Ashdown Music Festival 2018: Farewell Gala Concert

Posted on 19 September 2018 by matt
Dear Fans, Followers & Friends of the AMF, 
 
I hope you are well as the summer sun dips below the horizon. The sun is also setting on the AMF: it is not without sadness that the AMF is now in the throes of organising its final event, the Farewell Gala Concert. My increasingly busy career takes me all over the world with little time to spare to organise a Festival of this size.
 
On the up-side, I’m not quite done yet! I have one more massive Gala up my sleeve and I plan to make this our most unforgettable concert yet, so please do support the AMF on our final lap. 
 
Farewell Gala Concert: Saturday 10th November at 7pm in the Theatre at Michael Hall School, Forest Row.
 
The stunning programme will include a Cello and Bassoon duet, a Vivaldi re-mix, featuring Philharmonia principal bassoonist, the super-talented Emily Hultmark, together with myself Reinoud Ford. Also on the programme is the Beethoven septet opus 20, a rare and exhilarating musical experience. 
 
 
And most spectacularly, we are hugely lucky to welcome to our Gala the Zen Balancing Artist Miyoko Shida Rigolo performing Sanddorn Balance created by Mädir Rigolo. Miyoko’s act is unlike anything I have ever seen before: I recently saw her perform at King’s Place in London: you could have heard a pin drop. 
 
“Not only is the dancer drawn into their own dance, the audience is drawn in as well. Her breathing becomes our breathing; her heartbeat, our heartbeat. It is music.” (Donnie Hayden, The Gathering Place)
 

Miyoko Shida RIGOLO

 
Miyoko’s act has garnered several million views online and we are so lucky to have her gracing our event. Come and enjoy this sensational act LIVE on our AMF final concert stage!
 
Tickets to go on sale the weekend of Saturday 6th/ Sunday 7th October. 
 
We hope to be able to count on your support and enthusiasm. We are very excited for this one! 
 
Reinoud Ford, Director 
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One day to go to the AMF Day of Music!

Posted on 10 November 2017 by aleid

Dear All 

Tomorrow – Saturday 11th November – we go LIVE with our Day of Music. If you haven’t got your tickets yet we still have them available to purchase online here. You can also call Festival Director Reinoud Ford (who has had a trendy haircut especially for the occasion… come and see it for yourselves) on 07764 681777 for tickets. Any remaining tickets will be available to purchase on the door. 

Choose from our Family Concert featuring the amazing and inspiring Thorne Trio at 11:30am or our Afternoon Concert with the charismatic Cassius Trio at 4.30pm. If you’re feeling indulgent why not come to both? A rich, varied and top-notch day it will be. Both concerts take place in the Christian Community Church in Forest Row. 

As ever we will have delicious homemade treats for sale at both concerts. 

Hope to see you there! 

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Remember, Remember the 11th of November!

Posted on 2 November 2017 by aleid
Dear All 
 
Time is running out for you to purchase tickets for this year’s unique Ashdown Music Festival Day of Music to be held on Saturday 11th November at the Christian Community Church in Forest Row.
 
We have tickets for our: 
 
Family Concert at 11am featuring The Thorne Trio. A tip-top programme to delight young and older ears, eyes and minds including Tchaikovsky, Mozart and Verdi. Optional crafting hour before the Concert is also a highlight of our proceedings! 
 
Afternoon Concert at 4.30pm will be performed by the critically-acclaimed Cassius Trio (Ann Beilby, Reinoud Ford, Martyn Jackson and featuring Sam Armstrong) who will deliver treats including Franz Schubert, Von Dohnanyi and Brahms. 
 
Come for one, come for two, but don’t miss excellent programmes and outstanding musicians! Purchase your tickets here or by calling Festival Director Reinoud on 07710 975215. 
 
See you soon! 
 
AMF Team 
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Tickets for AMF 2017 are ON SALE!

Posted on 15 October 2017 by aleid

TICKETS for the ASHDOWN MUSIC FESTIVAL “A Day of Music” are on sale!

All tickets are available to purchase via credit card here or you may reserve tickets by calling: 07764 681777. 

We are very excited to be bringing you a day jam-packed with two brilliant and very different programmes on Saturday 11th November, 2017. 

Our Family Concert (generously sponsored by the CAVATINA Chamber Music Trust) will be performed by the Thorne Trio. Filled with fantastic music, great games and informative instrument demos, this concert is a must for any young music fans and indeed any older ones too! Join us for what has become one of the Festival’s highlights each year. 

Keen crafters out there have the option to join us for an hour of creativity and fun before the Family Concert and can take home their self-made treasures afterwards!  

Our Afternoon Concert features the award-winning Cassius Trio. Franz Schubert, Ernst Von Dohnanyi and Johannes Brahms are all on the line-up. Featuring world-class musicians Ann Beilby, Reinoud Ford, Martyn Jackson and Sam Armstrong for a phenomenal price, this afternoon will be filled with a LOT of sparkling notes and is really not-to-be-missed! 

 

Please tell your friends and families and do book your tickets early to avoid disappointment. We always value your support for what we do. Here’s looking forward to a real AMF high note in November. 

See you there! 

Reinoud Ford
Director AMF Reinoud Ford

Reinoud

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AMF Friends Concert this Saturday 16th September!

Posted on 14 September 2017 by aleid

Dear All 

As you make fun family/ friendly plans for this coming weekend don’t forget about our Friends Concert on Saturday 16th September at 3.30pm in the Long Room at Michael Hall School. 

Delight in about an hour’s worth of Bach performed by two hunky cello men, to be followed by an array of (free!) refreshments served (we hope) on the terrace (fingers crossed the weather plays ball!) 

