Wednesday May 21st
Celebrity Concert
7.00pm
St Laurence’s Church
Our hottest ticket returns with some familiar faces and some new names taking their turn on the Steinway. This year’s line-up includes : Rev Richard Coles (‘I’m a Celebrity…’) ; comedians Miles Jupp, Cally Beaton, Rachel Parris and John Finnemore ; TV’s Ben Cooper (Bargain Hunt) and Paddy O’ Connell (Newsnight) actors Allun Corduner and Amber Anderson and Radio’s Suzy Klein – exciting host tbc!
All contributors named are subject to availability
Duration: approx 2.5 hours including an interval with bar service
Celebrity Concert Tickets – £40 (U18 £20)
Max 4 tickets per customer
TBA
Host
Richard Coles
I’m A Celebrity…
John Finnemore
Cabin Pressure
Ben Cooper
BBC Bargain Hunt
Miles Jupp
Actor & Comedian
Suzy Klein
BBC Radio & TV
Rachel Parris
The Mash Report
Paddy O'Connell
Broadcasting House
TBA
Credit from
Cally Beaton
Comedian & Broadcaster
Amber Anderson
Actress & Pianist
Allan Corduner
Actor
Thursday May 22nd
Alistair McGowan 'Erik Satie; His words, his music, your ears.'
2.00pm
Ludlow Assembly Rooms
Using Satie’s own oddly comic (and comically odd) writings and extracts from his letters as well as playing many of his best known short piano works (eg Gymnopedies ), BAFTA-winning impressionist and actor (and festival Chair) Alistair McGowan tells the story of Erik Satie’s bizarre, brave and lonely life. With vocal contributions from singer, Charlotte Page.
Duration: 1hr 15mins
Lana Bode 'Born In The USA'
4.30pm
Palmers Hall, Ludlow College
American-born Lana brings us an hour of music. She says “Inspired by the music of my childhood, Born in the USA celebrates the melting pot of American music. Come along on this all-American road trip from ragtime to minimalism with tour stops in the lands of jazz, bluegrass, folk music, spirituals, the rodeo and more. Expect some thrilling new discoveries alongside familiar tunes from names like Scott Joplin, George Gershwin and Philip Glass.”
A trip stateside without the hassle of airports.
Duration: 1hr
Peter Donohoe plays Chopin
7.30pm
St Laurence’s Church
Over forty years, Peter has gained international renown as one of the foremost pianists of our time : now he comes to Ludlow to play music by arguably the greatest ever composer for the piano. A double dose of genius!
Duration: approx 2hrs (with interval)
A bar service will be available from doors open and during the interval
Friday May 23rd
Benjamin Frith & Heidi Rolfe 'Holst: The Planets'
2.00pm
Ludlow Assembly Rooms
After their scintillating performance of Scheherezade last year, the pair return with a rarely-heard piano duet arrangement of Holst’s ever-popular Planets Suite : it promises to be another unmissable, tour de force!
And, on the 100th anniversary of his death, they also play Satie’s “Three Pieces In The Shape of A Pear”.
Duration: 1hr 15m (approx.)
Jonathan Powell 'From Pole to Pole'
4.30pm
Palmers Hall, Ludlow College
A fascinating afternoon of music from some lesser-known Polish composers and still a little something from their inspirational compatriot, Fredryk Chopin.
Duration:
Michael McHale 'Music to Read To'
7.30pm
St Laurence’s Church
Have you ever sat in a piano concert and wished you could read through the dull bits? Sacrilege, I know. But now you can!
A perfect event to bring your friend/child/partner/parent to who doesn’t like ‘the piano‘ as much as you do. Bring a novel, a short story, Alistair McGowan’s poetry – even Farmers Weekly.
Enjoy the feeling of reading together as well as listening together. (Please keep page turns quiet !)
Duration: 2hrs (with interval)
A bar service will be available from doors open and during the interval
Saturday May 24th
Dame Sheila Hancock 'Desert Island Piano'
11.00am
Ludlow Assembly Rooms
National Treasure and nonagenarian, Sheila Hancock, tells Alistair McGowan which pieces of piano music mean the most to her and why.
