WMSO concert in Binfield

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Join the musicians of the Windsor & Maidenhead Symphony Orchestra in Binfield for an evening of musical masterpieces

The Windsor & Maidenhead Symphony Orchestra summer family concert features three very accessible masterpieces written for a large symphony orchestra.

Walton’s Johannesburg Festival Overture was commissioned in 1956 by the Johannesburg Festival Committee to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the city, and includes some African melodies and rhythms. Walton described it as “a non-stop gallop, slightly crazy, hilarious and vulgar”.

By contrast, Rachmaninov’s 2nd Piano Concerto is anything but…! It is an ever-popular work that established Rachmaninov as one of the greatest composers for piano and orchestra. The work is full of romantic tunes and with a virtuoso piano part that balances well with the orchestral writing. No wonder the work has been used in film scores such as Brief Encounter and The Seven Year Itch as well as regularly topping the ClassicFM Hall of Fame chart.

Swan Lake is the most often performed ballet in the world and yet when it was first performed in 1877 the reception was very mixed. This Suite is a selection of the highlights of the full score and is full of wonderful melodies and brilliant orchestration, all classic Tchaikovsky trademarks.

The concert on Sunday, 16th June at Newbold College Church, Binfield will showcase the talent of WMSO Young Musicians’ competition 2022 winner Ryan Wang.

Tickets £15, £5 for student/child. Book at WMSO (thelittleboxoffice.com)
New members are always welcome, more details at Rehearsal Schedule.

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Sweet sounds of Concerts in Caversham

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Hear the rich sounds of professional musicians on your doorstep with Concerts in Caversham

Concerts in Caversham are delighted to present two summer concerts featuring the sonorous rich sound of the cello contrasting with the haunting sounds of oboe and bassoon.

Programmes range from the core Romantic repertoire for cello and piano to French and English repertoire for wind and piano.

The versatile cellist, Naomi Watts (Royal Philharmonic Orchestra), will present a programme around the many aspects of love described through music including some beautiful arrangements and quirky pieces by Schumann, Brahms, Debussy and some other ‘surprises’. Accompanied by Alison Rhind on piano, enjoy The Romantic Cello on June 14th at the Baptist Church, Gosbrooke Road, Caversham.

Ewan Miller and Ben Hudson who were BBC Young Musician Finalists in 1996 and 2020, will include the two fabulous wind and piano trios by Poulenc and Madeleine Dring, along with solos by Elgar, Henri Dutilleux, Gordon Jacob and Piazolla. These two engaging artists will not disappoint! Don’t miss them accompanied by pianist Adrienne Black at St Andrew’s Church, Albert Road, Caversham on June 15th.

Attend both concerts and enjoy a saving a £6 on the price of two tickets. See concertsincaversham.co.uk for further details and to buy the ‘Two Concert Bundle’ or individual tickets per concert.

Email [email protected] for more information.

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Go on the hunt in Horsell

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Join the garden safari this month and you never know what you’ll track down and all for local good causes

You might not see any elephants or giraffes, but the village of Horsell is once again looking forward to welcoming visitors to the annual garden safari on June 15th and 16th.

It’s a date when people meet up with friends, enjoy the various gardens on offer and relax with a cup of tea and cake! This is their 22nd year and they are looking forward to everyone enjoying the days and celebrating the British love of plants, gardens and gardening.

David Bromley tells us: “We are of course renowned for being the most avid and possibly the best gardeners in the world. Opening this year are some new gardens, some that have been missed as they haven’t opened for a few years and some old favourites. The gardens offer a lovely mix of the new and familiar, the small and the large and all in a range of styles.

“This year amongst many other things there are Koi Carp, operatic themed teas and Tudor buildings on offer. If you haven’t been to the allotments, go and find them on Sunday, 16th June and enjoy the amazing range of flowers, fruit and vegetables – you might well be inspired to grow your own if you haven’t done so before. Visiting the three new gardens to support their efforts will have them open again in the future.”

Brochures, still costing only £8 for entry to all gardens on both days, are on sale in the usual local Horsell High Street shops and businesses, namely Seymours, Premier Store Horsell, Lisa Jones and the Horsell Framing Company. They are also available from participating gardens on the day.

There are 24 different gardens to view, 15 open on Saturday and 15 on Sunday so get your walking shoes on, or pump up the bicycle tyres in readiness and join Horsell for a wonderful outdoor weekend!

