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We are Crowdfunding to purchase a harpsichord to support our outreach and education work, amongst other things.
For more details please visit: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/harpsichord-campaign
The Brook Street Band is named after the London Street where George Frideric Handel lived from 1723-59. It was formed in 1997 by baroque cellist Tatty Theo, rapidly establishing itself amongst the UK’s leading Handel specialists, winning grants, awards, and broadcasting opportunities from organisations including Radio 3 and the Handel Institute. The Band has enjoyed an unusually stable core-membership, its players working together for over twenty years; this longevity has enabled them to develop a style of performing and music-making that is precise and spontaneous, musicians able to react instinctively to each other and play as one.
Eighteenth-century chamber repertoire has always been the Band’s driving passion, focusing particularly on Handel’s music.
The Band currently performs and teaches throughout the UK and Europe, and has established love: Handel, its own critically acclaimed biennial music festival. It regularly broadcasts for Radio 3 and Classic FM and its extensive discography has been singled out for critical acclaim, accolades including Gramophone Magazine Editor’s Choice and inclusion in the chamber music/small ensemble selection category at the Grammy Awards. It’s world-premiere recording of “Dragon of Wantley” (an English opera by Handel’s bassoonist J F Lampe) proved to be something of a hit winning the Opera Award in the 2023 BBC Music Magazine Awards. The Band featured at the world’s first ever “Handeliades”, immersive 4-day events of concerts, masterclasses and talks given by world-renowned Handel experts in 2021 and 2023.
“KITCHEN CONVERSATIONS”
Are you hungry? Join us in our imagined ‘kitchen’ as we musically prepare and cook dinner for friends. As the evening progresses deep conversations ensue, mystery musical ingredients provide sustenance and spice; a rich baroque diet to nourish mind and soul.
The kitchen has always been the heart of the home. Although hidden away in Handel’s time it was no less lacking in drama and passion, servants and cooks working hard to ensure a smooth-running household. Today’s kitchens are positioned centre-stage, shared spaces for preparation, eating and drinking. Convivial food, free-flowing wine* … some juicy gossip… perfect ingredients for an enticing, entertaining, thought-provoking musical event. Featured composers include: Telemann, Handel, JS Bach, CPE Bach, Rameau, Purcell, Errollyn Wallen.
Narrator, Rachel Harris & Kathryn Parry (violins), Tatty Theo (cello), Carolyn Gibley (harpsichord)
The Brook Street Band (“ensemble so pin-sharp it merits a safety warning” – BBC Music Magazine) presents a musical feast with glorious music of the high baroque, composers including Bach and Handel so dear to BSB’s heart and incorporating some of BSB’s trademark quirky chamber arrangements. There will be Tafelmusik from Telemann too, alongside other baroque gems. Moving to the present day, Baroque music continues to subtly influence today’s pop music, ground basses and set chord progressions running through some of the best offerings from the charts. Alongside spectacular contemporary classical music by Master of the King’s Music Errollyn Wallen CBE, The Brook Street Band interweaves one or two surprising short popular favourites through the evening’s music bringing the centuries together, both worlds harmoniously and seamlessly blended together.
The concert comprises a 75-minute performance (no interval), music and texts to evoke food preparation and cooking, eating and drinking and post-prandial conversation. Music list to include: Telemann, Handel, JS Bach, CPE Bach, Rameau, Purcell, Errollyn Wallen
“There’s something that’s really warm, effortless and relaxed about a Brook Street show. The musicians clearly enjoy each other’s work, as of course do we, the audience! Lovely programming, great musicianship…” Petworth Festival
This event is made possible through the generous support of the Continuo Foundation.
*NB: There is no actual food and wine included in the ticket price
“KITCHEN CONVERSATIONS”
Are you hungry? Join us in our imagined ‘kitchen’ as we musically prepare and cook dinner for friends. As the evening progresses deep conversations ensue, mystery musical ingredients provide sustenance and spice; a rich baroque diet to nourish mind and soul.
