Kingston Arts

Kingston Arts is a charitable organisation, supporting and nurturing local talent.

cornerHOUSE Radio Shorts

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Stuck for something to do during lockdown? Then why not write a short radio play? All you need to record it on is a phone or computer. It can just be a monologue or involve the whole household if you want to. Just keep it to between five and 10 minutes long.
All the plays submitted will be listened to by a panel at the cornerHOUSE in Surbiton and some will get to feature on the arts centre’s website for all to hear. And, if Covid restrictions allow later on in the year, they may well be performed on its stage in front of an audience.
Submissions will be accepted up to and including Friday, February 5, 2021.
Guidance on how to write, record and submit a radio drama is on the arts centre’s website at www.thecornerhouse.org/cornerhouse-radio-shorts

Surbiton Summer Salons Online

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Following the decision to cancel this year’s Summer Salons the Surbiton Summer Salons team have been contacting artists that would have been performing this year and those that have performed in previous editions of the festival. Due to their generosity of time and spirit, they are now able to offer an online festival this year.

Running from 22nd – 26th July, they’ll be streaming short concerts and workshops on their new YouTube Channel.  The events will become available at the advertised times and remain available for a week if you can’t watch at the time.

The videos are free to watch but with each video you’ll see a Paypal Donate link if you would like to make a donation.  All proceeds will be split between Surbiton Salons and The CornerHOUSE Community Arts Centre.

And if you’re interested in storytelling, they’ve also got a live storytelling workshop being held on Zoom!

Details of all of the concerts and workshops can be found below with more information on the Surbiton Salons website.

Wednesday 22nd July

4pm Concert – Ceruleo

Early music ensemble, Ceruleo, have been recording during lockdown and we’re delighted to be able to share their recordings with you. Full details on Surbiton Salons here.

Thursday 23rd July

11am Workshop – Ollie Tumner – The Beat Goes On

Join Ollie for an interactive Body Percussion workshop guaranteed to have the neighbours joining in! Full details on Surbiton Salons here.

Friday 24th July

4pm Concert -Pianists’ Concert

Russian-Lithuanian pianist Jelena Makarova performs “Night Mirrors” by Angela Slater. Full details on Surbiton Salons here.

Saturday 25th July

4pm Concert -Toby Carr and Aileen Henry

Festival regular Toby Carr is joined his wife, Aileen Henry on harp to give a concert they recorded in their living room! Full details on Surbiton Salons here.

Sunday 26th July

11am -Live Workshop – Oral storytelling skills workshop for complete beginners on Zoom

Workshop from Belinda McKenna. Please email info@surbitonsalons.com to sign up for this live workshop and to receive the Zoom link. Full details on Surbiton Salons here.

4pm – Concert – Vocalists’ Concert

The final concert features mezzo-soprano Catherine Backhouse, soprano Emily Barden and her choir the West Sussex Singers, actress and singer Anne-Marie Piazza, and internationally-acclaimed vocal ensemble Apollo5. Full details on Surbiton Salons here.

Keeping Arts Alive – Creativity, Collaboration, Community.

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As we all adapt ourselves to new, and sometimes challenging situations, we also increase our potential to be creative, collaborative and community focussed. Have you ever seen so many zoom calls and webinars, facetime chats and live digital feeds? As we grapple with new technologies, we also recognise an abundance of new opportunities.

We are being newly inspired, re-vitalised and invited to change.

It is encouraging to see that some of you are already creating fantastic and imaginative ways to stay in touch with each other and the community, by offering ‘virtual’ versions of your performances or group activities, in spite of the difficult circumstances.

Are you one such person or group? If so, we’d love to hear from you, so that we can host and promote links to your online events, whether they are virtual concerts, storytelling, yoga or meditation sessions, virtual art classes or acting classes. Whatever you are creating to help support the community, we’d love to hear from you.

Our new Gallery and Shop!

