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Please note: this event is in the past
A bank holiday afternoon concert! This is the annual concert of the Aspidistra Drawing Room Orchestra. The orchestra has been praised for its joyful interpretation of the once fashionable light music from before the war. With string quartet, piano, flute and oboe, they recreate the glamour of the Palm Court Orchestras that gave pleasure and hope to previous generations in difficult times. The programme includes many memorable melodies and charming songs that you are unlikely to hear performed anywhere else. For newcomers, it can be a perfect introduction to classical music while for classical music connoisseurs, the quality and inventiveness of this music often comes as a total surprise.
To give you a taste of what is in store you can see a short film here of last year’s the concert which was dedicated to memory of Ana Arnold, Aspidistra’s flautist who died in February 2022 in a road traffic accident on her way to the studio to record the 6th Aspidistra CD.
To learn more about the Aspidistra Drawing Room Orchestra, you can also visit their website and Youtube channel.
The programme is to include:
Charles O’Flynn - Early in the Mornin’
Leo Portnoff - On the Dnieper
Vincent Speciale - La Guapa Muchacha
Reginald King - Carmina
Noel Coward - A Room with a View
Joe Rixner - Raggamuffin
Raymond Birch - Blue Goose Rag
Franz Drdla - Chanson Joyeuse
Jacob Gade - Romanesca
Charles Chaplin - Eternally
Charles Lewis - Alabama Blues
Josef Strauss - The Dragon Fly
Although the government has lifted many of the requirements around COVID-19 isolation rules, we are aware that many of our visitors are vulnerable and we want everyone to feel safe and comfortable. As such, we are continuing to provide hand sanitiser at our entrances, keep windows open to increase ventilation where possible, and maintaining our reduced capacity of 80%. As audience members, we ask that you do not attend if you are showing symptoms or are testing positive, and that you wear a face covering if possible. If you have any concerns, please contact us on 020 8348 8716 and we will do our best to accommodate you.
