The Kent Branch, which was formed in 1986, meets in Maidstone and has worked with Marion Scott as Musical Director since 2008. We are a small and friendly group and play a variety of music of all styles and periods, from medieval, Renaissance and Baroque to jazz and contemporary, so there is never a dull moment. We meet weekly. The Kent Branch warmly welcomes new adult recorder players of all abilities who are reasonably competent sight-readers and you would be welcome to come to one or two meetings as a visitor before making a commitment to join. Visitors are offered one free trial session after which visitor fees will be £10 per session.

Kent Branch Concert at All Saints Church, Boughton Aluph, 2014
Kent Branch Concert at All Saints Church, Boughton Aluph, 2014

Marion studied recorder, baroque oboe and piano at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She performs and records with all the leading early music specialist orchestras, including English Baroque Soloists with John Eliot Gardner and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. She has performed across the world, from USA, Mexico and Argentina, to Paris, Madrid and Rome.

Marion also teaches at all levels, from beginner to tertiary level and beyond, having been Professor of Recorder at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Trinity College of Music and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and she is Head of Recorder Department at the Centre for Young Musicians. Marion runs workshops and Master Classes, is a regular tutor on several courses and is also an examiner for Trinity College London.

Meetings usually take place weekly on Wednesday evenings from September to April inclusive, starting at 19.30 and finishing at 21.30. We don’t meet at school half terms. Current dates are available to Kent Branch members in the Newsletter. Please ring any Committee member for confirmation if you are coming for the first time. Contact details can be found on the “Contacts” tab.

The venue is The Vine, Maidstone – see the Venue Page for further details.

A newsletter is produced once a year, giving details of dates of meetings and venue, etc. This is sent to Kent Branch members by email during the summer months.

The current subscription is £70 per term for the Autumn and Spring terms (total of 20 meetings) payable at the first meeting. There is a reduction for students.  In addition, the annual subscription to the SRP is £25.00.  If you are under 30 or a full-time student it is £10.

Membership of the SRP provides four issues of the national Recorder Magazine which has a wide range of articles relating to the recorder including details of playing days, courses, concert and music reviews and a copy of the SRP Membership List. This is regularly updated and includes details of members of all branches, indicating those who are teacher and those who wish to undertake one-to-a-part playing. This list is provided as part of the subscription and is only available to SRP members.

Challinger, Andrew – No. 3 from 5 Sketches (SATB)

East, Michael – Songs Full of Spirit and Delight (unbarred!) (TTB)

Handel, G.F. – He Shall Feed His Flock like a Shepherd (AAATBCb)

Robinson, Rosemary – Dunholm Suite (SATTBB)
(Written for Berenice Styles!)

Handel, G.F. – Concerto Grosso Op. 6, No.1 (AAAATBCb)

Trad. arr. Peter Hope & B. Styles – Bonny at Morn (ATBBGb)

Bach, J.S. – Prelude XXII and Fugue XIV (SAB)

Trad. arr. Hall, Marg – South American Dances a 4

Christmas Special – 11th December 2019

With guests from local U3A groups, Weald of Kent SRP and a visitor from Edinburgh:

Vivaldi, A – Et in Terra Pax a 8

Palestrina, G.P. de, arr. MS – O beata et benedicta et gloriosa Trinitas (SSATB/TTBGbCb)

Trad. Arr. Campo, P – Foggy Dew (AATB)

Handel, G. F – Pastoral Symphony from The Messiah a 3

Trad. Carol – Silent Night a 4

Trad, arr. Wilcocks and Burchette – O come, all ye faithful

Trad. Arr. Richards, P. – Deck the Halls a 4

Trad. arr. Helen Hooker – Polish Suite

Couperin, Louis – Fantasie

Malvezzi, Cristoforo – 2 Sinfonie (1589)