Kingston Arts is excited to announce that we will soon go live with our virtual gallery and sales portal for all our members, so that they may be able to present and sell their works of art, sculpture & pottery. The portal will also be able to cater for limited edition prints or production runs of items, as well as electronic items. Might you have a script, or musical score, or stories that you’d like to sell? We can securely host an electronic copy of your work, and release via a secure link a sold version, once it has been purchased.

We shall announce the launch of the Gallery and shop in a forthcoming newsletter.

In this unusual and unpredictable time, we all need to support and work with each other to help keep a sense of community spirit and positivity. At Kingston Arts we are committed to helping and working with you.

Please get in touch, and forward this email via the link below to whomever you feel might benefit as well.

Stay Home

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This is a song written by Mutt Ley (Mad about the Rhythm) called “stay home”.

Eloquence – Curious House of Stories

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Curious House of Stories invites you to a fortnightly evening of spoken word in the side room of The Royal Oak, Surbiton, 261 Ewell Road KT6 7AA every other Tuesday starting 29th October 2019.
Eloquence is a safe space where authors, poets, speakers, playwrights and storytellers can share and discuss their work within a supportive group. Try out new pieces and techniques, share ideas, discuss your inspirations and polish up performance skills. Positive and constructive feedback encouraged.

More details are available on our Facebook and Eventbrite pages.
No charge for this event but obviously the pub expects your custom.

Meisner Acting Classes

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ACTING CLASSES

  • Improve your ability to relate to others
  • Read others better
  • Develop a heightened sense of awareness
  • Learn to stand up and assert yourself
  • Get to know yourself much better
  • Develop your self-confidence
  • Improve your selling skills
  • Argue your cases with greater eloquence

If you’re a salesman, marketer, lawyer or barrister you already know the value of these attributes, but this class is for everyone. It will help you in your relationships, personally and in business. And it will help your acting no-end. You will approach your job interviews differently and learn to read people better; to assert yourself when you need to, and know when to let things play out.
* Taught by industry professional

When: Every Tuesday Night
Where: Kingston Town Centre
For more info: https://acteach.eu/wp/

New Music Director for Thames Philharmonic

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Rising star appointed to Thames Philharmonic Choir

Thames Philharmonic has appointed rising star Harry Bradford as its new Music Director, with effect from September. Harry follows in the footsteps of founding Conductor John Bate, who retires after 55 years in the role.

Harry read music at Downing College, Cambridge, and was a choral scholar in the choir of King’s College. Active as a conductor and singer at Cambridge, he has gone on to study choral conducting at the Royal Academy of Music under Patrick Russill. He is conducting a number of choral groups, most notably Genesis Sixteen, where he is this year’s Conducting Scholar receiving individual tuition from principal conductor Harry Christophers CBE. In 2018, as the youngest participant, he won third prize at the DIMA International Choral Conducting Competition in Romania. Harry is also a viola player, a keen scuba diver and an ardent Arsenal FC fan.

“I am very excited to be appointed Music Director of Thames Philharmonic Choir. The Choir is widely recognised as one of the finest amateur choirs in South West London and it is a great honour to be invited to step into the shoes of its founder conductor, John Bate”, says Harry.

“The Choir is delighted to have appointed Harry Bradford as its new Music Director”, says Wendy Gairdner, TPC’S Chairman. “We were very pleased that the Choir’s reputation attracted 29 applications from a range of talented candidates. Harry stood out as the best and his appointment has been strongly endorsed by Choir members, with whom he rehearsed. The Choir has been enormously successful under John Bate, who had led the Choir for more than 50 years. With John’s retirement, we look forward to an exciting future under Harry’s leadership.”

John Bate will conduct TPC at two Kingston concerts before the end of this, his last season: one on 9 March when the Choir will perform the Duruflé Requiem and Haydn’s Nelson Mass and the second on 15 June with a programme of English music. He will also lead the Choir in its residency at Winchester Cathedral in July.

