On February 8 2020 Leeds Baroque opened its Anniversary season in grand style with a workshop for current and prospective mebers of the choir and orchestra followed by a short performance and reception for invited guest. The latter helped along with an anniversary cake and a glass or two of something fizzy!

On behalf of all associated with Leeds Baroque this message comes with grateful thanks to all who have helped us achieve this ambitious goal of owning our own historically appropriate timpani.

We have been overwhelmed by the generosity, not just of those who pledged their financial support, but also those who gave their names to the campaign, and a back-room team who has spent the last 12 months supporting us with advice and technical know-how.
 
We are now able to commission our new instruments from the legendary firm of Henry Potter and Co and we hope they will be ready in time for our Bach programme in October. We hope you will all join us for their debut concert!
 
In the meantime let’s raise another toast – not just to timpani but to all those who helped us make this ambition a reality!

“The Leeds Baroque Orchestra is a national treasure and one that I whole-heartedly support. The vital need to have their own Baroque Timpani is key to their endeavour in providing consistently high level performances and to allow them an open door to perform all suitable repertoire without compromise. To have the timpani at hand, without energy, time and financial resources spent in locating and transporting suitable instruments will be an enormous boost in so many ways, not least the impact for their audiences. The addition of the Baroque Timpani will not only positively impact the current musicians of the orchestra but allow many percussionists in the future to experience a truly fascinating and historically important aspect of timpani playing.”

Adrian Bending, in the newsletter of The Early Music Shop,  explains just why we need historicaly informed timpani.
Adrian is Principal Timpanist of the OAE and Professor of Timpani at the Royal College of Music. He gives masterclasses regularly and has published his timpani teaching book Bending Bach’s
Basslines. www.adrianbending.com www.henrypotter.co.uk

New Recording by Eboracum Baroque.

Our regular trumpeter Chris Parsons and his group have just announced their latest performance and recording project featuring the music of Suffolk composer Joseph Gibbs (1698-1788)

More details HERE

Shakespeare – A Musical Commemoration

Date: Tuesday 11 Oct 2016
Location: Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery, University of Leeds
Time: 13:00 - 14:00
Cost: Free, booking required

To complement the current Shakespeare exhibition in the Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery marking  the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death, members of Leeds Baroque perform music linked to the famous commemorations held at Stratford-upon-Avon in 1769

Join members of Leeds Baroque to hear a performance of the music composed for the turbulent 18th century celebration of Shakespeare.

In 1769, in a bid to market their small town to a wider public, a delegation from the Borough of Stratford-upon-Avon asked David Garrick, the most celebrated Shakespearean actor of the age, to open the new town hall. Garrick suggested a Shakespeare festival to place the town firmly onto the eighteenth-century tourist map. This was to be a three day spectacular with a parade of Shakespearian characters, a horse race, dances, and music provided by the  complete orchestra and chorus of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, of which Garrick was the manager. He wrote an ode with, at its centre, ''Thou soft flowing Avon' set to music by Thomas Arne, the leading English composer of the day. Other native composers, such as Charles Dibdin, also contributed new works.  
As sometimes happens in Britain the whole thing became a shambles when it rained non-stop for the entire festival: Garrick lost over £2,000 and never returned to Stratford again. However, rather than waste all the effort, he determined to mount the entertainment at Drury Lane and this became a major success. Much of this success was down to Dibdin, who composed "The Jubilee" with 'New scenes, Dresses, and Decorations' said to feature 320 persons, 3 horses, and a dog! Much of the Stratford pageant was resurrected and, although music critics were sniffy, audiences were delighted by the spectacle and it set a stage record for the period, being performed 153 times between 1769-1776. 

This event is free but booking is required. To book your place, please visit our online booking system:
http://leeds-baroque.eventbrite.co.uk
For further information please contact the Gallery by email: gallery@leeds.ac.uk or telephone: (0113) 343 9803

As part of its educational remit Leeds Baroque, and with the help of the Friends of Leeds Baroque , the orchestra is  building a collection of Baroque instruments available on loan to young players who do not yet have a period instrument of their own.
Donations to the Friends 'fiddle fund' has enabled the orchestra to purchase a baroque viola. We have recently received 3 generous donation of modern violins for sale to raise funds for Baroque instruments and we hope to purchase a good baroque violin with the proceeds of these sales. The sales are being looked after for us by the Used Instruments Agency at The Early Music Shop in Saltaire where they can be viewed by interested purchasers.  If you know anyone who might be interested please pass on the information. Two of these instruments are already listed on the EMS  website and can be viewed here: 3055 S and 3055 S