Chichester Music Society

11/06/2026

We are delighted to be able to bring international musicians to work with students at the University of Chichester Conservatoire with masterclasses and coaching as well as inspirational collaborative concerts such at last week with Red Priest and the University Baroque orchestra, coached over several years by Red Priest violinist Julia Bishop. We would like to plan more concerts along these lines, which are only possible due to generous donations and legacies that the society receives, and will continue depend on for income from sponsorship and donations. In case you feel you would like to give future musicians these opportunities please consider donating to the society. To do this contact our chairman Chris Hough at [email protected]

11/06/2026

Huge thank you to all who came to hear Red Priest our final concert of the Summer! Congratulations to Red Priest, and the talented students & graduates of University of Chichester Conservatoire for an incredible performance that blew us all away, buzzing and thrilled. What a wonderful way to finish the year and to send off some fresh talent into the big world, to work and continue their studies in music. Thanks also to the amazing and generous photographer, Andrew Worsfold for such special memories University of Chichester Chichester Observer Chichester City Council

02/06/2026

Join us for a Baroque FEAST of stunning music on Thurs 4th June with Red Priest Read in the newspaper about the exciting programme:

Red Priest return to work with the students of the University of Chichester Conservatoire and also to perform a Summer Baroque Carnival concert featuring Bach, Vivaldi, Pergolesi and Corelli, all sponsored by the Chichester Music Society.

29/05/2026

Red Priest Baroque Summer Carnival TICKETS still available for 4th June at University of Chichester : https://www.ticketsource.com/chichester-music-society Renowned recorder virtuoso Piers Adams will show us how the virtuosi of the 17th and 18th centuries were musical daredevils - notorious for excess, flamboyance and fierce individuality, with contemporary accounts speak of performers becoming almost physically transformed in the heat of performance, and audiences expected not polite restraint but passion, risk and drama. It is in this spirit that Red Priest approaches the music: not as a museum piece, but as something living, dangerous and gloriously unpredictable. They are joined on 4th June by talented students at University of Chichester Conservatoire
More details here: https://chichesterliving.com/event/red-priest-a-summer-baroque-carnival
Please spread the word far and wide Chichester Observer, Chichester Cinema Chichester City Council Chichester Chamber Concerts Chichester Cathedral Chichester Singers Southern Pro Musica Music in Portsmouth

07/05/2026

Red Priest will be joined by students at University of Chichester Conservatoire on 4th June for a fabulous programme of Bach, Vivaldi, Pergolesi, Corelli and more! More details here at Chichester living:
https://chichesterliving.com/event/red-priest-a-summer-baroque-carnival

06/05/2026

On Thurs 4th June , the World's Most Extraordinary Baroque Quartet, RED PRIEST will return to Chichester with their thrilling Summer Baroque Carnival featuring music by Telemann, Vivaldi, Corelli, Bach, Pergolesi and more! “For sheer technical wizardry, charismatic showmanship and expressive devilment, Red Priest is in a exhilarating class of its own” BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

Piers Adams (recorders), Julia Bishop (violin), Angela East (cello) and David Wright (harpsichord) will be joined by the University of Chichester Conservatoire Baroque Orchestra and vocal student Imogen-Leigh Martin.

Red Priest – recently described in the New York Times as ‘the wildly virtuosic little band’ – has been at the cutting edge of baroque music performance for over a quarter of a century. Formed in 1997 and named after the original ‘red priest’ Antonio Vivaldi - the quartet has developed a truly unique style, combining high-energy performance, boundary crossing arrangements and theatrical presentation, delighting audiences across the globe. Red Priest has crossed the Atlantic for over 50 coast-to-coast tours of America, Mexico, Cuba and Canada, as well as performing in prestigious festivals in almost every European country, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Lebanon, Japan, China, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand. The group has given numerous radio and TV broadcasts, including a fly-on-the-wall documentary for The South Bank Show in 2005, which attracted a million viewers.

Chapel of the Ascension
University of Chichester, PO19 6PE
Doors 7pm/ concert 7.30pm
Tickets £20 / students free

www.redpriest.com

BUY TICKETS
https://www.ticketsource.com/chichester-music-society

Sponsored by Chichester Music Society
http://www.chichestermusicsociety.org.uk/
University of Chichester Conservatoire University of Chichester

06/05/2026

Delighted to share memories of the inspirational conducting workshop with Matthew Lloyd-Wilson at University of Chichester Conservatoire . Congratulations go to all the students who had courage to take part and make the most of learning from this invaluable opportunity, with many trying conducting for the first time. Thanks to University instrumental tutors for leading the live ensemble, and to talented willing students who joined them, playing works by Mozart for strings many times over! And huge thanks also to Andrew Worsfold for the fabulous photography.

It is always a pleasure to arrange and support special workshops and to see the students gain so much from the experiences.

University of Chichester Chichester Observer Music in Portsmouth

22/04/2026

We're very excited to welcome internationally acclaimed young British conductor Matthew Lloyd-Wilson, Thursday 23rd April, to coach music students in conducting at the University of Chichester Conservatoire
All students are welcome to pop by and observe any time between 9am - 11.30 and 12.15-3pm, in "Pieces of Eight" at the music block. Thursday 23rd April.

There will be a focus on technique and musicianship needed to conduct Mozart's music for Strings, and featuring a live string quartet of Chichester University Conservatoire tutors.

Matthew is the youngest-ever Principal Conductor of the University of Southampton Symphony Orchestra and the recent winner of the International Hans Swarowsky Conducting Competition in Milan. Additional honours include a fourth-place award at the International Orchestra Conducting Competition in Bucharest and his international conducting debut with the Royal Strings of St George in Serbia. His career is already distinguished by his clarity of gesture, disciplined rehearsal technique, and a strongly collaborative approach to music-making. His developing career is marked by rapid progression and notable international recognition.

Matthew's approach to both conducting and teaching is inspirational. He seeks artistic environments that challenge, refine, and stretch his musical language. He values rehearsal processes that are efficient, respectful, and grounded in shared intention, and he is committed to developing a conducting practice that balances precision with openness, structure with creativity, and leadership with genuine musical partnership. His work is driven by curiosity, integrity, and a deep belief in the long-term social and artistic value of orchestral music.

Worskhop to be sponsored by Chichester Music Society, hosted by Unversity of Chichester Conservatoire.

Chichester Observer Music in Portsmouth University of Chichester

25/03/2026

Sharing special memories of our exciting, innovative concert earlier this week - an invaluable chamber music collaboration for conservatoire strings students with seasoned professionals, featuring folk inspired classical works including a reimagined arrangement of Bartok's Romanian Dances by violinist Bogdan Vacarescu, energetic and soulful arrangements of Balkan favourites by members of Ensemble Reza and some daring improvisations from University of Chichester Conservatoire tutors and students alike.

We are always grateful to have fabulous photographs taken by Chichester's local, talented photographer Andrew Worsfold.

Chichester Observer University of Chichester

12/03/2026

We had a wonderful workshop day with Ensemble Reza and Romanian violinist Bogdan Vacarescu, during a University of Chichester Conservatoire "Industry week", rehearsing an Eastern European -themed programme for 23rd March: check out some photos by Andrew Worsfold featuring Ensemble Reza volinists Lucy Jeal and Miriam Teppich, violist & accordionist Anna Cooper and cellist & artistic director Pavlos Carvalho.

Book Tickets & info for 23rd March:
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/universityofchichesterconservatoire/t-dkkvxvr