MORE INFO: John Bate and Thames Philharmonic Choir
The Choir has its origins in two choirs founded by John Bate in 1964: the Putney Bach Choir and the Richmond Choral Society. In 1975, the two choirs merged and became Thames Philharmonic Choir in 1995. Since 1964, he Choir has given many performances in the Boroughs of Kingston, Richmond and Wandsworth. It has also performed at central London venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Cadogan Hall.

TPC has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with the Symphonic Choir of the City of Konstanz – twinned with Richmond upon Thames. The German choir visited Richmond in 1982 as part of the twinning ceremony and TPC has reciprocated on a dozen subsequent occasions since then, most recently in 2016.

Conductor John Bate is well known in London music circles and, in the 1980s and 1990s, was Director of Collegiate Music at Kingston University, responsible for the performing groups and activities for which Kingston at that time became famous in the academic world. He has chorus-mastered the Philharmonia Chorus, the Royal Choral Society and the All-London 1977 Silver Jubilee Choir.

For more information about TPC, visit www.thamesphilchoir.org.uk
Facebook: @Thames.Philharmonic.Choir
Twitter: @ThamesPhilChoir

Or contact:
JACKIE MORGAN
Phone: 020 8942 7368 Mobile: 07557 960 942
Email: jackie.morgan5@btinternet.com

Court Farm Gallery November 2018

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cafe_at_court_farm_banner Within the café we are currently exhibiting ceramics, original paintings, prints and pottery by local artists all of which are for sale. The collection includes cards with original designs with prices ranging from £2 for cards, £25 for original unframed art up to £350 for large framed paintings. Ceramics and pottery are priced from £10 upwards. The exhibitions are now a regular feature of the café and will change every 6-8 weeks. The current exhibition includes work by:

  • Mariana Willard
  • Yvonne Dunne
  • Susan Bence
  • Katherine Scott

If you would like to exhibit within the café please contact Kingston Arts at info@kingstonarts.co.uk.

Mariana Willard

I grew up with a mother, grandmothers and aunt who created beauty through their sewing, crocheting, cooking, crafts and amazing creativity. I followed in their footsteps and at their knees learned some of their skills. I feel their presence each day in my creative journey.
I never fully pursued an art career. My journey lead me to meditation, Buddhism, learning about eastern mandalas, working with chakras, supporting children with special needs, marriage and motherhood, although not in that order. All the time I continued to create art on my own and observe nature with a passion. I started with meditation and a long time quest to infuse meaning and spirituality into all parts of life, it is meditation that has had the most profound impact on my life.
Then mandalas and making mandala art became my artistic passion. I love working with nature’s gifts! I share my life with my husband, daughters, son and friends. All this makes my life, which I am so grateful for.

http://marianawillardart.wixsite.com/marianawillardart

Susan Bence

Hi there, my name is Susan. I am a self taught artist, wife and busy mum of two.  I paint mainly in oil, but regularly play around with other mediums and discover techniques in the process.  I am passionate about colours and terrible at planning a painting.  I believe that a painting should grow spontaneously , often resulting in several layers and changes.  I like to call these hidden layers the soul of the painting. This gives depth and are part of the story I hope to tell.

https://www.susanbence.com/

https://www.facebook.com/SusanBenceArt/

Katherine Scott

Yvonne Dunne

Photographer

Festival of the Voice 2018

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Festival of the Voice 2018

It’s Festival Time!
Bringing Kingston to Life

This year’s festival welcomes a number of first-timers and we are thrilled to be sharing their beautiful voices with you.

Read more

KT6 Vocal Group has been delighting audiences with their ‘a capella’ performances and they promise you an evening of diverse music at the cornerHOUSE Arts Centre. Across town in St Lukes’ Church, The Canbury Singers will be joined by choirs from Coombe Girls’ School and the South London Military Wives Choir performing ‘The Armed Man’, Karl Jenkins’ anti-war piece. For an evening of traditional folk songs, including drinking songs and shanties, pop along to The Norbiton Pub where the Pielarks are sure to entertain, as they celebrate their 5th birthday. Ember Choral’s Christmas Concert will prepare you for the festive season with works by Handel, Rutter, and various carols.