Bach, J.S. – Sheep May Safely Graze

Taverner, John – Sanctus a 3

Scarlatti, Domenico – Sinfonia No. 1

Ager, Michael – Ain’t She Sweet

Brahms, Johannes – Hungarian Dance no. 1

Cazzati, Maurizio – 2 Simphonie a 4

Schutz, Heinrich – Jauchzet dem Herren

Handel, G.F. – Concerto Op.6, No. 3

Monteverdi, Claudio – Cantate Domine a 6

Double Pleasure – Sylvia Rosin

Fantasia a 6 No 4 – Martin Peerson (arr Alex Ayre)

Prelude and Fugue No. 2 – Glen Shannon

Vraho Vraho – Mikis Theodorakis

If Ye Love Me – Thomas Tallis

Take Five – Paul Desmond

Die Wassermusik – G F Handel

Sicut cervus – Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Farewell to Stromness – Peter Maxwell Davis

Das ist meine Freude – Johann Ludwig Bach

Sinfonia No. 3 – Johann Christian Bach

Triosonata “La Rosetta” – Legrenzi

Medieval Motley – 14th Century Italian arr P Richards

Our most recent concert took place during April in our rehearsal venue, The Vine, Maidstone. Our repertoire included:

Glen Shannon – Prelude and Fugue No 2. in D minor

Thomas Tomkins – Fantasia No. 3 a 6

Traditional (Irish) – She moved through the Fair

Hans Gal – Divertimento 1 and 11 for three recorders

JS Bach – Prelude from Partita no 3 in E Major BWV 1006

Eileen Silcocks – West Country Suite

Heinrich Isaac – A la battaglia

GF Handel – Passacaille in G Minor, HWV 432

Antonio Vivaldi – Concerto in C minor RV 120

Gustav Holst – I love my love (arranged by Marion Scott)

Paul Richards – Scarborough Finck

A varied programme of choral and recorder pieces throughout the ages, including:

Anonymous – Hanacpachap Cussicuinin (jointly with the Wealden Consort Choir)

Legrenzi – Sonata Fugazzi

Schein – Suite No. 11

Anonymous – Pavane and Variations

Peerson – Fantasia a 6 no.1

Schutz – Jauchzet den Herren (jointly with the Wealden Consort Choir)

Maute – Tanto-Quanto

Gershwin – Embraceable you

Rodgers – Blue Moon

Martin Pearson – Fantasia “Beauty”.

Benjamin Thorn – 3 Cantigas.

John Dowland – Lachrymae Pavan: Amantis.

John Dowland – Sir John Souch his Galliard and Mrs Nichols Almand.

Antonio Lotti – Crucifixus.

Godfried Keller – Trio Sonata in D minor.

Antonio Vivaldi – Concerto in A minor .

Guus Haverkate – Take Four.

Vittorio Monti – Csardas.

Sokoll – A Journey around the World: South America, China, Spain.

Bratton/Kennedy – Teddy Bears’ Picnic.

George Gershwin – Singing in the Rain.

We gave two concerts in 2013: 16th March in St. Peter and St. Paul Church in Headcorn, with the Headcorn School Choir and Headcorn Handbell Ringers; 26th March St. James Church in East Malling, as part of the Malling Concert Society. Soloists were members of the ensemble, with guest artists Jane Jones (soprano) and Rick Jones (lute).

A concert of early music for Broadstairs Music Recital Society, York Street Methodist Church on Sunday 26th February at 3.00pm, with with Duo Toccante – Jo Hardwick and Marion Scott, recorders – and Coastal Voices:

Giovanni Gabrieli – Canzon Prima “La Spiritata”

Henry Purcell – Fantasie in G minor

Schein – Canzona a 6

William Byrd – Earle of Salisbury’s Pavana and Galliardo.

Arcangelo Corelli – Trio in D minor, Sonata da Chiesa op.3 no. 5.

J.S. Bach – Motet “Lobet den Herren”

We also gave a concert on 28 April in Thurnham Church, shared with Baroque Stop! Orchestra and Bearsted Choir, featuring a performance of Gloria in D by Vivaldi, conducted by Marion Scott.

Please contact any of the following people for further information:

Secretary Helen Embley 01634 389331

Treasurer Wendy Wood 01277 769829

Musical Director Marion Scott 07947 131124

Last updated 18 September 2020