First Published 1975 - 3,420 copies published quarterly and delivered FREE to all households in Barrow upon Soar
Three shining events at Holy Trinity Festival in October are reviewed here. The whole weekend was a success, so read on and don’t miss next year’s festival.
The Youth Concert at the Trinity Festival held on October 11th, was nothing short of spectacular. For the first time, both village schools, Humphrey Perkins and Hall Orchard, united on stage to showcase the vibrant talents of local youth in music, dance, and spoken word. Sue Disley, sparkling in a blue dress, was a charming compere who guided the evening with grace and enthusiasm.
What truly stood out was the confidence of the young performers and the complexity and technical difficulty of the music and dances they performed. Motion Dance’s Motion Voices gave powerful solo performances of deceptively difficult songs, with each young singer delivering clear, emotive renditions. Hall Orchard Primary School’s choir filled the church with joy, performing music from Six and The Greatest Showman, while Humphrey Perkins Dance impressed with their precise and energetic routines.
Solo instrumental performances, particularly Edward’s violin solo of Meditation from Massenet’s Thaïs and Robin’s performance of Schubert’s Impromptu in A-flat, were breathtaking highlights. The concert concluded on a high note with a delightful preview of Humphrey Perkins’ upcoming production of Legally Blonde Junior (February 2025).
With a full house and an atmosphere of community spirit, this concert was a shining example of Barrow’s flourishing young talent. Congratulations to Trinity’s Creative Director, Kath Eastwood-Paramore and “bravo” to all involved!
Michael Henshaw
The Trinity Chamber Group made a welcome return to the festival with a wide-ranging concert of classical music under the theme 'Europe meets America'.
The European first-half started with J. S. Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No.3 for strings and harpsichord. It was glorious to hear this well-known piece live for the first time, superbly and fluently played. Jon Barwell then played virtuoso violinist Fritz Kreisler's Praeludium and Allegro with Jeremy Kimber at the piano, robust and passionate, then flamboyant and virtuosic – the violin on fire!
Ralph Vaughan Williams brought a change of focus and mood, through his setting of A. E. Housman's poem Bredon Hill, sung by David Morris, with piano and strings: evocative, haunting, beautiful and captivating. Mendelssohn's teenage String Symphony No.10 followed: a single movement piece, starting slow, with a faster main section. Elegant, yet energetic; flowing, yet vibrant.
After the well-supplied interval, the music crossed the Atlantic, with a varied selection. Where to start but of course with Leonard Bernstein's America: a purely instrumental version of the famous West Side Story song, with strings, piano and a brilliant percussion duo. Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings followed, one of the most exquisitely sad pieces in the repertoire, turned to for those episodes of national mourning following the death of Presidents Roosevelt and Kennedy, and after the 9/11 attacks.
On to swing, with Jeremy Kimber playing piano versions of George Gershwin's great hits, The man I love and I got rhythm: flamboyant fun. Next, Hollywood meets spirituality, with Alfred Hay Malotte's setting of The Lord's Prayer superbly sung by David Morris. And finally, a very different Gershwin piece, from his student days, his Lullaby, a charming, calming piece; melodic and memorable.
Truly, a wonderful and varied programme from these dedicated musicians for the 4th year of the Trinity Festival in Barrow.
Anthony Thacker
Festival events concluded on Sunday afternoon with the Arts, Craft and Music Fair. Summoned by bells as they approached Holy Trinity Church, visitors discovered inside stalls including fine wood-turned items ranging from bowls to Christmas trees, handmade bags and knitted goods, glass art, wooden toys and gifts, paintings, spinning, jewellery, cards and decorations. A craft workshop and face painting added to the mix. The bellringers made the tower available for tours for those intrepid enough to climb the spiral staircase. One visitor who got to the top said that seeing the bells was the fulfilment of a lifetime wish.
In the Trinity Rooms the choice of tea time refreshments was impressive with a variety of homemade cakes, savoury scones, hot drinks and alcoholic beverages. Local poets Helen Sadler and Clare Stewart made their creative talents available by writing a short, personalised poem after a brief chat with those who joined their workshop.
Throughout the afternoon a number of musicians played in the main body of the church and drew an admiring and appreciative audience who could sit and enjoy the music in an informal setting. Peter Yates and David Spiller presented a mixed programme on piano and clarinet, this was followed by the virtuoso playing of solo guitarist James Martin and a final set from folk trio The Pandy Bats, featuring Steve Cartwright on mandola, Bob Edge on tenor guitar and Jan Robertson on folk recorder.
Beverley Lott
