Events Round-up


A look at the Events section of this website will give you a clue as to the number and range of arts events going on in this area. Here are a few I’ve been notified about, or have spotted:

Lunchtimes: stop working … stop shopping … stop whatever you’re doing and enjoy much more than a rushed sandwich. The always-interesting Dr John Blatchley returns to give a lecture entitled The Author’s Choice of Ipswich Characters on 9th September at 1pm, as part of the Ipswich Arts Association series of monthly lectures at Museum St Methodist Church, Ipswich. There are weekly concerts on Tuesday lunchtimes at St Mary le Tower church, Ipswich, and during September you can hear a couple of organ recitals as well as instrumental music by Chopin, Schumann and Bach. If you live in the West of the county, Melford Music is presenting weekly classical music concerts on Wednesdays during September at Long Melford Church, and at the Theatre Royal at Bury, on Thursdays you could catch either a classical concert or a professional actor giving readings from renowned authors. For example. On 16th September, there will be readings from the autobiography of Jerome K Jerome.

Book lovers may be interested to know that Selina Hastings comes at the invitation of the Suffolk Book League on 7th September to the Ipswich Institute, to talk about her literary biographies – her most recent book is about Somerset Maugham.

And what about music, of which surprisingly we have little featured in images this month? That’s not to say there isn’t plenty about – On 5th September at 7pm, Lavenham Sinfonia give what sounds like a very interesting concert, including music by Weber and Brahms, songs by Berlioz and a new work of tribute by Philip Joy to Robin Golding, a friend of the orchestra. And Trianon gives its autumn concert on 18th September. As artistic director Chris Green wrote: Fans of Walt Disney’s ‘Fantasia’ will be only too familiar with the flying ostriches, hippos and alligators which populate the sequence The Dance of the Hours. None of those species appears sadly in Trianon Music Group’s 18 September presentation, A Fabulous Night at the Opera. Ponchieli’s celebrated ballet music is one of a number of orchestral excerpts in the operatic programme. Tickets for the concert at the Ipswich Corn Exchange are now on sale from Ipswich Entertainments (01473 433100). Further details www.tmg.org.uk.

And perhaps the last of the year’s Music Festivals, Fressingfield now in its sixth year brings international stars to this village in the heart of Suffolk. The festival kicks of with a performance by violinist Tasmin Little, accompanied on the piano by John Lenehan. Cordela Williams gives a piano recital on the second night followed next day by the Choir of Christ’s College, Cambridge performing an abridged version of Messiah. An evening of jazz will be provided by Elaine Delmar accompanied by Brian Dee. The final concert features the baroque ensemble Badinage with counter-tenor David Sheppard. All concerts are at 7.30 at the Church of St Peter and St Paul. Tel: 01379 586459.