The programme is now complete with some wonderful new events to tempt you to Brinkburn Priory. Just a reminder, we all give our time and efforts free of charge and English Heritage give us the venues without cost so that we can offer wonderful entertainment, music and song FREE! All you have to do is to turn up, pay the admission charge to English Heritage and enjoy yourself.
Musical events at both Brinkburn Priory & Aydon Castle are under cover!
Concerts commence at 2.00 p.m. unless stated otherwise in the descriptions below and are very relaxed, so feel free to dip in or out as you please!
BRINKBURN SUMMER MUSIC PROGRAMME 2013
Sunday 19 May
The Benedict Biscop Gregorian Choir
Directed by Jonathan Adams
and the Sunday Strings
Exchanges in Chant
At the heart of plainchant are conversations, exchanges between soloist and choir, choir and community. These are some of the roots of western music.
Hear some of these compelling melodies amongst Brinkburns ancient monastic stones.
With members from across the North-East, the Benedict Biscop Gregorian Choir is a group of amateur singers who meet to explore gregorian chant and other plainsong music still vibrant after more than 1000 years.
www.gregorian-choir.org.uk
The Sunday Strings
will play music by William Shield (1748-1829) Master of the King's Musick to George IV, born in Swalwell on the Tyne.
Sunday 2 June
NORTHUMBRIAN PIPES OF ROBSONS CHOICE
Traditional Northumbrian, Scottish and Irish tunes played wth harmonies by the sweetest-sounding bagpipes in the world! Robson's Choice play Northumbrian smallpipes, fiddle and whistle for your pleasure and to raise funds for St Oswald's Hospice in Gosforth.
Saturday 15 June
Alnwick Pipers in the Manor House
Alnwick Pipers' Society is a collection of people who are enthusiastic about the traditional music of Northumberland and the Borders.
Traditional music has been at the heart of the local culture in our area for many centuries and Alnwick Pipers' Society tries to preserve that musical heritage for future generations by encouraging the teaching and playing of Northumberland's own unique instrument, the Northumbrian Smallpipes. The Society also actively encourages other traditional instruments such as the fiddle, harmonica and whistle which come together to give an unforgettable afternoon at Brinkburn, this time in the Manor House
Sunday 16 June
Ashington & District Male Voice Choir
For several hundred years Brinkburn resounded to the pure sound of male voices, those of the Augestinian monks who worked and worshipped here.
The acoustics and atmosphere of Brinkburn Priory make it a wonderful venue for the Ashington & District Male Voice Choir, Brinkburn has a special place in our calendar and in our hearts!
Sunday 23 June
Harps of the Clasarch Society
The Clarsach is a small harp with around 34 strings which is tremendous fun to learn and play. It lends itself especially to traditional music, Northumbrian and Scottish airs, but is equally effective with classical, popular and even jazz. The Clarsach Society exists to encourage the learning and playing of the Clarsach
If you like the sound, join the Society and we can hire you a clarsach, provide regular meetings where tuition is available, and ensure you begin playing in a group right from the start. There are also day courses and other activities. An ability to read music obviously helps, but is not absolutely essential. Meetings are friendly and fun; all ages are welcome.
We will play a varied selection of music chosen for the wonderful acoustics of Brinkburn Priory traditional and classical pieces that have been arranged to bring out the qualities of this lovely instrument. We hope you will enjoy the performance.
Saturday 29 June
North East Recorder Orchestra
The North East Recorder Orchestra was formed in January 2004 with the aim of giving recorder players in the north-east the opportunity to tackle large scale pieces. Our repertoire covers a wide range of styles, all the way from early music to contemporary pieces. We usually give two concerts a year at venues across the region.
(Editor's note: These are just not ordinary recorders and vary in sise from 12" up to 3 or 4 feet, some are replicas of instruments from the middle ages !)
Rehearsals are held on the fourth Saturday of the month between 9.45am and 12.45pm in the church of St Johns', Kingston Park, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
New members are always welcome, and for more information see: www.nerco.org.uk. Please contact the musical director, John Hawkes (email: , phone: 01661822909), if you are interested in joining.