Contributing Friends of the AMF can attend the afternoon free of charge (and can bring a Plus 1 free of charge also). All others keen too attend can purchase tickets here or by calling Reinoud on 07764 681777 or on the door. We hope to see you there! 

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Friends Concert: Saturday 16th September

Posted on 6 September 2017 by aleid

Dear All, 

As summer slips subtly into autumn I’m turning my mind to this year’s AMF adventures! Hopefully many of you have marked your calendars for this year’s One Day of Music Festival on Saturday 11th November. We will be in touch with more news about this day in due course. You will also be able to check programming and buy tickets online nearer the time at www.ashdownmusicfestival.co.uk.
 
In the meantime and – in fact – in the very near future we have another concert on offer! 

Please come one come all to join us on Saturday 16th September in the Long Room at Michael Hall School, Forest Row from 3:30 p.m.  

This will be an afternoon of Bach – Back to Back Bach – performed by John Myerscough and myself. 

This is our yearly Friends Concert. At this event all Friends of the AMF who support us with their generous yearly donations will gain free entry (plus a +1). General members of the public can purchase tickets either online here or at the door. OR ring us on 07764 681777 to reserve tickets. 

As always, the concert will be followed by FREE tea, juice, prosecco, sandwiches and cake (in themselves – we think – a reason to come!). So if you get booking John and I will get looking at our parts in preparation!

With best wishes,
 
Reinoud Ford, Director 
 
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Happy New Year!

Posted on 13 January 2017 by aleid
Dear Fans and Friends of the AMF, 
 
Let me take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year!
 
As we look forward to 2017 I wanted to take a moment to look back at the Ashdown Music Festival 2016. 
 
We had a wonderful and unique three days at the start of November with a series of musical experiences that excited and I hope inspired our audiences. Our Opening Concert offered a gentle beginning to the weekend with a programme of solo and chamber music featuring English Pianist Sam Armstrong. We upped the pace on Saturday with a lively and noisy goose-themed crafting hour that preceded our hugely popular and packed-out Family Concert featuring the entertaining and engaging Magnard Ensemble. That afternoon we travelled back in time to a Baroque world of exquisite beauty and energy safe in the hands of the exceptional Brook Street Band. Our Gala featured an effervescent and crystalline Mozart concerto by top violinist Martyn Jackson and the dynamically delivered Walton by the 12 Ensemble. I of course also took on Mr. Haydn and relished every minute: I hope you did too. 
 
Take a look at our Photos page to see pictures from across the weekend. 
 
As many of you know, I am currently thinking carefully over the next steps for the AMF: thank you to those who have completed and returned our survey. If you have not yet responded we really would value your feedback and ideas. I will be in touch in due course to let you all know how we will move forward. 
 
In the meantime wishing you all well and may music fill the Bleak Midwinter! 
Reinoud Ford, Director
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ONE week to the AMF Gala Concert!

Posted on 30 October 2016 by aleid
Next week around this time a whole host of musicians will be itching to kick off a brilliant and breathtaking programme. Be sure to book your seat NOW for the Ashdown Music Festival’s fifth annual Gala Concert. 
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We’ve got a cracking display of colourful and explosive talent for you this Bonfire weekend. The 12 Ensemble (an un-conducted string orchestra) is the biggest ensemble we have welcomed to date: a visual and musical spectacle, they will perform Walton’s Serenade for Strings. Our two very watchable soloists Martyn Jackson and Reinoud Ford will take on Mozart and Haydn respectively, accompanied by the 12 PLUS bonus wind players brought in to deliver that big orchestral sound. We think children learning an instrument and/ or playing in an orchestra will enjoy our Gala (most of the 12 players STAND for much of the concert: very watchable!) With a SPECIAL PRICE special price for school-age children you can make this into a fantastic family outing. 
 
Support us in our most ambitious endeavour yet and book your seat here! You can also call: 07764 681777 for tickets. Be sure to bring your appetites because there will be cakes and cookies galore available at interval.
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See you next week! Reinoud Ford
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One week to AMF Super Saturday!

Posted on 29 October 2016 by aleid

Dear Audiences and Supporters of the AMF,

Our countdown clock is ticking away: only ONE week to go until our Super Saturday.

On Saturday 5th November at 11am (Christian Community Church, Forest Row) the Magnard Wind Ensemble will host our FAMILY CONCERT. Also featuring Piano and Narrator, these talented musicians will delight families with stories, musical snippets and informative instrument demos (including Tales of Mother Goose by Ravel).

Magnard Ensemble - CMF 20 November 2015  group4_750

At 4.30pm on Saturday 5th November (Christian Community Church) the Brook Street Band – one of the country’s foremost interpreters of Baroque music – will guide us on a musical Grand Tour, taking in Handel, Bach, Telemann and Vivaldi along the way. Delicious non-alcoholic Baroque-tails available at interval.

Lend us your ears and generous support because without each of you there can be no Festival!

See you there! Reinoud Ford

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AMF Opening Concert ONE Week Today!

Posted on 28 October 2016 by aleid

Our concert countdown has started! This time next week we’ll be warming up for our Opening Concert (Friday 4th November, 7.30pm, Christian Community Church, Forest Row).

A beautifully balanced programme pulled from the solo and chamber repertoires. Award-winning English pianist Sam Armstrong performs solo Schubert and will be joined by Festival Director Reinoud Ford and Violinist Oscar Perks to deliver the rousing melodies of Beethoven’s iconic Archduke Trio and Dvorak’s delicious Dumky, laced with Eastern European folk tunes.

“Remember, Remember…!” Without an audience there can be no Festival. We hope to see you there! Book online or call 07764 681777.

Reinoud

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