'A Breath of Fresh Air' Across Chiswick
Gerald McGregor on the wonderful musical experiences of the summer
Ensemble Renard performs at St. Michael and All Angels Church as part of the Bedford Park Festival
June 22, 2026
This week has seen a series of spectacular concerts across Chiswick, giving joy to the audiences and introducing new and familiar artists at the 60 th Bedford Park Festival with three concerts in St Michael and All Angels Church Bath Road, and the first of a series of programme of poetry and music (including a premiere of a new composition) presented by The Friends of St Nicholas church and Hogarth’s House. I was in the audience for four of the concerts. The receptions given to all of the performers were highly positive and applauded with gusto
First up, on Monday 15 June was a concert in Bedford Park performed by chamber musicians the violinist Braimah Kanneh-Mason and pianist Jams Coleman. Duets and solos followed the opening Mozart Sonata and continued across the early evening, despite the heat earning much appreciation.
Second performance on Wednesday 17 June was entitled “A Shepherd’s Song” with Allyn Wu taking the vocal parts and Louis Moisin with a range of beautiful string instruments, Guitar, Lute and Theorbo in solo and accompanist roles. The church acoustics were perfect for both the beautifully textured and delivered Baritone voice and for the delicate and superbly played instrumental for this most intimate of concerts with pieces from the last five centuries.
Moving from Bedford Park to Chiswick Village and St Nicholas Church on Thursday 18 th June the performers excelled in a presentation entitled “A breath of fresh air”.
Violinist Peter Shepherd Skaraeved, Poetry Reader Malene Shepherd Skaraeved, Harpsichordist Julian Perkins, included in their repertoire a brand new piece entitled “Fantasia on the Apollo Belvedere” reflecting some of the work on the subject completed by the Danish composer Carl Nielsen 1865-1931 and a chaconne by Mihailo Trandafilovski who joined the performers on the violin. The Friends of St Nicholas Church and Hogarth’s House deserve to be congratulated in their care of the properties and for their fund raising.
Back to St Michael and All Angels Church for the fourth concert of the work on Friday 19 th June and the Ensemble Renard Wind Quintet, Flute Ellie Blamires, Oboe Francesca Cox, Bassoon Charlotte Cox, Clarinet Matt Glendening, and Horn George Strivens. The programme was again beautifully played and the sound filled the church. The ensemble was well matched, fluent and endlessly melodic with a varied programme including Gyorgy Ligetti, Samuel Barber and Carl Nielsen.
The music outreach programme for the Bedford Park Festival enabled performers to visit local schools in Chiswick this week and talking to the Ensemble players about the work that they do to bring music to primary and secondary age children is to be much respected.
The churches, the festival team, the organisers, the ticket sellers and volunteers and refreshment teams worked very hard to deliver these great concerts, bringing such talented performers to Chiswick. Each concert was a joy.
Gerald McGregor
Full details of the Bedford Park Festival programme and ticket booking.
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