South London’s unique ‘Classical Vauxhall’ festival returns this March – Entertainment Focus

Classical Vauxhall has announced the fourth edition of the acclaimed classical music festival in the heart of London’s most diverse and electric neighbourhoods. Running from March 2nd to 4th, the festival welcomes Nicky Spence & Sholto Kynoch, Rakhi Singh, The Julian Bliss Septet, Tamsin Waley-Cohen, Clifton Harrison and Jamal Aliyev.

Opening on Thursday, March 2nd, with English violinist Tamsin Waley-Cohen, American violist Clifton Harrison, Turkish cellist Jamal Aliyev and Fiachra Garvey for “Comfort in Chaos”. This concert celebrates the mighty piano quartet with pieces that explore our environment from Beethoven, Mahler, Fung, and Brahms.

On Friday, March 3rd, Nicky Spence and Sholto Kynoch present “Songs of The Seasons”. The programme features Benjamin Britten’s Holy Sonnets of John Donne and culminates in a celebration of blues, jazz, and African American tradition in Bond’s rhapsodic Songs of The Seasons.

BBC Musician Magazine Personality of the Year 2022, Opera Singer Nicky is one of Scotland’s proudest sons, and Sholto is a sought-after pianist who specialises in song and chamber music. He is the founder and Artistic Director of the Oxford Lieder Festival.

The first of concerts running on Saturday, March 4th, features violinist, collaborator, composer & music director Rakhi Singh. Rakhi is a leading light in the contemporary music scene in the UK. A co-founder of the heralded Manchester Collective, her musical choices are inspired by many different traditions and cultures. Her daytime programme, “Elemental”, spans from the Baroque to the present day, opening with the perfect remedy to clear one’s head in the delicate sound world of Sciarrino’s Caprice No. 2 and closing with solo violin, J.S. Bach’s Chaconne In D Minor.

The Julian Bliss Septet will close the three concerts with their “The Sound of Film–Jazz in Hollywood” programme. Their dazzling virtuosity, extraordinary musicianship and charming humour shine through their swing, Latin, American and jazz music programmes. Starting with the silent film and the early ‘talkies’ in The Great Depression years, the Septet also plays music from wartime movies, musicals and even the classic Disney blockbusters.

Returning to St Mark’s, Kennington Classical Vauxhall is led by Fiachra Garvey, Irish pianist and Artistic Director of the West Wicklow Festival. He said, “this year’s festival is a veritable feast of classical music’s variety and musical diversity. Four concerts with colour and humour, featuring some of the most vibrant and energetic artists keeping classical music fresh, alive and relevant!”

Classical Vauxhall runs from 2nd-4th March 2022. Tickets are priced from £20 (concessions available) Saint Marks Church Kennington Park Road London SE11 4PW. For full schedule and booking information visit www.classicalvauxhall.com