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.

Marion studied recorder, oboe, baroque oboe and piano at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and has since performed and recorded with the leading early music specialist orchestras, including English Baroque Soloists with John Eliot Garner, Academy of Ancient Music, English Concert, The Sixteen and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. She has been fortunate to perform as a recorder player across the world, from USA and Mexico, to Paris, Rome, Madrid and Argentina. Marion also plays recorder for contemporary compositions, with ensembles such as London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra and BBC Symphony Orchestra.
Marion has enjoyed teaching at all levels and ages, from beginner to tertiary and beyond. She worked in her local schools in Kent as part of the management team for Kent Music, as well as in both the Junior and Senior Schools of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama as Professor of Recorder. She was also a Professor at Trinity College of Music and the Royal Welsh College of Music, and was Head of the Recorder Department at the Centre for Young Musicians. Marion was a founding Committee member and tutor for NYRO, and founded the London Youth Recorder Orchestra. She gives Masterclasses and Workshops, and has taught on a variety of courses and Summer Schools, including as a Director of the Recorder Summer School, Easter Early Music Course and the Irish Recorder and Viol Course. Alongside that teaching, she worked as a generalist examiner for Trinity College London.
In Kent, Marion directs the Kent Branch of the Society of Recorder Players, and she conducts her own Recorder Chamber Orchestra. Although now partly retired, she maintains regular private teaching and conducting work, but has stopped professional playing and examining. Retirement means time to go in different directions, including studying garden design and continuing work on her own garden, and few belonging to other people; more weaving, travel, and experimental cooking! Life is full, but always, always with music at the core.
Meetings usually take place weekly on Tuesday 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 £30.00. 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.
Hindemith, P. |
3 American Folksongs a 3 |
SAT |
Palestrina, |
Exultate deo |
SATTB |
Shannon, G. |
Bloomberg Codex |
SATB |
Faure, G. |
Pie Jesu |
SSATTB |
Lane, C. |
Air a 5 (RMM) |
SAATB |
Frescobaldi, G. |
Bergamasca |
SATB |
Shannon, G. |
Bloomberg Codex |
SATB |
Bach, J.S. |
Prelude XII |
SAB |
Bononcini, |
First Suite a 6/7 |
SSAATBCb |
Shannon, G. |
Albion’s Elixir |
ATTB |
Brown, C. |
Gentle Voyager |
SATB |
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||
Silcocks, E. |
The Garbsen Jig |
SATTBGbGbC |
Bach, J.S. |
Fugue XII |
SAB |
Bononcini, |
Second Suite a 6/7 |
SSAATBCb |
Breen, C. |
St. Margeret’s Suite |
SAT |
Bach, J.S. |
Fugue XII |
SAB |
Bononcini, G. |
Second Suite |
SSAATBCb |
Frescobaldi, G. |
Bergamasca |
SATB |
Grillo, G.B. |
Canzon Seconda a 8 |
SSS/A8T TTBGb |
Harvey, R. |
Suite no. 1 |
SATTB |
Marshall, S. Fantasia No.3 AATTB
Holst, G. Ave Maria AATTTTBB
Peurl, P. Canzona I SSATB
Peurl, P. Canzona II SSATB
Rodgers, R Blue Moon TTBBGbCb
MacDowell Wild Narcissus SATB
Albeniz, I. Tango SATB/TBGbCb
Beutler Chips ‘n’ Chocolate ATB
Handel, G.F. Aria e Variatio ATB
Johnson, H. Puttin’ on the Ritz SATB
Webber, W.L. Suite for Recorders/Pipes SATB
Johnson, H. Ice cream SATB
Handel, G.F. Music for the Royal Fireworks SAATTBBGb
Dufay, G. Ave Regina Coelorum ATTB
Willaert, A. Fantasia a 4 SATB
Wynne, N. Jolly Joan’s Fugue (RMM) SATB
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.