“All proceeds are donated to local charities and thanks as always should go to those super folks who open their gardens, Seymours, Hamlyns and Victoria Clinic who sponsor the event, the shops who sell the brochures and of course, the visitors who make the efforts so worthwhile,” adds David. “In the years of the safari it has raised just short of £75,000 for the local charities. Keep up the great work everyone.”

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Salute heroes at Armed Forces Day

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Attention! Camberley is again preparing to bring Armed Forces Day to the town centre

Camberley is rightly proud of its link with the Armed Forces and is celebrating that with Armed Forces Day across the town centre on Saturday, 15th June.

Showcasing the town’s rich history and close links with the military, this free family fun event will be an opportunity for the local community to come along to show its support for our Service Personnel, past, present and future.

The day, organised and funded for the community by Collectively Camberley, will be filled with roaming street entertainment and lots of free family fun including a balloon modeller and face painting on High Street. Be sure to take part in the free activities including a climbing wall and soft archery.

There will also be a stage with live acts all day, with a mix of music and local dance schools in addition to High Street music happening throughout the day for you to enjoy.

Camberley heroes will be celebrated throughout the day with special goodies provided by Camberley BID businesses and there’ll be a variety of local businesses, military and community groups filling the streets of Camberley throughout the day.

There’s also the chance to shop for local treats at The Camberley Farmers’ & Artisan Market on High Street from 10am to 4pm.

Collectively Camberley’s other summer events: The all new Beach Party on Saturday, 20th July in the town centre and the popular car event on Saturday, 10th August featuring more than 250 vehicles.

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High flying fun at Blackbushe

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Blackbushe Open Day and Fly-In is celebrating all things aviation on Saturday, 15th June with static displays and experience flights among the fun for the whole family

Aviation enthusiasts will be on cloud nine at the annual Blackbushe Air Day with fun and games for all the family, a static aircraft display, live entertainment, a history hub and stalls.

The static display features a wide variety of aircraft, many vintage including those dating from the 1930s as well as fly-in appearances from a variety of aircraft.

There will be limited availability to take part in some flying action, with experience flights on Scillonia Airway’s Dragon Rapide (tickets on the day) and Adventure 001’s Jet Ranger Helicopter when you can enjoy a six-mile flight.

In 2023 more than 84 aircraft attended and over 120 classic cars, including historical aircraft from Blackbushe’s past with some more than 100 years old. A Sherman Tank was among the vehicles on display. More than 150 classic vehicles are scheduled to appear this year, a 25 percent increase on last year with big names such as the Jaguar E-Type, the MGB, and the Ford Mustang, American police vehicles, a bus, along with many others.

New for 2024 will see Aerobility bring their experience in running the Armchair Airshow to a new attraction – Aerobility Live! Watch on a big screen showing some fantastic air displays, with real pilots on stage commentating on the fantastic feats, providing an insight into the skills required.

Another highlight for the day that’ll have you looking upwards, will be the Battle of Britain memorial flight making a flypast complete with a Spitfire and Hurricane.

There’s family excitement with fun and games for all ages to be found around the site. Features include bouncy castles and slides, miniature ‘ride on’ model planes, static displays, live entertainment, the history hub and food stalls.

In addition to the mix of aviation themed stalls and merchandise, shop at the maker’s market for handmade jewellery, art, chocolate and candles among others and when it’s time to stop for food and drink you’re spoiled for choice with fish and chips, pulled pork, burgers, crepes and pizza with wine, gin and beer as well as soft drinks available.

Tickets £18 adults, £8 children, £45 family (2&2). Please book at Tickets — Blackbushe Air Day

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Vistas & veggies patches in Bramshott

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Bramshott Open Gardens offer courtyards, terraces, ponds & more to view

The hugely popular Bramshott Open Gardens weekend is returning on June 15th and 16th, to be opened this year by well-known author, broadcaster and comedian Sandi Toksvig.

‘BOG’ as it is affectionately known, is traditionally held every two years, when the residents of Bramshott village in Hampshire, come together to open their gardens and offer a warm welcome to visitors, while raising valuable funds for worthy local and national causes, and the young people in our community. As the largest open gardens event of its kind in Hampshire, there are over 20 private gardens open, covering a huge range and variety, from courtyards and terraces, to veggie patches, to stunning show gardens with beautiful vistas and delightful ponds.

