A performance by Royal Wedding cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, and a fresh arrangement of Jacob Collier's Hideaway feature at Highgate's annual classical music festival.
Now in its 12th year, Highgate International Chamber Music Festival (HICMF) brings acclaimed classical musicians to the atmospheric setting of St Anne’s Church, Highgate in December for five days of music.
This year, 24 artists including Julian Bliss, Thomas Gould, Daisy Bevan and Nicholas Daniel, perform more than 40 works ranging from baroque to tango to film music, including favourites by Vivaldi and Brahms alongside lesser-known gems by Britten and Boccherini.
On December 6th, Vivaldi to Debussy features young performers from Haringey Primary schools and a new arrangement of the song by former Mill Hill pupil Collier, who went viral in 2013 with a YouTube video of Stevie Wonder’s Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing recorded in his North London home.
Appropriately, a collection at the concert will benefit Haringey Young Musicians.
On 4th December, there's a world premiere by festival co-founder Nathalie Klouda written for and performed by cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and his pianist sister Isata.
Klouda says ‘Tor Mordôn’ ('Sea mount of light’) combines Caribbean Calypso rhythms and folklore, and Welsh myths and language from the siblings' dual heritage.
"We invited Sheku and Isata Kanneh-Mason on our mentoring scheme in 2016, coached them and got to know them," she says.
"I've previously written for Isata, and when they both had a tour and wanted new work on the programme, they asked me to write a piece."
The "rhythmically dramatic" work is dedicated to the siblings' Antiguan grandfather, Arnold Mason, who played violin. Before writing it, Natalie retraced the walks the Kanneh-Masons would take in Eryri/Snowdonia during childhood holidays.
"For me writing is an imaginative journey of getting inside people and after walking in the mountains I had a much better sense of the vastness of time and how those stories connect to the landscapes and to people from one generation to another," she said.
"I felt an impact personally, the sense of enlightenment and wonder that can be
felt in the presence of the highest peaks, and the danger of it. The piece is a contrast between the epic mountains and the individual."
She adds: "It's so wonderful to celebrate your heritage, everything that makes you, you."
Natalie and husband Ashok were living in Highgate when they founded the festival with fellow musician Irina Botan.
They had met at the Yehudi Menuhin School and saw an opportunity to create an annual celebration that combined fresh renditions of masterpieces and lesser known works with unusual combinations of performers.
"It was a chance to bring wonderful players together and create these bespoke dream team combinations for all of these works that we play," adds Klouda.
"It's wonderful for the audience, who absolutely love the intimacy and beautiful acoustics of St Anne's, and for the players musically to explore new experiences of these works.
"It's a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere with mulled wine and mince pies, a chance to come together and enjoy connecting."
Other festival highlights include an evening of baroque music led by Rachel Podger on December 2nd, and a daytime showing of the 1924 Buster Keaton silent comedy Sherlock Junior with live piano quintet score.
On December 7th there's a recital featuring legends of the film music world Caroline Dale (Hilary and Jackie, Pride & Prejudice) and Gavin Greenaway (The World of Hans Zimmer) performing music from Gladiator, Atonement and The Mission.
Co-director Ashok Klouda said: "Having recorded for many films myself, I’m particularly excited by the festival’s film focus. Our screening of Sherlock Junior promises to be great fun for the whole family whilst our late-night recital stars artists who work with the world’s best film composers."
The festival runs from December 2nd to 8th at St Anne's Church, Highgate West Hill.
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