New Malden is also putting itself firmly on the festival map with a range of performances and workshops. Enjoy choral events at the New Malden Methodist Church, hosted by local musicians Jane Booth and John Irving, and get involved at The Creative Lounge – a wonderful new initiative which promotes local talent. If you fancy an acting workshop in improvisation, check out what Duncan Alldridge is offering at The Royal Oak pub. Other acting masterclasses are taking place at the Museum of Futures, Surbiton (Monologues with Michael Franklin), and the cornerHOUSE (Playing the Scene with David Lawson Lean).

We are delighted to be hosting events again with Charlotte and Mike (formerly The Canbury Arms), in their friendly, traditional and versatile pub, The Wych Elm. Here you can enjoy an Arts Salon; a motivational workshop – Positivity down the Pub; and a very special evening, ‘Flow my Beers’, where you will be inspired by Stephanie Feeney, aka ‘Lady Lovely Lute’. A ‘no-holds barred’ documentary-film will share Stephanie’s experiences as a brain injury survivor and how she developed a love of music and the lute.

Our choral stalwarts return with Handel’s Messiah (Kingston Orpheus Choir); Britten’s War Requiem (Thames Philharmonic Choir); Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem (Kingston Choral Society). Loki Music invites you to the Lovekyn Chapel for a candlelit show ‘Vision’, a concert-play by Clare Norburn, and Thames Concerts hosts Cantabile – The London Quartet, in St Andrew’s Church, Surbiton. Also returning, by popular demand, is Strange Stories and Tall Tales; Polyphony down the Pub with its aptly named ‘Christmas Counterpint, and Drum Dance.

As always, this Festival presents the voices and talents of Kingston and invites you to get involved.

Áine Lark, Festival Director, Chair of Kingston Arts

How to book

  • Tickets for some events can be bought online, others have their own ticketing arrangements – check listings.
  • Tickets will be available on the door for most events – check availability where advised.
  • Do note that a number of events are FREE.
  • Those booking tickets are advised to check in advance if there are any changes to the published events.
  • Most venues are wheelchair accessible and accompanying carers admitted free.
  • You will need to bring photo ID such as a driving licence or passport for any concessions or over 18 events.
  • A VALID email address is required when buying tickets online. Your confirmation email is proof of purchase (remember to check your spam folder). Please PRINT OFF and bring to the event.

Upcoming Events › FOV 2018

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Court Farm Gallery June 2018

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cafe_at_court_farm_banner Within the café we are currently exhibiting ceramics, original paintings, prints and pottery by local artists all of which are for sale. The collection includes cards with original designs with prices ranging from £2 for cards, £25 for original unframed art up to £350 for large framed paintings. Ceramics and pottery are priced from £10 upwards. The exhibitions are now a regular feature of the café and will change every 6-8 weeks. The current exhibition includes work by:

  • Susan Bunn
  • Jin Hsieh
  • Izediputru
  • Anna Jaxe
  • Annie Leach

If you would like to exhibit within the café please contact Kingston Arts at info@kingstonarts.co.uk.

As part of Kingston Artists Open Studios 2018, below are some of the artists who are currently exhibiting on 9-10 and 16-17 June 2018:

Saturdays 09.00-16.30
Sundays 10.00-15.30

Susan Bunn

Susan Bunn

Painting, sculpture
info@susanbunn.co.uk
susanbunn.co.uk

Jin Hsieh

Painting
yesjiin@msn.com
https://www.yesjin007.com

Izediputru

izediputru

Painting
izediputru@gmail.com
www.izediputru.com

Anna Jaxe

Anna Jaxe

Stencilled reclaimed materials
anna@annajaxe.com
www.annajaxe.com

Annie Leach

Painting
annie@annieleach.co.uk
www.annieleach.co.uk

Della Reynolds – the poet in pyjamas

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Anyone who has been to our Meetups or Arts Salons will have heard the wonderful poetry of Della Reynolds (the poet in pyjamas). She has got her first poetry book out on Amazon (see link below) and is now working on her second book while she can still remember what to do!