Over 70 residents volunteer over the weekend, for this highly organised two-day event with over 1,000 visitors, free parking, shuttle buses to ferry visitors around the village, loos in convenient places, tea tents, BBQ, plant sale, and tombola, flower displays in 13th century St Mary’s Church, as well as the beautiful gardens. Bramshott is also reputed to be the most haunted village in England, and was home to the late Boris Karloff.

The event in 2022 allowed more than £20,000 to be donated to local good causes.

Tickets £8, covers both days, on sale on the day, and via our website. Children 12 and under, free. Apologies, no dogs, other than guide or assistance dogs. Use postcode GU30 7SQ to find us.

For more info and tickets, visit Bramshott Open Gardens.

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Krissy Matthews Hungerford Show

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Guitarist Krissy Matthews will play at Hungerford Arts Centre at The Croft Hall on Saturday, 8th June, as part of the UK leg of his tour.

Having played with legends such as John Mayall and Jeff Healey as well as receiving advice from the great B.B King, British-Norwegian guitar sensation Krissy Matthews has just unleashed his new double album Krissy Matthews has just unleashed his new double album Krissy Matthews & Friends (out now) and embarked on a mammoth 50-date European tour.

As the record title suggests, the guitarist has roped in some of the finest names in blues and rock, including the god of hellfire himself Arthur Brown, the energetic John Otway, rap metal giants Clawfinger, the esteemed Hamburg Blues Band , and Mancunian powerhouse vocalist Kim Jennett among so many others.

The British-Norwegian Krissy says: “It was a long time in the making and I managed to get it done. I wanted to get all my favourite musicians together that I have met on the road in my career. They are not all here by any means, but a good handful are! I did not want this album to have a box, so there are many different genres from metal to blues and jazz to rock’n’roll. But in the end, it is a Krissy Matthews record.”

Find out more & purchase tickets from the website.

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Peppard writer’s inspirational love letter

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Peppard writer Glenn Bryant has just published his first novel available now in The Bell Bookshop in Henley and Fourbears Books in Caversham

What would you do to survive if you were suddenly arrested in your own home? That’s the question posed by local author Glenn Bryant in his debut novel, Darkness Does Not Come At Once.

Four years ago he began writing inspired by a lifelong interest in the Holocaust and the question: how could ordinary people do something, in the worst sense beyond imagination, so extraordinary? Glenn learnt specifically how people with disabilities were targeted and says he knew he always wanted to write about that in this psychological thriller set on the edge of Berlin, 85 years ago.

He explains: “That deeper societal question was my motivation. My inspiration was Juliet, my wife, who has a spinal cord injury and a level of paralysis. We’re so happy together. My novel, at its heart, is simply a love letter to her.”

A “love letter” which on many occasions Juliet was unaware Glenn was writing as he would take to his keyboard first thing in the morning while she was still sleeping.

“Setting out to write a book is a commitment. It’s unavoidable. But… You can commit to it on your terms. I wrote three days a week: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, the days I wasn’t working,” he says. “I was most interested in how many words I had written. I was aiming for 1,000 a day. From my document history, I can see I was writing a touch over 10,000 words a month. And in eight months, I had reached 85,000 words and the end of a first draft. Then the hard work starts.”

But having always wanted to write since he was a teenager he wasn’t deterred by rejections and knock backs from publishers and literary agents despite constantly asking himself “is your work ever going to see the light of day?”

Glenn adds: “You’re really on your own, and you feel it, so you have to be your own life coach and therapist too, and pick yourself up from the lows. But once I was through those moments, I pretty much loved the whole experience. I’m at the beginning of my journey as an author.”

And while he has plans for no more at this stage and is 100 per cent focused on this first work, he concedes: “I’m sure I will one day. You just need that gem of an idea to lodge in your head and I will be away, starting all over again with a blank Word document.”

Join Glenn for a relaxed Q&A style talk about the book on Friday 7th June, 7pm-8pm at Fourbears Books, 20 Prospect Street, Caversham. Enjoy free entry and complimentary wine when you get there.

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Sushi class sensation in High Wycombe

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Tomono Davies will lead a sushi-making workshop at the Mad Squirrel in Wycombe, 6-8pm on 12th June & at 1pm at The Front Room on 15th June & 13th July

Tomono Davies continues to share the joy of her homeland with her fun and educational sushi workshops, with monthly workshops at The Front Room & also at the Mad Squirrel.

