Red Priest open Horsham Music Circle's 85th season

Horsham Music Circle opens its 85th season with the internationally acclaimed ensemble Red Priest, whose exhilarating performances have “redefined the presentation of Baroque music for modern audiences.”

Spokesman Luca Imperiale said: “Renowned for their virtuosity, theatrical flair and bold interpretative style, the group brings exceptional energy and imagination to works by Vivaldi, Bach, Handel, Telemann, Purcell and Corelli.

“Their programme Truly, Madly Baroque celebrates the spirit of invention, improvisation and dramatic expression that lay at the heart of Baroque performance practice, where performers were expected to embellish and reinvent the music before them.

“The programme includes Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, the expressive Adagio associated with Truly, Madly, Deeply, and a striking reworking of Corelli’s La Folia, all delivered with Red Priest’s trademark brilliance and theatricality.

“This promises a vividly entertaining and inspiring opening to the season on Saturday, September 19 at St Mary’s Church.”

Ticket application form, including a discounted rate for those attending all three autumn concerts, is available from HMC. Advance booking by phone 01403 252602 (answer machine) or email [email protected]. Online bookings at wegottickets.com/HorshamMusicCircle. Tickets will also be available on the door.

Red Priest has been at the cutting edge of baroque music performance for over a quarter of a century. Formed in 1997 by recorder virtuoso Piers Adams, with violinist Julia Bishop, cellist Angela East and the late Julian Rhodes, harpsichord (a role filled since 2011 by David Wright) and named after the original ‘red priest’ Antonio Vivaldi, the quartet has developed a unique style, combining high-energy performance, boundary-crossing arrangements and theatrical presentation, delighting audiences across the globe.

Although based in the UK, where they are long established favourites amongst promoters and public alike, 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.