsequent times
Tudor Music - Tower of London - January 2018
11 January 2018 22:30
I performed on the cornetto and natural trumpet for a murder mystery corporate function at the Tower of London on Thursday 11th January 2018.Performing firstly in the White Tower and later in the New Armouries, Sam Goble, Russell Gilmour, Nick Perry and Jamie Akers performed Tudor Music, wearing appropriate costume (provided), upon cornetti, natural trumpets, pipes, recorder, curtal, guitar, hurdy
Tudor Music - Hampton Court Palace - Corporate Event
11 October 2017 18:30
I performed Tudor music on the Cornetto as part of a high-profile corporate function in the Great Hall, at Hampton Court Palace on the evening of Wednesday 11th October 2017. The Great Hall at Hampton Court Palace features a highly decorated hammer-beam ceiling with King Henry VIII’s fine tapestries of 'The Story of Abraham' hung all around the room. The group of musicians wore Tudor regalia bearing
Christ Lag in Todes Banden & Easter Oratorio - Oxford Bach Soloists
15 April 2017 20:00
I performed with the Oxford Bach Soloists on the cornetto and natural trumpet. The group performed two contrasting works by Johann Sebastian Bach: ‘Christ Lag in Todes Banden’ (BWV 4) and the Easter Oratorio (BWV 249). The performance was conducted by Tom Hammond-Davies and took place at New College, Oxford on Easter Saturday: 15th April 2017. The concert began with the première of ‘Roads Shining
Hampton Court Palace - Tudor Music
17 July 2016 18:00
I performed Tudor music from the time of King Henry VIII at Hampton Court Palace on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th of July 2016. I played the natural trumpet and the cornetto in several different formations of ensemble, in various locations around the palace and grounds. Other colleagues played upon the sackbutt, lute, tenor drum, tambourine, bagpipe and hurdy-gurdy, showing a selection of the instruments
Händel - Israel in Egypt - Oxford Early Music Festival
13 May 2016 19:30
Oxford Early Music festival put on a concert of Georg Frederic Händel’s ‘Israel in Egypt’ on Friday 13th of May 2016 in the University of Oxford’s first official building, the University Church. The International Baroque Players joined a fantastic line-up of soloists: Emma Kirkby (soprano), Robyn Allegra Parton (soprano), Robin Blaze (countertenor), Thomas Hobbs (tenor), Jonathan Arnold
Monteverdi Vespers - City Temple, The Esterhazy Singers, London Youth Choir & Little Baroque Co
25 April 2016 19:00
I played Cornetto with The Little Baroque Company, performing Monteverdi's Vespers in London's 'City Temple' (Holborn Viaduct) on Monday 25th April 2016. Esther Jones conducted the orchestra and the combined choirs of The Esterhazy Singers and London Youth Choirs. Esther even conducted to another conductor (Greg Hallam) who relayed the tempo to the members of the youth choirs, who were facing away
Monteverdi - Vespers - St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London
30 January 2016 20:00
I was involved in a performance of Monteverdi’s Vespers in the church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, just off Trafalgar Square in London. The performance took place at 8pm on Saturday 30th January 2016 and it was given by the choir of Royal Holloway, University of London - directed by Rupert Gough. The orchestra was provided by Bob Porter and was called the ‘Brandenburg Baroque Soloists’. It consisted
I Fagiolini - Monteverdi - L'Orfeo - Scuola Grande di San Giovanni Evangelista, Venice
06 November 2015 22:00
“I exhibite in this my Journall to your Princelie view, that most glorious, renowned, Virgin Citie of Venice, the Queene of the Christian world, that Diamond set in the ring of the Adriatique gulfe, and the most resplendent mirrour of Europe…”- Thomas Coryate, c.1608There are few places in the world that are as instantly recognisable. Venice is a paradise for the eyes and for the ears. As a photographer
Reconstructing, Performing & Recording Marcin Mielczewski’s ‘Vesperae Dominicales' for 50th Wratislavia Cantans Festival
17 September 2015 17:00
The National Forum of Music in Wrocław commissioned me to 'recreate' cornett and sackbutt parts for Marcin Mielczewski's Vesperae Dominicales. The original version of the piece has eight vocal parts, two violin parts, a dulcian part and basso continuo, though historical sources indicate that this would have been extended to include cornetts and sackbutts in a later version. A later manuscript
National Forum of Music - Wrocław - Opening Concert
04 September 2015 22:00
It was an immense honour to perform in the opening concert of the new National Forum of Music (Narodowe Forum Muzyki) in Wrocław, Poland. The NFM is an incredible facility and a stunning addition to Wrocław's architectural skyline and musical culture. It will play a valuable role during Wrocław's 'European Capital of Culture' status in 2016. The musicians of the Wrocław Baroque Orchestra
Bach Vespers at St. Mary-at-Hill - Ein ungefärbt Gemüte (BWV 24) & Jauchzet Gott in Allen Landen (BWV 51)
28 June 2015 19:30
One of my ambitions in life is to be able to play everything Bach wrote for the trumpet and associated instruments. This might sound like a fairly modest ambition - it’s not like I’m attempting to climb Mount Everest, win on centre court at Wimbledon or become a best-selling novelist - but you may be surprised by just how much is involved in this seemingly humble endeavour.The collected parts included
Impromptu Performance at Isle of Man TT Races
02 June 2013 12:00
Just before the roads closed for the Isle of Man TT Races today, as an extra part of his initiation as a marshal - Russell was asked if he would entertain the assembled spectators by his fellow marshals at Quarterbridge.(L-R) Russell Gilmour & Roger Birtles raise £85 for the TT Helicopter Fund from generous spectators at QuarterbridgeWalking through the crowds, Russell played such classics as
Basilica di San Marco, Venice
30 October 2012 21:00
By the time Giovani Gabrieli had died, St. Mark's Basilica was already 541 years old.The building, as I am sure you know, is colossally incredible. With over a million million pieces of mosaic on the ceilings and seven domes - it's a rather impressive sight. Look down and you also won't be disappointed: the intricate stone floor is detailed beyond comprehension. Architecturally, this building has a