Her friendly classes invite you to learn the art of sushi, from rolling different styles of maki to forming little gunkan boats and hand-shaping temari. Her trademark wit and skills have earned her a galaxy of five-star reviews as Japanese food-lovers leave with smiles on their faces, as well as a box of treats to take home.

“My aim is to bring out the best from both cultures – Japanese food with British local, fresh ingredients – to create better dishes in a fun and easy way, making sushi cooking at home accessible to all,” says Tomono who hails from Kochi, between Shikoku Mountain and the Pacific Ocean. “I believe Shokuiku (food and nutritional education) is a key factor in healthy and happy living, so this is the best way to share my culture.”

Since moving to the UK 26 years ago, Tomono has missed Japanese food hugely, especially sushi. Back then, Japanese ingredients had not widely crossed the oceans, so she began making it with local ingredients and without special equipment.

“Sushi is not typically made at home in Japan,” says Tomono. “It is something we used to have as take-away for celebrations or enjoy out at restaurants. But when you miss something and know there’s no access to what you miss, people will always invent something new! After many failed attempts, I found keeping it simple and authentic is the best way.”

With Tomono Sushi Party she takes hands-on masterclasses, demonstrations and parties to workplaces and homes across south Bucks and north London.

She adds: “My mother used to wake up at 5am to cook us a fresh breakfast – obento – and if she had 30 minutes to spare in her lunch break, she would drive home to start preparing for dinner,” adds Tomono. “I never appreciated my mother’s passion for food but now I am a mother myself, this is a tradition I would definitely like to pass on to the next generation.

“Some people might find sushi intimidating but it’s not; it’s 90% rice, after all. What’s been lovely is helping all the generations enjoy food and new flavours together and it’s great fun. I bring all the kit and also my kimonos which people love to try on for photos.”

For those who aren’t fish-lovers, Tomono can offer delicious alternatives such as teriyaki beef and she caters for all dietary requirements such as vegan, kosher and even gluten-free.

Visit Tomono Sushi Party & for info and book your tickets on Eventbrite.

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Gold fever for Wargrave Festival

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50 years on and Wargrave Festival is still serving up family favourites with more than 40 events making up 19 days of entertainment from June 12th to 30th as Ally Holloway tells us

Fifty years ago in 1974, many villagers thought he was crazy. The idea of uniting the village from the High Street to Highfield Park. They said it wouldn’t work.

The then Vicar, the late Reverend John Ratings, mused in 1974 that a village festival “would be a useful exercise to do something for village unity…” And from that, the first Wargrave Festival was held in 1975. Now it has grown into one of the biggest village festivals in the country. The festival is not-for-profit event, where proceeds go to local community organisations to improve the quality of life in the village through education, sport and culture.

This year’s 50th celebration Gold Fever, starting on Wednesday, 12th June, will feature a host of fun-filled family delights, dazzling formal events, spirited theatre and musical performances, roving culinary delights, a sporting extravaganza, a wonderfully riotous talent show, as well as the traditional Wargrave Festival Parade through the historic village down to the Village Fete opened by Wargrave resident Debbie McGee, celebrating all that makes up this splendid community. The festival will draw to a close on Sunday, 30th June with the popular family BBQ on Mill Green.

For families looking for a variety of entertainment this summer, there is a lot to look forward to. On Saturday 22nd, the Wargrave Bike Fest and Family Sports Day is more than just a bike ride. The 20km family ride will see parents and children cycling through Wargrave and neighbouring villages in search of checkpoints. Back on Mill Green, kids can pick up their Olympic Passport to collect stamps as they complete the 10 Olympic challenges including rock climbing, golf, cricket, rugby, martial arts, wrestling, tennis, rowing and more. There will be soft play for under 5s, an art & craft area to make your own gold medal and a BBQ and bar. The family sports day is free for adults and only £5 for the Olympic Passport for children 13 and under.

In the evening, there will be an enchanting night of dance, fun and family entertainment at Saturday Night Dance Fever. Witness inspiring demonstrations from talented local dancers including salsa, contemporary, ballroom, jazz, Latin and more – join in the fun group classes to learn some moves of your own and show off your fancy footwork. Tickets from £6.

It doesn’t stop there with a kids comedy event, Morris Dancing, a tennis day, the family BBQ and the Wargrave Village Parade and Fete and much more. The big finale is the Wargrave’s Got Talent night that promises to serve up some quality free entertainment, delicious food and a DJ to dance into the evening.

Find out more and book tickets online at Wargrave Festival 2024 Gold Fever

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