Marriage, Divorce & Me: Everyday poetry: Volume 1 (Poet in Pyjamas)

You can read more of her poems on her website here: https://www.poetinpyjamas.com/
Why not join her mailing list for a free poem every Monday direct to your inbox.

Kingston’s street trees need support!

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Kingston’s street trees need support. While it is still leafy in many areas of Kingston, we are tending to lose numbers of our trees. Some wards have a backlog of more than 400 empty pits (where there used to be trees and they’ve not been replaced) and the borough as a whole has a total of 2300 missing. I hope you agree this a cause for concern. Without action it will continue.

We are a small group of volunteers trying to raise the profile of the issue. Please add your voice by completing our survey for us to share your views with councillors here: www.kpr2016.wordpress.com/street-trees

Kingston Junior Drama Company – Tuesdays at 6pm

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Kingston Junior Drama Company is an independent theatre group for young actors offering high quality drama training and regular performances.
The focus of all our work is on the creative development of our young artists, and on the fostering of a life-long passion for drama.
The Wednesday group is now full and has a waiting list however the Tuesday group still has places available.
For more information vist davidlawsonlean.com or contact David Lawson-Lean at kingstonjdc@aol.com

Festival of the Voice 2017

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Festival of the Voice is back!

Come celebrate with us

As we move into our 50th Year, we are delighted to be supporting friends old and new.

Join us for wonderful choral events starting with the Euphonix community choir who will delight you with some of their favourite songs, while Polyphony Down the Pub is back at the Canbury Arms with a unique event that is fun and wonderfully harmonious. (To participate, request your music in advance, or come along as a listening audience.)

Kingston Choral Society will give a lavish performance of Mozart’s work, while Kingston Orpheus Choir will enthral audiences with a Christmas Oratorio, by JS Bach. The Lovekyn Consort will mark the 450th anniversary of Monteverdi’s birth with some of his celebrated vocal duets, and Thames Philharmonic Choir will present a feast of English and Italian Baroque. For winter warmers and classic songs from both the jazz and pop canons, join leading Jazz singers, Claire Martin (OBE) and Ian Shaw, for their ‘Early XMAS Cracker’, hosted by Thames Concerts.

Sign up for workshops designed to improve your vocal skills as actors, public speakers or simply to give you the confidence to articulate yourself clearly in dayto- day life. All workshops take place at the cornerHOUSE Arts Centre. Look out for the plays and performances here too.

Be captivated by our ‘Strange Stories and Tall Tales‘ or accompany the children to an active story-telling session at the Cafe in Court Farm Garden Centre.
For a top-quality Open Mic night, head down to The Cricketers Pub, Kingston.

Enjoy a free-style ‘Drum-Dance‘, where we suspect you will use your voice as much as your hands and feet to express yourself. Perfectly placed on a Friday night so you really can let your hair down!

And finally, experience a very special event to mark the 90th birthday of our own Jazz Legend, Bob Barter. The performance at the Berrylands Hotel will be a memorable occasion.
It’s another great line-up this year and we encourage you to try something new!

Aine Lark, Festival Director, Chair of Kingston Arts

Tribute to John Bate

Retired Honorary Vice-President of Kingston Arts John’s contribution to the arts in the Borough over many years cannot be overestimated. Although based at the University as its Director of Music Performance for many years, he still maintained what we often call a ‘portfolio’ career, working with choirs and orchestras across the
London area and overseas, and serving with distinction as Kingston Arts’ Vice President. Countless young performers have benefited from his expertise and wisdom over the years, including
me, and when it came to establishing the Festival of the Voice in 2006, John was the obvious choice as its Founder Artistic Director. My role as his successor could not have been easier with the superb legacy he handed down. Although most performers would have by now long retired, John’s energy and commitment remain unbounded, not least in his work with Thames Philharmonic Choir. On behalf of Kingston Arts, I thank John for his tremendous support, his diplomacy and his commitment to the furtherance of the arts in Kingston upon Thames.

