Past Concert

Bach & Handel, with a Twist with David Rees Williams

Saturday 11th October  7.30pm
St Peters Methodist Church, Canterbury CT1 2BE

Click here to view the programme

Programme:

Corelli, Concerto grosso op 6 no.1
Handel, Concerto grosso op 6 no.12 in Bb
Bach, Adagio (oboe & piano) Bach, Jesu Joy (oboe & piano)
Mozart, Eine Kleine Nacht Music

Click here for the Press Release: Press Release – 11th October 2014 – Festival Chamber Orchestra with David Rees Williams

The improvisatory skills of David Rees Williams provides a dynamic new dimension to the Baroque repertoire performed this evening.

 ‘… putting improvisation back into classical music.’ Editor’s Choice, HMV Choice

David Rees-Williams began his musical career as a chorister at New College Oxford, where the rich variety of musical styles performed by choir and organ were to make strong and lasting impressions. From there he won the top music scholarship to Cranleigh School where he studied piano, oboe & organ. He studied at The Royal College of Music from 1979 and graduated from there with a B.Mus (Hons) in 1981. While still a student, he held posts as organist at two London churches.

Apart from his concert work with his trio, and as a soloist on piano and organ, he teaches piano in Canterbury, both at The Kings School and privately.

David Rees-Williams’ rendition of Purcell’s ‘When I am laid in earth’ literally stole my breath….I have been reduced to a groupie….David played a magical set of syncopated Stanford, Bach and the ethereal Purcell…’  Jon Snow, Evening Standard

 ‘these are not jazzed-up classics but genuine reinterpretations that never lose sight of their musical roots.’  Rob Cowan, BBC Radio

Rees-Williams can cast a Bach prelude in exotic colours, but he and his colleagues are equally at home with Scarlatti, Grieg and Cesar Franck – they deserve a wider audience among jazz fans and classical diehards.’  Clive Davis, Sunday Times

David  is an extraordinary dextrous pianist who takes works by Purcell, Ravel, Bach, Buxtenhude and Handel off into amazing and unbelievable directions with stunning results.  Kentish Gazette.

‘The Canterbury-based pianist must be weary of hearing the comparisons with Jacques Loussier. His intelligent improvisations on Ravel, Bach and Purcell have a character all their own.’     Sunday   Times Top 10 of 2004