A special, unique insight into a sparkling 70-year career on stage and screen – with a host of piano pieces (from Tchaikovsky to ‘The Desert Song’) played in between the chat by leading pianist, Anthony Hewitt.
Duration: 90-100mins (approx.) includes an interval
Clare Hammond 'She'
2.30pm
Palmers Hall, Ludlow College
Respected worldwide for her searching programmes, Clare plays music exclusively by female composers (eg Germaine Tailleferre, Mel Bonis, Doreen Carwithen, Fanny Mendelssohn and Clara Schumann) who are starting to receive the air-time and gain the reputation that they deserve.
Duration: 1hr
Joanna MacGregor 'Pictures at an Exhibition....and more'
6.00pm
St Laurence’s Church, Ludlow
The impossibly-stylish Joanna thrilled us here at our closing concert in 2023. She will no doubt do so again with a typically quixotic and eclectic programme including music by : Glass, Rameau, Couperin, Liszt and the atmospheric Mussorgsky classic.
Duration: 1hr 45m
If you purchase tickets for the next event ‘Music of Wolf Hall’, they will be auto discounted to £38 for both events per adult. You must purchase the tickets in the same transaction.
Debbie Wiseman with Anton Lesser 'The Music of Wolf Hall'
9.00pm
St Laurence’s Church
History comes back to Ludlow!
Composer Debbie Wiseman plays her own music from the Golden Globe-winning TV series with readings from one of its stars, Anton Lesser.
Doublet and hose optional !
If you purchase tickets for the previous event with Joanna MacGregor, they will be auto discounted to £38 for both events per adult. You must purchase the tickets in the same transaction.
Duration: 75mins
A bar service will be available during the two events this evening
Sunday May 25th
Martin Pyne and Stephen HorneSilent Piano: Buster Keaton in 'The General'
11.00am
Ludlow Assembly Rooms
After the huge success of last year’s three accompanied silent classics, we present, by popular demand, a full-length movie from the genius that was Buster Keaton – which is widely recognised as one of the best-ever silents.
With ‘live’ piano and percussion accompaniment, take a Sunday morning trip back in time. Perfect for all the family!
Duration: 1hr (do not book this with Joanna MacGregor’s Masterclass which runs at the same time)
Joanna MacGregor in Masterclass
11.00am
Palmers Hall, Ludlow College
A rare chance to pick up tips you’ll never forget from one of the best as Joanna – the morning after the night before – passes on advice to three keen pianists.
Duration: 1hr (do not book this with Silent Piano which runs at the same time)
Mario Bobotsov 'Young Artist Recital'
2.00pm
Palmers Hall, Ludlow College
A masterclass participant here last year and now completing his studies, Mario is being much talked about and today brings us Rachmaninov and other delights. See him before he hits the big time!
Duration: 1hr
Joe Thompson Trio'Anything Goes: A Jazz Celebration of Cole Porter'
4.00pm
Ludlow Assembly Rooms
“I get a kick out of Cole Porter,” says Joe Thompson, “It’s just one of those things. He gets right under my skin. He’s the top, he’s elegant, swellegant. Night and day, he is the one. But enough about his lyrics. Come and hear us play his tunes. He’s pizazz, he’s Lisa Kudrow, he’s the jazz you’ll hear in Ludlow…”
Joe Thompson piano
Sophie Alloway drums
Robert Rickenberg bass.
Duration: 1hr 15mins
Tyler Hay 'Popular Classics'
6.30pm
St Laurence’s Church
Tyler talks like no other pianist. And, fortunately, he plays as well as any of them too. After charming, delighting, amusing and impressing everyone last year, he’s back with a selection of well-known pieces and some amusing stories about them.
A perfect way to finish the third Ludlow Piano Festival!
Duration: 1hr 45mins (including interval)
A bar service will be available from doors open and during the interval