Magical Ethereal, Beautiful Music will soar in Chichester for the Festivities

Accompanied by pianist/composer Adam Swayne and with Steve Tamblyn taking care of audio-visuals, John will be your guide in Edes House, West Street on July 7 at 7.30pm.

John, a retired architect, is promising an enchanting celebration of music inspired by the sky, clouds, countryside, wildlife, the sea, weird spatial happenings and the haunting atmosphere of spiritual and majestic buildings.

“I have always loved listening to music inspired by nature, the sea, sky, clouds, rivers, bird-life and huge – particularly voluminous, religious - buildings, since I was a young architectural student.

“And I have been able to constantly gather all this lovely, ethereal, sound into my brain and my musical collection – originally records, and now CDs.

“Ravel, Debussy, Delius, Bliss, Elgar, Vaughan-Williams, Adam Swayne and Benjamin Britten - naturally! - have also been totally inspired by such views and images, as have many American, Russian and European composers.

“Another reason for my great fascination for the sea, sky, clouds and bird life, is that it is a natural response to my own environment, in which I have lived for over 11 years.

“From the studio in my house, I have views all over Emsworth Harbour, Thorney Island and Hayling Island, including the sea, wonderful views of clouds, sky and bird life – occasionally, even the odd seal!”

John added: “Having made contact with computer expert Steve Tamblyn, he was also very keen to advise me about combining musical sound with all the pictures and slides that are appropriate to each piece of music Not only does he enjoy the music which I have chosen, but he also gets very enthusiastic about finding the best views, such as flying birds, sky, clouds and most of nature.

“He is also very passionate about locating the finest views of the buildings which have inspired lots of my favourite music – all over the world!

Steve has linked it all through PowerPoint: “This system has made our presentations not only easy, enjoyable and pleasant to prepare, but is also very effective during the actual presentation itself.

“We utilised it during our Sounds of the Downs Presentation at West Dean, on October 18 2009 – three days after my lovely (wife) Pamela had entered Heaven.

“Naturally, we are also using it during our next presentation of Sounds of the Downs, for the Bognor Regis Recorded Music Club, at the Mosse Memorial Hall, Aldwick, on Thursday, October 6.”

Tickets for the Chichester Festivities talk are £10 (senior citizens/under16s £5) from www.chifest.org.uk.