Wooler Arts Summer Concerts 2025
This must count as one of our most successful seasons and we are were privileged to have been able to invite such eminent musicians to Wooler. Audience numbers were extremely good and the range of music was, as ever, very broad. Sadly, Jenna Reid was unable to come following an injury to her left hand. I hope that she and Harris Playfair might be able to come to play here in the early months of 2026.
Ben Goldscheider is one of the world’s great young horn players and his beauty of tone, his stamina and virtuosity are already legendary, and Richard Uttley proved himself no less capable a pianist. It was a very special day featuring our first Composers’ Competition. There was a public afternoon Workshop for three shortlisted composers (and from three children who presented their pieces independently). The Competition judges (myself, the composer Nicola Lefanu, and Ben Goldscheider) unanimously chose Crystalline Shadows by Ryan Collis as the winning piece, a short, vibrant piece that deserved first prize.
This was included in the evening concert as well as two other contemporary works, by me and by Nicola Lefanu, providing a nice contrast to 19th and early 20th century pieces, some originally written for horn, and some (Schumann and Brahms) arrangements of works for different instruments. I was very grateful for the support of the Vaughan Williams Foundation for this concert. It was a thrilling start to the season.
Fergus McCreadie made a welcome return to Wooler, this time with his own Trio, with David Bowden on double bass, and Stephen Henderson on drums. Their wonderfully free exploration of tunes and textures infused with elements of landscape and Scottish folklore showed Fergus’s playing at its best. It was lovely to hear him blurring the lines between jazz and classical with such natural ease.
Roderick Williams is one of our greatest baritones. The quality of his voice, his diction and his expressive and communicative powers are astonishing. With his remarkable accompanist, Julius Drake, he devised a fascinating concert of Shakespeare’s Music,a simple idea of readings from Shakespeare’s plays and poems narrated by the brilliant young actor Ben Boskovic, followed immediately by musical settings of the same words. The range of music was huge, from Purcell to Sibelius and Vaughan Williams, Korngold and Tippett, as well as a piece by Roddy himself. The singer’s rapport with the audience was spellbinding.
For our final concert, once more we welcomed Maria Włoszczowska and members of Royal Northern Sinfonia. Maria and her colleagues clearly love playing in St Mary’s and the way she directs the performance makes it feel as though the music is fresh from the page. It was an intriguing programme of dances (by Veress, Grieg and Skalkottas) and concertos (Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons in which Maria was truly outstanding as the solo violinist). The concert was a sell-out and provided a wonderful end to a season of musical riches.
John Casken
Artistic Director
Wooler Arts Summer Concerts
A snapshot of audience feedback:
Ben Goldscheider and Richard Uttley
We absolutely love these concerts. World class musicians in Wooler – incredible experiences every time. Thank you very very much!
Bring these guys back again! World class
Fergus McCreadie Trio
Tonight was excellent – what a treat! Beautiful acoustic- great talent – inspiring, so emotional. To have this here. Wow. So fortunate
I was surprised and impressed that the Wooler Arts could book him once, let alone twice. Fantastic to see him play to a full house.
Roderick Williams, Julius Drake, Ben Boskovic
A perfect sunny afternoon concert. Wonderful presentation/singing/playing. Great choice of songs, through the ages. Didn’t even mind the pews! Totally and fantastically engaging MORE PLEASE.
Always a pleasure and a privilege. This has been refreshingly different and varied.
Saw the concert and booked a holiday in Northumberland to see one of my favourite baritones.
Royal Northern Sinfonia
Excellent – and what a mix – from Vivaldi to Skalkottas, wonderful! And harpsichord period
Practice and period bowing – this is the way to go. Marvellous! Nothing else to add – superb!
Fantastic. Discovered [the Summer Concerts] this year, fabulous, do not stop. To see artists playing as committed and skilled, wow, thank you.