Cobwebs Cabaret Ensemble present a witty and sophisticated cocktail of classics from almost every genre of music from Mozart to 60's pop, including Latin American dances, French chanson, jazz standards, and some original compositions too.
Sunday 14 July
BLITHESONG * 3.00 p.m. start
SACRED AND PROFANE
A celebratory programme of English choral music
20,000 Voices has achieved 20 years promoting singing across Northumberland and the whole of the north east, through choirs, workshops, projects and other events with an enviable track record of success. We have reached 150,000 voices, and as we look forward to the next 20 years, we are launching a number of new initiatives. BLITHESONG is the icing on the cake: an opportunity to hear and work with some of the finest singers, both professional and amateur, in our region, in a wide range of music and settings, offering inspiration and encouragement to all singers.
For our first event, BLITHESONG presents a programme to celebrate the centenary of the birth of Benjamin Britten in a performance of his Sacred and Profane, a setting of eight medieval lyrics. The programme is planned to include the Ikon of St Cuthbert by John Tavener, and music both sacred and secular by Jonathan Harvey, Judith Weir and Richard Rodney Bennett. These are set alongside eternally ethereal music from medieval times to Byrd, Morley, Shephard, Tallis and Tomkins. A superb aural feast to be enjoyed in the beautiful surroundings of Brinkburn Priory. Absolutely unmissable!
Details: 3.00 pm Sunday 14 July 2013 at Brinkburn Priory
For more info: or visit: www.20000voices.org
Saturday 20 July
Alnwick Silver Singers
This choir is part of Silver Northumberland - a network of 5 choirs for people over 50 managed by 20,000 Voices in partnership with The Sage Gateshead. Formed in 2008, and directed by Anne Suggate, the choir sings a wide mixture of songs mostly in three part harmony. Singers enjoy the relaxed, informal sessions where there is plenty laughter and singing, and where good friendships are formed. The choir has performed at Alnwick Garden, Alnwick Playhouse, Newton on the Moor Village Hall, and also entertained residents in sheltered housing schemes. Alnwick Silver Singers is always keen to attract new members at their term time rehearsals at Alnwick Adult Learning Centre on Fridays 1.15 - 2.45 pm. For more information please contact 20,000 Voices on 01670 852445 or email
Sunday 21 July
Music from the Durham Viol Manuscript
Music from the Durham Viol Manuscript - Greg Pullen (bass viol) and Andy Jackson (guitar) recreate the delicate and intricate compositions collected by Philip Falle (1656-1742) which are housed in the library of Durham Cathedral.
Sunday 28 July
NEW VOICES
This enthusiastic community choir rehearses in Morpeth on Tuesday evenings from 7.45- 9.30 pm, but its members come from all directions to sing together. Over the last year the choir have performed at Brinkburn and Wallington Hall. The choir grew from a 20,000 Voices' Find Your Voice course in 1997, and has been welcoming new singers ever since. New Voices enjoy a wide range of repertoire from folk songs, spirituals, sacred songs and gospel numbers to popular and local songs from across the north east. They enjoy performing in the amazing acoustic of Brinkburn Priory, and if weather permits in the grounds of the priory too. For more information please phone 01670 514467 or email
Saturday 3 August
COQUETDALE CHAMBER CHOIR
Musical Director: John Casken
Members of this choir all come from Upper Coquetdale. The choir has become known for its enterprising programmes of sacred and secular music from the 16th century onwards, and in particular for its commitment to the music of our own time such as Górecki, MacMillan, Pärt, Casken and Lauridsen.
For further details:
Sunday 4 August
MEDIEVAL MIXTURE
Director: Margaret Watchorn
A wonderful opportunity to experience first-hand the many and varied joys of centuries-old music! Medieval Mixture will guide you through the delights of pilgrim songs from the Pyrenees, street cries from England, and perhaps plainsong from the tenth century, not forgetting songs for dancing.
Medieval Mixture is a lively and informal group who meet monthly to explore unaccompanied early music from across Europe.