Ben Costello – former Chair of Kingston Arts

This Festival is dedicated to my loving parents who inspired in me a passion for the arts.

Aine Lark, Festival Director, Chair of Kingston Arts

How to Book

You can buy some tickets online for Festival of the Voice events. There is no booking fee.
For general enquiries phone: 0203 287 1444 (not ticket sales).
Note that some FREE events require you to reserve your place in advance. Some events have their own ticketing arrangements – check listings.
Tickets will be available on the door for some events – check availability where advised.
Most venues are wheelchair accessible.

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Cafe at Court Farm Garden Centre

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Exciting times at Court Farm Garden Centre. The cafe has been freshly decorated and walls are ready for our next art exhibition. The new menus are beyond delicious. New chef hails from Fortnum and Mason, plus so many wonderful home made cakes, scones and much more, inspired by Gill, the Cafe Manager. There’s nothing else like this place in Kingston. There’s a real commitment to community and the personal touch. Well done to everyone at Court Farm for following your dreams and giving us all a lovely space to enjoy. #cafeatcourtfarm #cafegallerytolworth @courtfarmgardencentre

oneACTS festival 2018

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Write a play over the holidays

Want something constructive to do over the summer holidays? Why not put fingers to keyboard and write a play? The cornerHOUSE arts centre in Douglas Road, Surbiton, is asking people to create a oneACT for its festival of original writing.

Numerous subjects have been covered over the 11 years that the oneACTS festival has been running, including plays on Elvis, a mouse hunt, a sudoku addict, the antics of a group of clowns, internet dating, a fun run, and a time-travelling Ofsted inspector.

Don’t worry if you haven’t attempted anything like this before. You can find all the information you need on the cornerHOUSE website at www.thech.org or email cornerhouseoneacts@gmail.com

The plays need to be short – 15 to 30 minutes long – so if you have an original idea and would like to see it staged, why not have a go? A number of plays will be selected by a panel of judges out of all those received and yours may well be the lucky one. Even if it isn’t, you will still get feedback to help you with your future writing.

The deadline for submission of plays is Tuesday, October 31. After that, directors will be chosen, actors will be cast, and your work will come to life on stage at the oneACTS 2018 next April.

So, get your thinking caps on and start writing – those judges are looking forward to reading your play.

KAOS Open Studios 10-11 and 17-18 June 2017

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Court Farm Gallery has been invited to be a venue in the upcoming KAOS Open Studios Event which will feature over 80 artists in studios across Kingston.

Dates of Open Studios are: 10th – 11th & 17th – 18th June 2017.

If you are an artist wanting to find out more contact info@kingstonartistsopenstudios.co.uk.

You don’t need to be a member of KAOS to take part.

Deadline for submission is Friday 21st April.

All details are here: www.kingstonartistsopenstudios.co.uk

New Initiatives and Your Kingston Grants

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Kingston Council is retaining the funding for an annual programme of community grants consisting of New Initiatives and Your Kingston grants against the backdrop of severe cuts within the overall council budget.
https://www.kingston.gov.uk/news/article/408/new_initiatives_and_your_kingston_grants

Local groups will be able to apply for up to £3,000 under the New Initiatives fund and up to £750 for the Your Kingston scheme.

The New Initiatives grants will have a budget allocation of £60,000 and Your Kingston £25,000 for this round.

Applications for money from the schemes need to be in by Friday 18 March 2017. See voluntary and community sector for details or email grants@kingston.gov.uk.