August 21, 2024August 23, 2024

Finchcocks Festival #4 goes down a summer treat

by in Concerts
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Applauding audience on the back lawn at Finchcocks. Two pianists stand on the outdoor stage next to the Bosendorfer smiling.

Well, what a weekend it was! The weather couldn’t have been better: Blue skies, sunshine, warmth and a gentle breeze. Finchcocks gardens were radiant thanks to our wonderful gardening team’s efforts and they were very much enjoyed by the Finchcocks team and audience alike.

This weekend was the fourth annual Finchcocks Festival, celebrated in the gardens of our lovely manor house, with all profits going to local music charities and projects.

A view from the outside of Finchcocks walled garden. People are sat enjoying picnics with bunting and a festival atmosphere.

Saturday’s event was Jazz on the lawn with our very own Finchcocks Trio comprising of Musical Director and pianist David Hall, Programme Director, singer and violinist Jennifer Maslin and the incomparable James Sunney on double bass. Hosted in our walled garden, the audience arrived from 1pm and set up camp with picnics, seeking shade under trees from the glorious sunshine.

View from the stage in the walled garden. A violin is in the foreground, to the left. A music stand centre stage and a mic-ed up acoustic Yamaha to the right. In the background is the walled garden decorated with bunting.

Music began at 3pm and ran until 5pm. The trio treated picnickers to well-known swing, jazz, Latin, bossa nova and blues standards, performing out over the truly idyllic scene of an English country garden party.

A highlight of their first set was the debut performance of two young Finchcocks residents, Theo and Reuben Nichols who stole the show with their rendition of Watermelon Man!

Theo and Reuben Nichols performing Watermelon Man on saxophone and trombone accompanied by Daivd Hall (left) on an acoustic Yamaha and James Sunney on double bass (right). Behind them is wall of the walled garden, covered in wisteria.

Sunday featured the performance of two fantastically talented local concert pianists Jong-Gyung Park and Anthony Zerpa-Falcón. This time the concert was situated against the west elevation upon an outdoor stage, with the family Bosendorfer wheeled out especially for the occasion!

The duo’s repertoire included a selection of pieces from The Planets by Holst, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin, Brahms’ Hungarian Dances, Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody no.2, a selection of pieces from the Nutcracker Suite and the first movement of Beethoven’s Symphony no.5 for two hands. As can be seen, they received a standing ovation!

Applauding audience on the back lawn at Finchcocks. Two pianists stand on the outdoor stage next to the Bosendorfer smiling.
Panelled West

This was the first time rooms were opened up for the festival, with the option to make a weekend of it by staying over. We were delighted to welcome back well-loved regular piano course guests as well as new visitors to Finchocks – one of whom was so caught up in the magic that they since booked to return for a course!

Finchcocks gardeners Davina and Vicki stand behind the welcome desk at the walled garden.

Profits for this year’s festival amounted to a massive £2,671.28. As with previous festival profits, funds will be split between local mucial charities.

On behalf of us all here at Finchcocks, we’d like thank all those who attended and made the weekend such a very happy one. See you next year!