News

Check out our latest flyer for September and October below and if you would like to pick up a hard copy, you are welcome to drop in and grab one when we are open.

PRESS RELEASE

Artists perform with babes in arms at dementia-friendly concert

Friday 17th March 2023

Part of a monthly series hosted by Songhaven and Holy Sepulchre London, The National Musicians’ Church 

Every month on a Friday lunchtime, Holy Sepulchre London, the National Musicians’ Church hosts a free, relaxed concert in collaboration with not-for-profit organisation Songhaven. A proudly dementia-friendly series, these 45 minute concerts feature well-loved tunes from stage and screen, performed by a trio of professional artists. The series was launched in June 2022 and is supported by Holy Sepulchre’s Music in the Community Fund and the McLay Dementia Trust.

Unlike formal recitals, the audience at these events are encouraged to move and sing along freely to the music. The performers create further connection as they perform with casual conversation, eye contact, and even spontaneous moments of dancing with the attendees. Hot beverages and biscuits after the concert provide further opportunity for socialising and the concerts have already drawn a loyal following of people who, in the words of one attendee, appreciate the “impeccable standard of performance in an atmosphere of relaxed generosity and inclusivity.”

On Friday 27 January, the series hosted a particularly special collaboration, as the three guest musicians performing were all new parents to babies under 6 months of age. Songhaven founder Vivien Conacher explains “our dementia-friendly concerts have always been about treating people with kindness and ensuring they feel comfortable. This ethos extends to our artists too, so for Friday’s event we really wanted the musicians to feel supported to bring their babies and to be able hold them as they performed. On the day, I think the relaxed atmosphere put everyone at ease and the babies barely made a sound - they seemed completely at home on the concert platform, looking around and taking it all in - they were such a hit with our audience! It was a very moving and special concert for all of us.” 

Long-time Songhaven volunteer, Sue Heiser, added: “It was a brilliant concert made even more special by the babies being there. The audience were amazed and delighted”. 

Tenor Jonathan Cooke performed for the event alongside his wife, mezzo-soprano Felicity Buckland and their baby Eve. He said “it was a really special concert for us - we were looked after so well and we’re so grateful for everyone being so accommodating”.

Fr. Nick Mottershead, Priest-in-Charge at Holy Sepulchre London, commented “As the National Musicians’ Church, we want to enable and empower musicians to be able to perform at whatever stage of life they are in. Being new parents can be a juggling act, but we couldn’t think of a more relaxed and friendly environment than our series with Songhaven to welcome these new parents to perform - babies in tow! This series of dementia-friendly concerts aims to offer a welcome space to all, including those living with dementia and their carers, and we are very grateful to those who have contributed to our Music in the Community Fund to enable this concert series and other music events to take place.” 

Songhaven and Holy Sepulchre London will continue to offer their free, relaxed concerts every month on a Friday lunchtime with the next event scheduled for 1:15pm on 24 February. The concert series is dementia-friendly, but very much open to all!

UPCOMING SONGHAVEN CONCERTS AT HOLY SEPULCHRE LONDON:

1:15pm on Fridays 31st March, and 28th April

Online Booking via: http://songhaven.co.uk/liveconcerts/

Email Bookings/Enquiries: songhaven@songhaven.co.uk 

Phone Bookings & venue/access enquiries via Holy Sepulchre London ph: +44 (0)207 236 1145

Photographs from the 27 Jan concert:

1. The three guest artists after their concert at Holy Sepulchre London - L-R: pianist Berrak Dyer, tenor Jonathan Cooke and mezzo-soprano Felicity Buckland 

2. Concert performance at Holy Sepulchre London (with pianist Berrak Dyer, tenor Jonathan Cooke and mezzo-soprano Felicity Buckland)

3. Concert performance at Holy Sepulchre London (with pianist Berrak Dyer, tenor Jonathan Cooke and mezzo-soprano Felicity Buckland)

4. Concert performance at Holy Sepulchre London (with pianist Berrak Dyer, tenor Jonathan Cooke and mezzo-soprano Felicity Buckland) 

5. Singers Jonathan Cooke (tenor) and Felicity Buckland (mezzo-soprano) (Jon holding their baby Eve), Berrak’s partner Hamish MacKay holding baby Leo next to Berrak Dyer (pianist) and Songhaven founder/director Vivien Conacher

6. Same line-up as 5 but with Fr. Nick Mottershead on the far right side

7. Poster image for the 27 Jan concert

ABOUT/NOTES:

Holy Sepulchre London, The National Musicians’ Church

A vibrant Anglican Church in the City of London with a vision of ‘seeking the presence of God in the Church, for the City and the World’. Holy Sepulchre London is a parish church, a City church, a home to the Royal Fusiliers, and the National Musicians’ Church. They provide a sanctuary in the City with 7 services a week, regular music concerts, and are the main hub for The Square Mile Hygiene Bank.