The kitchen has always been the heart of the home. Although hidden away in Handel’s time it was no less lacking in drama and passion, servants and cooks working hard to ensure a smooth-running household. Today’s kitchens are positioned centre-stage, shared spaces for preparation, eating and drinking. Convivial food, free-flowing wine* … some juicy gossip… perfect ingredients for an enticing, entertaining, thought-provoking musical event. Featured composers include: Telemann, Handel, JS Bach, CPE Bach, Rameau, Purcell, Errollyn Wallen.
Narrator, Rachel Harris & Kathryn Parry (violins), Tatty Theo (cello), Carolyn Gibley (harpsichord)
The Brook Street Band (“ensemble so pin-sharp it merits a safety warning” – BBC Music Magazine) presents a musical feast with glorious music of the high baroque, composers including Bach and Handel so dear to BSB’s heart and incorporating some of BSB’s trademark quirky chamber arrangements. There will be Tafelmusik from Telemann too, alongside other baroque gems. Moving to the present day, Baroque music continues to subtly influence today’s pop music, ground basses and set chord progressions running through some of the best offerings from the charts. Alongside spectacular contemporary classical music by Master of the King’s Music Errollyn Wallen CBE, The Brook Street Band interweaves one or two surprising short popular favourites through the evening’s music bringing the centuries together, both worlds harmoniously and seamlessly blended together.
The concert comprises a 75-minute performance (no interval), music and texts to evoke food preparation and cooking, eating and drinking and post-prandial conversation. Music list to include: Telemann, Handel, JS Bach, CPE Bach, Rameau, Purcell, Errollyn Wallen
“There’s something that’s really warm, effortless and relaxed about a Brook Street show. The musicians clearly enjoy each other’s work, as of course do we, the audience! Lovely programming, great musicianship…” Petworth Festival
This event is made possible through the generous support of The Assembly House Trust and the Continuo Foundation.
.
*NB: There is no actual food and wine included in the ticket price
“KITCHEN CONVERSATIONS”
Are you hungry? Join us in our imagined ‘kitchen’ as we musically prepare and cook dinner for friends. As the evening progresses deep conversations ensue, mystery musical ingredients provide sustenance and spice; a rich baroque diet to nourish mind and soul.
The kitchen has always been the heart of the home. Although hidden away in Handel’s time it was no less lacking in drama and passion, servants and cooks working hard to ensure a smooth-running household. Today’s kitchens are positioned centre-stage, shared spaces for preparation, eating and drinking. Convivial food, free-flowing wine* … some juicy gossip… perfect ingredients for an enticing, entertaining, thought-provoking musical event. Featured composers include: Telemann, Handel, JS Bach, CPE Bach, Rameau, Purcell, Errollyn Wallen.
Narrator, Rachel Harris & Kathryn Parry (violins), Tatty Theo (cello), Carolyn Gibley (harpsichord)
The Brook Street Band (“ensemble so pin-sharp it merits a safety warning” – BBC Music Magazine) presents a musical feast with glorious music of the high baroque, composers including Bach and Handel so dear to BSB’s heart and incorporating some of BSB’s trademark quirky chamber arrangements. There will be Tafelmusik from Telemann too, alongside other baroque gems. Moving to the present day, Baroque music continues to subtly influence today’s pop music, ground basses and set chord progressions running through some of the best offerings from the charts. Alongside spectacular contemporary classical music by Master of the King’s Music Errollyn Wallen CBE, The Brook Street Band interweaves one or two surprising short popular favourites through the evening’s music bringing the centuries together, both worlds harmoniously and seamlessly blended together.
The concert comprises a 75-minute performance (no interval), music and texts to evoke food preparation and cooking, eating and drinking and post-prandial conversation. Music list to include: Telemann, Handel, JS Bach, CPE Bach, Rameau, Purcell, Errollyn Wallen
“There’s something that’s really warm, effortless and relaxed about a Brook Street show. The musicians clearly enjoy each other’s work, as of course do we, the audience! Lovely programming, great musicianship…” Petworth Festival
This event is made possible through the generous support of the Continuo Foundation.
.*NB: There is no actual food and wine included in the ticket price
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We are collaborating with the National Centre for Early Music and BBC Radio 3 on the Young Composers Award 2025, and will be workshopping and premiering original compositions written for The Brook Street Band by composers aged 25 and under.
Tatty Theo
ListenAbout 18th century coffeehouse culture is now available as a BBC podcast
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