A summer of sights and sounds
This summer Ilminster Arts Centre offers a season of sensory delights with top quality art exhibitions for all to see, craft workshops for all abilities, concerts to suit all musical tastes and dramatic performances to capture the imagination.
On 7 July our friends at Concerts in the West present 'Fair Oriana', featuring specialist early music sopranos Angela Hicks and Penelope Appleyard, who joined forces in 2019 to mix their passion for historical music with entertaining staging, contemporary influences and varying genres such as folk, medieval and jazz.
This programme is intimate yet theatrical. It centres around Thomas Morley's madrigal collection of 1601, The Triumphs of Oriana, uniquely arranged here for two voices with instrumental accompaniment provided by Sam Brown and Harry Buckoke.
The following Friday, 14 July, Chris Gumbley and Al Gurr present 'Much Ado About Jazz'. They revisit some much-loved jazz classics and present them with energy and verve, so that the audience not only feel involved, but also gain an insight into how jazz musicians work on stage. Add to that a large dose of dry humour and you'll start to get a feel for what the performance is all about!
On 21 July, Ilminster Arts Centre hosts 'Blue Note Grooves'. Guitarist Neil Burns leads a hard swinging, hard groovin' jazz trio celebrating the rich history of the Hammond Organ from Wes Montgomery to Grant Green via John Scofield and Larry Goldings, plus some original music that pays homage to the tradition with a contemporary edge.
The Neil Burns trio have been a favourite at the jazz festivals in recent years and have continued to develop and evolve creatively, working together regularly to develop a clear vision with funk and bebop at their core. The trio are joined by guest star Terry Quinney on the saxophone.
On Friday, 4 August the performance programme switches to drama with a much-loved one man play by Alfred Shaughnessy, ‘Old Herbaceous’, tracing the relationship between Head Gardener, Herbert Pinnegar, and his employer, Mrs Charteris, as he tends the garden of her country manor house in Gloucestershire. This is a play about life, love and times long gone, all beautifully crafted and expertly told. Humorous, touching and sown with seeds of gardening wisdom.
Later this summer, on 25 August, top tribute act Bowie Fashion return by popular demand after their sellout concert last year, with a stardust homage to superstar David Bowie. The five-man group is dedicated to the authentic reproduction of Bowie's music, capturing the essence of his live performances.
And look out for another stellar tribute performance on Saturday, 16 September as Established 58 play The Shadows and Cliff Richard’s greatest hits! This talented group will take you back to the glory days of rock and roll with their spot-on renditions, from ‘Living Doll’ to ‘Summer Holiday’. You'll be singing and dancing along with every tune.
All performances start at 7.30pm. Doors open from 6.30pm with a cash bar. Tickets can be purchased on our website or by calling 01460 54973 (Tues-Sat). Students can book for only £5 and there's free entry for children aged 12 and under, accompanied by a paying adult.
In the Gallery, until 8 July, is a free-to-enter exhibition called The Garden & Beyond, featuring artists Jackie Cox and Chris Sinden from the Forest of Dean. There's also the opportunity to meet the artists in person and see how they work on Saturday, 24 June and Saturday, 1 July from 10am to noon.
From 11 July to 12 August is a multi-media exhibition by 12 artists entitled Celebrating Art. The artists are part of the Creative Coverage organisation which is dedicated to bringing successful artists and craftspeople to a wider audience.