Website: www.hsl.church 

Social media: 

https://www.facebook.com/HolySepulchreLondon 

https://www.instagram.com/holysepulchrelondon/ 

https://twitter.com/HolySepulchreUK 

Songhaven 

Joyous dementia-friendly concerts in London, care home performance visits, and online concert films all featuring professional classically-trained artists. Songhaven’s aim is to bring joy, dignity, and authentic connection to people living with dementia (including their carers and companions) through the power of professional music experiences. All Songhaven events provide a relaxed and shame-free atmosphere, where absolutely anyone is warmly welcomed!

Website: www.songhaven.co.uk

Social media:

facebook.com/SonghavenUK

https://www.instagram.com/songhaven_uk

https://twitter.com/songhaven_uk

CONTACT:

For more information about Holy Sepulchre London, please contact the Diocese of London Media Team on dioceseoflondon@luther.co.uk or 07947477460

Songhaven: Vivien Conacher vivien@songhaven.co.uk

Newly-formed London Ukrainian Symphony Orchestra performs at Holy Sepulchre

February 2023

Musicians recently took to the stage at the National Musician’s Church, Holy Sepulchre, to perform a programme of arts spanning Ukrainian film, symphony and choral music, and poetry in support of the country.

Voice of Ukraine UK, founded by Ukrainian composer Iryna Gould, was created to raise money for the rebuilding of children’s music facilities in Ukraine destroyed by Russian forces, and those who have been orphaned as a result of the conflict. Performers included Ukrainian musicians living in London, as well as artists from across the world wishing to show solidarity with Ukraine.

The newly-formed London Ukrainian Symphony Orchestra and Ukraine Children’s Choir, along with Academy Choir Wimbledon, performed a variety of traditional Ukrainian pieces, including Ridna Matu Moya (My Dear Mother), as well as original compositions from founder Iryna. Ukrainian poet Anastasia Dmytruk performed via video link her poem We Will Never Be Brothers, and special guests Malcolm Goodman MBE, founder of the Royal Air Force Music Charitable Trust, and Professor Nigel Osborne MBE, composer and aid worker, delivered passionate speeches on the importance of the cause, aid work in Ukraine, and the unique power of music to unite likeminded people.

Iryna Gould, founder of Voice of Ukraine UK & London Ukrainian Symphony Orchestra, said:

“The performances were immensely moving, and I hope that the concert has been able to renew awareness of the atrocities that are being committed in my country, and the awful impact this has on the children of Ukraine. With the money raised, we will be able to rebuild the country’s music facilities and, ultimately, rebuild a future for our children. The London Ukrainian Symphony Orchestra, following its debut at Holy Sepulchre, is looking for a sponsor able to support our activities and enable us to continue to raise money and support those affected by the conflict.”

Fr Nick Mottershead, Priest-in-Charge at Holy Sepulchre, added:

“It was an utter privilege to welcome Voice of Ukraine UK to Holy Sepulchre and be shown the power and beauty of Ukrainian music and poetry. Since March last year, Holy Sepulchre has been raising money for the Ukrainian people through things such as weekly concerts by Ukrainian conservatoire students. As the National Musician’s Church, it has been important for us to support musicians who have had their lives turned upside down by the war. We were pleased to be able to make another donation of hygiene products for Ukrainians following the concert, allowing those affected by the war to live in dignity and confidence.”

The article can be found here - https://www.london.anglican.org/articles/newly-formed-london-ukrainian-symphony-orchestra-performs-at-holy-sepulchre/

Ensemble in Residence

The English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble

Press Release: October 2022 

We are delighted to announce that from October 2022, The English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble (ECSE) will be Ensemble in Residence at the National Musicians’ Church, Holy Sepulchre London. The virtuoso period instrument ensemble regularly perform recitals at major Music Festivals throughout the UK & Europe as well as partnering with some of the world’s leading choirs and solo vocal ensembles such as I Fagiolini, Resurgam, The Taverner Consort & Players, The Marian Consort and Westminster Cathedral Choir, and has received a host of awards and accolades to its name for their recordings. As part of their residency, ECSE will be partnering with the professional choir of Holy Sepulchre in a series of services, concerts & educational days in the coming year - see below for more information.

