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On 14th May, around two hundred people from Longworth and neighbouring villages enjoyed the first ever rock concert to be held in St Mary’s Church, Longworth. The youngest member of the audience was 6 and oldest was 92 – and all enjoyed themselves enormously.
After getting in the mood with champagne and delicious homemade canapés, we were treated to two very different performances of contemporary music.
First on were the Freemantle – an Indy Pop group comprised of three talented young musicians who are involved in Garsington opera. Used to smoke-filled, hot and seedy clubs, they performed five of their own songs with huge gusto and energy, undaunted by the challenging acoustics and audience seated in the Church, many new to this genre of music . Though their music was not to everyone’s taste, the majority gave them a big thumbs up - including the 92 year-old! It is especially rewarding to see young and enthusiastic musicians performing in the church. Interval drinks followed in the Churchyard despite a dramatic drop in air temperature and threatening skies.
The audience then piled back inside (where some shared their opera style picnics), for what was definitely the highlight of the evening, the lovely Lydia Baylis, who also performed songs she had written and composed herself. She is clearly a very talented young lady and her looks were as appealing as her voice. Her lyrical ballads were in striking contrast to the earlier act, and beautifully performed. The end of her performance was greeted by a standing ovation.
This is the second concert of modern music we have had in recent years in Longworth Church, after a wonderful performance of jazz numbers last year by Sarah Hoblyn, one of our own Longworthian stars, with the other, double bass player Paul Jeffries. The organising committee were truly delighted by the number of people who came and by the support and appreciation we received. We would like to express our thanks to everyone who came and generously supported the Friends of Longworth Church by doing so. The evening raised net funds for the Church fabric of over £800. (We would have raised even more if people hadn’t drunk so much!) Special thanks go to the invitation committee for getting people to come along, and to all those who helped by making canapés, putting up the tent, serving drinks and helping in so many different ways. We are planning something truly different for next May or June as well – so please keep your ears to the ground!
Please mark in your diary the Longworth Fireworks, which this year will take place on Saturday 5th November.
Fabian French and Andrew Graham-Watson
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 Lydia Baylis |
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