Folk music legends return to the Museum of English Rural Life
Thursday, 11 March 2010
Hilary James
'The museum is not only the perfect setting for the beautiful music of the English countryside; it also offers a rare opportunity to meet internationally renowned performers in an intimate, relaxed and informal setting'
The Museum of English Rural Life is delighted to announce it is staging a second series of concerts hosted by internationally renowned folk singer and former University of Reading student, Hilary James.
The Museum (MERL), which is owned and managed by the University of Reading, is delighted to welcome back Hilary who will be joined by Simon Mayor, one of the world's foremost mandolinists and also a Reading graduate. The collaboration between this celebrated pair and the Museum began last Spring and this new opportunity to hear live folk music in Reading was very well received all.
The series, ‘Hilary James & friends: songs, stories and traditions,' focuses on the music of the English countryside and its evolving tradition. Hilary will be joined this year by some very special guests, including John Kirkpatrick, who appeared on the BBC's ‘Victorian Farm' and recently won the Radio 2 Folk Award for Musician of the Year 2010, and Belshazzar's Feast, the highly respected and witty duo who were nominated for best duo in the Folk Awards.
Hilary said "I'm thrilled to be back at MERL with another series of concerts and particularly looking forward to welcoming some of the most interesting and talented musicians from the current national folk scene. The museum is not only the perfect setting for the beautiful music of the English countryside; it also offers a rare opportunity to meet internationally renowned performers in an intimate, relaxed and informal setting."
To begin the 2010 series, Hilary will welcome back popular writer and broadcaster, Tim Healey, whose illustrated talk on the Green Man last year was a huge success. In ‘Sex, death and drink in 17C England' on March 16th, Tim will explore the colourful and raffish side of English social life during the tumultuous era of the English Civil War and Restoration - dressed in fantastic period costume!
"Tim is a larger than life character. His enthusiasm for his subject makes for an entertaining, enthralling and informative start to this year's series. We are delighted that The West Berkshire Brewery, whose owners are keen folk fans, will be running a Real Ale bar, which should make the evening all the more enjoyable! The brewery is kindly donating the proceeds to help to support the series."
On May 18th John Kirkpatrick presents ‘The Victorian farmer's year in song', a remarkable journey through the country calendar in music and song. John's pre-concert workshop as part of Adult Learners Week has already sold out, with budding musicians of all abilities eager to take up the opportunity to be part of a ‘Victorian Village Band'.
In ‘The Sands of Song' on June 22nd Hilary James takes centre stage with songs from her forthcoming new CD tracing the history of English rural life in song: bell-ringing, country dancing, high days and holidays, love, lust, loss, landscape and labour. She will be accompanied on guitar, fiddle, oboe, accordion and mandolin by Simon Mayor and special guests Belshazzar's Feast.
Only 70 tickets are available for each concert, so please make sure you book early to avoid disappointment! Tickets are £15 & £12 (concessions) with a discount when all 3 concerts are booked together. Further information is available on the MERL website at www.reading.ac.uk/merl