Holy Sepulchre and ECSE share a vision for music making of the highest quality and a passion for broadening awareness of historically informed performance. This is a particularly exciting partnership for ECSE as it prepares to celebrate its 30th Anniversary year in 2023 and for the Church as it seeks to explore more deeply their role in championing the cause of music and musicians in the City and beyond.

Peter Asprey, Director of Music, Holy Sepulchre London says:

“I am thrilled to be partnering with the English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble at Holy Sepulchre. I am extremely excited by the prospect of high quality period music being championed at the Musicians’ Church, which will bring a fresh angle to the worship and musical life of the church. I very much look forward to working with them.”

The English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble (ECSE) says:

“We’re thrilled to begin this innovative residency at Holy Sepulchre. Cornetts and sackbuts have a centuries-long history at the heart of London's religious and civic life. We share the church’s mission to continue that story and to elevate the role of music and musicians in 21st century city life.”

A full list of dates for the services, concerts and educational days will be available shortly and will be published here. We can confirm that ECSE and Holy Sepulchre will be hosting a Christmas Carol Service on Wednesday 7th December at 1pm. Do put the date in your diary and more details will follow soon.

Find out more about The English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble by clicking below.

Arrival of a Goble Harpsichord at Holy Sepulchre

Press Release: Summer 2022 

At Holy Sepulchre London, as the result of a new collaboration with Music-at-Hill Concert Society, we have recently come into possession of a single manual Goble Harpsichord, which now resides in the Musicians’ Chapel here at Holy Sepulchre. As the National Musicians’ Church, we are delighted to have this instrument available to expand the range of music we can offer in our services and concerts as well as increasing our hiring opportunities for musicians here in the City of London.

Stuart Whatton, Artistic Director, Music-at-Hill Concert Society, explains:

"By a stroke of good fortune, Music-at-Hill has benefited from a substantial legacy left to us by our late supporter Mrs Berthe Wallis, who resided in the Barbican and used to be a regular attender of our concerts in the days when we were still called St Anne's Music Society and operated out of St Anne & Agnes in Gresham Street.  We have decided to put the first tranche of her legacy money towards acquiring a harpsichord in order to support the Baroque programming for which our Society became renowned, including our annual Bach Festival each July.  Although our Society has now moved midtown to be based at St Giles-in-the-Fields, it is good to be able to honour our City of London roots by reaching this collaboration agreement with Holy Sepulchre, and to know that the Berthe Wallis Memorial Harpsichord has found a fitting home at the National Musicians' Church and is just a short Uber ride away when we need to borrow it back for our own use!"

Peter Asprey, Director of Music, Holy Sepulchre, comments:

"I am delighted about the arrival of the Goble Harpsichord at Holy Sepulchre, and we are most grateful to Music-at-Hill Concert Society for suggesting this partnership which I believe offers exciting opportunities for music making, both here at the National Musicians' Church and in the City of London more widely.  I feel confident that this instrument will broaden the range of repertoire heard in this wonderful building, both in services and in concerts, and will do much to attract world-class musicians to join the musical and spiritual journey that we are undertaking."

For more information about Music-at-Hill, click here www.musicathill.org.uk.

Weekly Choral Evensong &

New Services: Morning Prayer/Said Eucharist

From September 2022, we will be running a weekly Choral Evensong, Morning Prayer and Said Eucharist alongside our other regular services. Please see full details below:

Choral Evensong 1pm

We will be holding a Choral Evensong service every Wednesday at 1pm from the 7th September 2022 with the Choir of Holy Sepulchre. You’re welcome to join us in person or via livestream on our website and via YouTube.

Said Eucharist 8.30am every Wednesday

We will be holding a Said Eucharist (from the Book of Common Prayer) service every Wednesday at 8.30am from the 7th September 2022. You’re welcome to join us in person in the Musician’s Chapel (to the left in the main church), all are welcome.

Morning Prayer 8.30am every Tuesday and Thursday

We hope that these morning services offer you some peace and spiritual nourishment as your day begins. We aim for the services to be around 20 minutes in duration to enable those who work nearby to get into the office for 9am.

All morning services are held in the Musician’s Chapel (to the left in the main church) and everyone is welcome.

These will be in person services only.

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