The concert programme for 2026
Tickets – Please note that tickets will usually be available in the Wivenhoe Bookshop ONE MONTH in advance of the date of each of the above concerts and also available online from TicketSource/Wivenhoe.
Friday 17th April at 7.30pm – Opus Anglicanum – Folksongs of the British Isles
After their sell out Christmas concert here in St Mary’s, Opus Anglicanum return to present Folksongs of the British Isles, a much-loved programme exploring the wonder and excitement of this evocative and quintessentially British sequence which celebrates the traditional songs of our native land. Tickets £20.
Sunday 14th June at 2pm to 3pm – Colchester Chamber Choir – Silver Swan
As one of several pop-up concerts which the Colchester Chamber Choir are giving in the Colchester area that weekend, they will be in St Mary’s Church between 2pm and 3pm on Sunday afternoon, 14th June. They will be performing a number of songs for a summertime ‘a cappella’. No tickets required for this concert, but instead a retiring collection for the St Mary’s Roof Appeal.
Friday 24th July at 7.30pm – Cantus Quintus
Cantus Quintus is a newly-formed Amsterdam-based ensemble of voices and Viols. The unique sonority of the instrumental-vocal combination is the cornerstone of the musical ethos of Cantus Quintus. The members of this exciting ensemble provide a captivating blend of wonderfully expressive voices and richly resonant viols!
They are here in the UK on Friday 24th July to perform for us at 7.30pm. You might recognise Matthew Farrell ‘cos he was recently In St Mary’s Church as a member of the Opus Anglicanum singing team. So, Cantus Quintus will be performing a beautiful programme of English madrigals and consort music from the 17th Century, including works by Byrd, Gibbons, Jenkins and Purcell.
Cantus Quintus comprises: Sofia Pedro (Soprano), Matthew Farrell (Counter-Tenor, treble viol), Adriana Mendez (tenor viol), Julie Stalder (bass viol), Xander Baker (bass viol).
Tickets are £15.
Saturday 26th September at 7.30pm – The Churchfitters
The Churchfitters are back in the UK again in September from France where they live. This time they will be performing a more traditional set for us instead of their Christmas Cracker gig which they performed to a sold-out house last December.
The three of them are still as zany as ever with Chris mostly playing the fiddle and some other instruments like the musical saw, Boris with his electric hub-cap bass-bouzouki and other unique instruments, and Rosie with her captivating vocals plus flute, banjo, dulcimer, tin whistle, guitar, ukulele and a sackful of percussion. These three virtuoso musicians play at least 42 instruments between them. Once heard and never forgotten, and for all the right reasons.
Tickets are £15
F riday 16th October at 7.30pm – Sea Shanty Extravaganza
Once again we can expect a rousing evening of rich singing led by The Hoolies from Wivenhoe. They have invited two other shanty crews to come and sing with them to fill the nave of the church with songs from the sea. These crews are The Orwellermen and The Columbines, both singing here in Wivenhoe for their first time
Each shanty crew has a favourite charity which they support and over the years this wonderful evening has raised lots of money for various good causes.
We look forward to another sell out evening. Tickets are £10
Friday 13th November at 7.30pm – The Wivenhoe Orchestra and Guests
This will be the 9th year of inviting Pam Garland, the leader of the Wivenhoe Orchestra to put on what we have called a Feast of Music. And she and the Orchestra have managed to put on a real feast of music for us each year, both introducing us to less familiar pieces of music as well as such lovely tunes as the overture from the Pirates of Penzance which was played last year. What I also remember from last year, and would love to hear again, was the version of California Dreamin’ played by the two trumpets of Clare Durance and Colleen Wiiliams. We can always dream, can’t we?
Tickets are £10
