Future Concerts
Date: Saturday 21st March 2026
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: St Lawrence Chapel, Ashburton TQ13 7DD
The Ashburton Singers are preparing a varied and evocative selection of songs to herald the arrival of Spring, from 16th century chansons on the subject of love and courtship, to Romantic part songs featuring flowers and birds.
The choir will be joined by pianist Matt Davies for John Rutter’s “Bird Songs” a playful and uplifting work centred around bird-themed texts – Two Owls, The Lark, The Swan and Emily Dickinson’s reflective but hopeful “Hope is the thing with feathers”.
Georgia, situated on the border of Europe and Asia, is widely known for its rich and still vibrant tradition of folk music. Georgian songs, usually sung in three parts, are highly distinctive and rarely fail to move. The choir sings two Gazapkhuli songs celebrating Spring, “so tender, beautiful as a diamond”.
Matt contributes favourite piano pieces by Ravel and Grieg.
Also on the programme are Runic lullabies from Estonia by Veljo Tormis, Roger Quilter’s nostalgic setting of Robert Herrick’s “To Daffodils” and other beautiful part-songs featuring the sounds and sights of spring.
Free Admission with Retiring Collection
