Ranging across the centuries of English music, with occasional sojourns to the Continent, this concert is a quirky, eclectic and light-hearted journey of exploration, through gorgeous vocal, piano and instrumental music. With solo, duet and ensemble performances on an array of instruments and voices, from early pastoral delights, folk song from who knows when, romantic myth and legend via Shakespeare, into the 20th century. Including music from Purcell, Handel, Finzi, Grainger, Bridge, Elgar, Mendelssohn, Ravel, and that all-time great, Anon.

Biographies

Lisa Tustian

Lisa began playing the cello at the age of seven, performing with Northamptonshire Country Youth Orchestra in the Royal Albert Hall in her teens, and earning good pocket money for many a G&S or choral society gig. Immersed in singing from early age, during her sixth form, the urge to sing, be on stage and generally be the centre of attention overwhelmed her, and she trained as a singer at the Royal Academy of Music. Now living in Milverton, with her partner, 4 sons, 2 cats, and very small dog, Lisa has a very busy and fulfilling musical life teaching singing, conducting choirs, coaching orchestras, leading workshops, engendering exciting new musical schemes and performing. In her spare time, she plays hockey and netball, and is a keen allotmenteer, a nod to her farming heritage.

Alison Pink

Alison studied at the Royal college of Music in London as a joint French Horn player and Pianist at a time when CDs were the new must-have invention! After working freelance in London for many year, including at the Royal Ballet School – no, not as a dancer – she moved to Taunton with her family to work as Director of Music at Taunton Preparatory School. Let out for good behaviour 5 years ago she now has a varied career including coaching brass players for the National Children’s Orchestras of Great Britain, teaching, lots of trips abroad for examining, and running Taunton Children’s Orchestra. She lives in Cushuish with 2 cats and a trumpet player!

Gareth Dayus-Jones

Gareth was born in Durham and showed no particular interest in music at an early age. He was, however, observed to watch – unprompted – the entirety of Turandot on television around the age of ten which signalled perhaps a change of heart. He initially studied as a pianist but then turned to singing in his late teens and, after four years singing at St John’s, Cambridge, embarked upon twelve years of professional choral and solo singing. For eight of those years, he was fortunate enough to live and work in Windsor Castle where he also met Her Majesty The Queen, got married and where both of his children were born. He became Director of Music at King’s Hall in 2013 and is enjoying imparting his knowledge and love of music to the next generations of musicians.

Christian Hopwood

Christian was encouraged to practice his instruments from an early age. As a result he was principal trombone for the Oxfordshire and Thames Valley Youth Orchestras including playing that solo from Bolero in the Royal Festival Hall. From 1986-1989 and beyond he studied music at Kingston University and performed all over London. In the early 2000s Christian worked as a website producer for Radio 3 on the Late Junction and Andy Kershaw shows which was basically an excuse to attend as many music festivals as possible! He currently looks after his three children and is the master of finding ways to encourage them to practice their multiple instruments. In his spare time Christian plays trombone with local 10-piece band Louis and the Iguanas and the Somerset County Orchestra.