For more details, contact 20,000 Voices (01670 852445; ) or the groups director, Margaret Watchorn (01665 576245 )
Saturday 10 August
Cobweb Orchestra
The Cobweb Orchestra play a programme especially chosen to explore the beautiful acoustic of Brinkburn including music by Corelli, Handel, Elgar and Faure.
Sunday 11 August
Brinkburn String Quartet
"The Brinkburn Quartet has been playing together for many years. This is our fourth year at the Priory sharing our music with you. From Baroque to Boogie-Woogie (and beyond!!)"
Saturday 17 August
Belford Singers
Sacred Music Across the Centuries.
This year, the Belford Singers' concert concentrates entirely on sacred music. As befits a priory church, the core of the concert is music composed, in England and on the continent, within a hundred years of the Dissolution of the Monasteries. To this music is added some sacred music from later centuries, all intended to take advantage of the wonderful atmosphere and acoustic of Brinkburn Priory.
Saturday 24 August
Fitzsimons Choir
The choir was established by Kieran Fitzsimons in 1983, to sing occasional cathedral services at Ripon and elsewhere. We are now based in Newcastle upon Tyne. Throughout the year we sing for special services and other events in the north-east, and at Newcastle Cathedral when the cathedral choir is on holiday. We sing concerts for English Heritage at Brinkburn, and we have shared two special concerts with the Kol Hashirim synagogue choir in Newcastle. Most years we meet in August for an intensive few days of singing, based in local school or university accommodation.
Sunday 1 September
Brinkburn String Quartet
"The Brinkburn Quartet has been playing together for many years. This is our fourth year at the Priory sharing our music with you. From Baroque to Boogie-Woogie (and beyond!!)"
Saturday 7 September
Pierrot Productions
Pierrot Productions is a young peoples theatre group based in Newcastle. Past productions have included Godspell, A Christmas Carol, Tomfoolery and Songs for a New World. The group is delighted to take up the opportunity of performing at both Aydon Castle and Brinkburn Priory this summer. We are very excited about bringing a chamber musical of Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice, as well as a brand new piece entitled Hidden Priory.
Sunday 15 September
The Border Tarts
The Border Tarts are an A capello group of six ladies from the Scottish Borders who enjoy singing together. We sing all kinds of music, the main criterion being that we like the tune.
Sunday 22 September
Morpeth Waites
Street, Secular and Sacred Music from Morpeth Waites
Morpeth Waites are a group of eight friends from Morpeth and the NE. who together enjoy performing songs and dance music mainly from 15th to the 18th Centuries.
Our music ranges from boisterous and bawdy to religious and reflective and from serious to silly.
Some melodies may be familiar as they are found in folk tunes. We also enjoy exploring and arranging the more unfamiliar.
We play on a mixture of reproduction early instruments such as rebec, viol, hurdy gurdy, harp, lute, flute, recorders, cornamuse and sackbut. More modern are the fiddles and bassoon which give us a fair range and variety of sound along with voices and drum.
Saturday 28 September
Coquet Singers
Rothbury's community choir, The Coquet Singers,
have sung at Brinkburn on several occasions, and are looking forward to sharing their songs with the receptive audience in September and to enjoying the wonderful acoustic setting which is always a great experience for singers and musicians. This year The Coquet Singers will be rounding off a summer of great music performed by ensembles and choirs from all over the county, and beyond. Their Brinkburn programme will include some local Coquetdale and Northumbrian songs; they will also be singing a wide programme of songs in different styles and drawn from many parts of the world including favourite spirituals and some recently learned very interesting Native American chants. The choir rehearses at The United Reform Church in Rothbury on Monday evenings (in term time) from 7.00 - 9.00 pm and is directed by Anne Suggate. New singers are always very welcome, with or without choral experience. For more details email
Sunday 29 September
Glendale Voices
This choir of ladies comes from Wooler, gateway to the Cheviot Hills. We are an enthusiastic group who enjoy an eclectic choice of songs including madrigals, show songs and local folk songs.
