We are delighted to welcome back three members of the wind quintet Ensemble Renard who will be joined on this occasion by pianist Mark Rogers.

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Ensemble Renard came together at the Royal Academy of Music in 2018. They have become established as one of the country’s leading exponents of wind quintet music. In January this year this was recognized when they were winners of the Philharmonic Society’s Henderson Chamber Ensemble award.

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This year’s concert diary has already taken the quintet on an extensive tour of Scotland, and in June they will be performing at the Aldeburgh Festival thanks to their place on the Britten Pears Young Artist scheme.

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At Flore we will be seeing Ellie Blamires (flute), Patrick Bolton (bassoon) and Francesca Cox (oboe). All have performed with the country’s top orchestras (including London Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, English National Opera). Ellie grew up in Northamptonshire and spent her formative musical years with the Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust, and she remains a regular visitor to the county.

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These three musicians will be joined by pianist Mark Rogers. Mark is establishing an international reputation for chamber music as both soloist and accompanist. He was awarded 1st prize in Art Song accompaniment at the Royal Academy of Music. Since then he has performed at many prestigious Lieder festivals including Zeist, Leeds, and Ludlow. In 2023 he accompanied bass-baritone Florian Stortz as the pair won the prestigious Nadia and Lili Boulanger Competition in Paris.

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During the concert in Flore we will hear a varied programme of solo and ensemble music written and arranged by composers through the centuries. Among the pieces to be performed will be flute music by Bach, an excerpt from a Handel oratorio (“Theodora”) arranged for bassoon, and solo oboe music from Britten (from “Metamorpheses after Ovid”). We will also hear ensemble wind music from Poulenc (Trio for Oboe Bassoon and Piano) and Telemann (Concerto for Flute and Bassoon). To bring us into more recent times we will also hear an oboe arrangement of a Lennon-McCartney classic.

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This promises to be a musical evening of high quality from engaging, virtuosic performers… with something for everyone. We hope to see you there.

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Tickets £15 (£5 Under 18s): call Rosemary Read on 01327 341026 (between 9am and 6pm). PLEASE NOTE: for this event tickets will also be available at the Re Shop at 2A Sutton St, Flore, Northampton NN7 4LE (during shop opening hours).