Chobham Festivals enriches & entertains

Round & About

The annual community Chobham Festival brings world class classical music and other entertainment to the village from October 4th to 18th

Music, art, theatre, cultural and children’s events will delight, enrich and entertain at this year’s Chobham Festival as Jennifer Britt tells us. 

Our two classical concerts – both at St Lawrence Church – include a return visit after a long absence of the exuberant baroque ensemble, Red Priest on Tuesday 7th. If you have not seen them before, you are in for a treat. As one reviewer put it: “If the Rolling Stones played recorder, violin, cello and harpsichord and their genre was 17th-century music, they would be the band called Red Priest”. 

In contrast, the concert on 11th is a romantic era programme of works by the Norwegian Edvard Greig and the Czech Antonin Dvořák. Beautiful Nordic and Bohemian music played by the Festival Strings, an ensemble of professional musicians who perform regularly with leading orchestras and at major London and national concert venues. We also welcome as concert director Japanese violinist Tamaki Higashi, on her second visit to Chobham. 

The Jazz Evening on Saturday 4th welcomes back the fabulous Peter Rudeforth Band. Trumpeter Peter has long been a fixture on the London jazz scene, playing with the Pasadena Roof Orchestra, Palm Court Theatre Orchestra, Temperance Seven, Charleston Chasers and the Piccadilly Dance Orchestra at The Savoy. He was a member of Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen, then of the legendary Chris Barber Band.  

Our children’s slot on Sunday 12th is with Mrs H Sings. Mrs H, aka performer, writer and singer Harriette Ashcroft, and her Singalong Band entertain children of all ages, dancing and laughing are guaranteed! This event is hosted by show sponsor Coworth Flexlands School. 

The literary event brings Stephen Dick of Holybourne Rare Books, Alton, who will talk about his passion for the printed word and some of the books that have passed through his hands in From JA to JK – I am a bookseller, on Tuesday 14th. Jane Austen’s home at Chawton is just outside Stephen’s Alton base, and he has a great appreciation and knowledge of JA – along with authors of many genres, including the JK (Rowling that is). 

Returning for a fourth year is Artworks, our arts and crafts show and fair, at Chobham Village Hall and St Lawrence Church on Saturday 18th wiith an exhibition of photography by David Fettes, dancing by Chobham Morris, a flower arranging demonstration by Andy Heslop of Chobham Flower Farm, a talk on the history of Chobham Common and many local artists and makers of crafts selling their wares.