The Flautadors Recorder Quartet

Crown Court Church of Scotland,

Saturday 29th January, 7.30 pm

Music for the Queen of Scots

To launch their latest disc, The Flautadors present the dramatic life of Mary, Queen of Scots reflected in music.  Exquisite gems from the Scottish Renaissance are contrasted with lively French dances and interspersed with the poetry and words of the ill-fated queen, her cousin Elizabeth I and other characters from 16th Century Scotland.

Recognised as one of the UK’s leading recorder ensembles, The Flautadors are known for their diverse programmes of music spanning over 800 years.  British performances have included major festivals such as York Early Music Festival, Greenwich International Early Music Festival as well as highly acclaimed performances in London’s Purcell Room and Wigmore Hall.  International appearances include the East Cork Early Music Festival and Niasvizh Festival, Belarus where their performances have been broadcast on national television and radio.  Their concerts in the UK have been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, and they have appeared as guest artists on the programme In Tune.   The Flautadors are continually expanding the repertoire for recorder quartet by arranging, commissioning and promoting new works that challenge the players and extend the technical boundaries of the instrument.

Catherine Fleming – recorders

Merlin Harrison – recorders

Celia Ireland – recorders

Ian Wilson – recorders

Corrina Silvester – percussion

This year we are returning to the church hall for the annual Burns Supper, having tried out other venues for the last two years.

This means that we are able to reduce the price of the tickets to an amazing £16 per person – this has got to be the best value anywhere!  And for that you will get the traditional fare and all the usual speeches and dancing.

Tickets are bound to sell fast so speak to Margaret Ross very soon to reserve yours.  You don’t want to miss out on the first Crown Court occasion of 2011.

Update: 20 January 2011

Tickets have been so popular that we are now FULLY BOOKED

Many thanks to everyone who braved the weather on Saturday 18 December to join us for the carol singing under the tree in Trafalgar Square whether you were singing, rattling the collecting buckets or just providing moral support.  We were delighted that Choralation, the New Zealand school choir who gave a wonderful concert in the church on Friday evening were able to join us.

This year’s collection beat all previous records and raised the grand total of £729.61 for Christian Aid.

The next census will take place on 27 March 2011 and the Census Recruitment Team at Capita are seeking to recruit 35,000 people to deliver the census.  If you are interested in this temporary work, you can register your interest and apply at www.censusjobs.co.uk.  Further information is available on the website and from the church secretary.

The Radio 4 programme Any Questions? will be broadcast live from Hinde Street Methodist Church on Friday 7 January 2011.  If you would like to attend this broadcast, free tickets are available from Hinde Street Methodist Church office on 0207935 6179 or by email from any.questions@wlm.org.uk.  The planned panellists are Ken Livingstone, Matthew Parris, Michael Portillo and Dame Vivienne Westwood.

Don’t forget to save the stamps from your Christmas cards and bring them into church.  There are boxes for British and foreign stamps on the table in the hall.  We send them to the World Mission Stamp Centre in Edinburgh where they are sorted and sold to raise money for the World Mission Council of the Kirk.

• Christmas Market.  This year’s market, held on Saturday 20 November, was a very successful event with £2,100 being raised on the day.  We are still selling preserves and other items, so the final total will be even greater.  The proceeds will be shared between our two designated charities, Borderline and the Aburi School project.
• Crown Court Recipe Book.  Copies of the recipe book are selling fast and to date we have raised £465, which will also be shared between Borderline and the Aburi School project.We have been asked to sell the book at the Caledonian Carols for Borderline on 9 December at St Columba’s so if you haven’t already bought your copy, please do so soon!  Copies are £4 each, or £7 for two.
• Sponsored cycle ride across America.  John Chestnut and Andrew Service continue their epic cycle trip across the United States.  Their journey from west coast to east coast started in Seattle at the end of September and they hope to reach Jacksonville before the end of December.  At the end of November they were not far off Austin, Texas and had covered more than half of their journey.  You can still support their fund-raising for Christian Aid: speak to the Church Secretary or visit the website www.justgiving.com/fourlegstwobumsandafewthousandmile
• Blythswood Shoe Box Appeal.  Congratulations to the Guild on achieving – and surpassing – their target of filling 120 shoe boxes with Christmas gifts to be sent to Eastern Europe.  And thanks to everyone who contributed boxes, items to go in them, and money – and also to those who helped take them up to the gallery for storage and then down again to be collected!