The Lure of the Curlew - St Thomas a Becket Church

With three world premieres and a rare performance of Peter Warlock’s The Curlew, this promises to be an unmissable concert for anyone drawn to music, poetry, and curlew conservation.

Programme Highlights

The Curlew by Peter Warlock, introduced by poetry featuring the voice of Samuel West and performed by Alex Kyle, Chloe Fletcher, Alison Williams, Fiona Allinson, Helen Dawson, Simeon Wood, and me.

Poetry readings by Karen Lloyd, a nationally published poet and environmental activist from the Lake District.

A second half featuring lighter Peter Warlock songs, including Chopcherry, The Countryman, and Walking the Woods, with the latter two receiving their premiere performances.

A first performance of The Gather, written by The Curlew Choir—a wonderful pop-up community choir that comes together to write, compose, and perform songs about the curlew under the guidance of Karen Lloyd and Mary Keith. The piece has been arranged by Peter Cowdrey, a UK-based composer, pianist, and ornithologist with a particular interest in birdsong and recording.