Norwich Soprano Jane Manning returns for unique concert with Chamber Orchestra Anglia

Jane Manning: photograph Malcolm Crowthers

Chamber Orchestra Anglia and the University of East Anglia are presenting a concert with Norwich born international soprano Jane Manning at The Assembly House, Norwich on Thursday, 20 February. She is performing Shoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire, a piece which has probably not been heard live in the city for decades. Jane has performed the work more than 100 times since the 1960s.  

The concert begins at 7.30pm in the Noverre Suite. Jane Manning is giving a pre-concert talk (included in ticket price) at 6.15pm. Tickets are £15, concessions £12 and students £5, available from Prelude Records and St George's Music Shop Norwich and UEA Box Office.   

Pierrot Lunaire employs the technique of Sprechtstimme - requiring the vocal line to be half-sung and half-spoken. The presentation of the music featuring a vocal part with the backing of a small ensemble is similar to that of a cabaret, with the singer/speaking voice narrating a story. In the case of Pierrot Lunaire, the 'story' is told through 21 separate poems, originally written by the French poet Albert Giraud; Schoenberg uses the German translations by Otto Erich Hartleben.

The Assembly House concert is a unique opportunity to experience this extraordinary piece of music by one of its greatest proponents, Jane Manning, who has performed it more than 100 times. She has performed and recorded the work with great musicians such as Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, Simon Rattle, Zubin Mehta, and has written a book on the performance and history of Pierrot Lunaire published in 2012 to coincide with the centenary of the composition of the piece. 

Sharon Choa, Chamber Orchestra Anglia, conductor on February 20, said: "it is an immense honour to have Jane Manning to perform this for us with principal players of Chamber Orchestra Anglia. The difficulty of the piece is such that only very few singers in the world could successfully tackle it; As a result, it is not often heard in a live performance and Norwich has certainly not experienced this music for decades. Jane Manning will also be giving a talk before the concert ensues - this promises to be both enlightening and entertaining. Audience members are encouraged to come both to the talk and the evening's performance which also includes Brahms' beautiful Clarinet Trio in A minor as a prelude of the evening's programme."

Dickleburgh Christmas Tree Festival Norfolk Donates £3,000 to Marie Curie Cancer Care

Cheque presentations at Dickleburgh Church - holding the cheques left to right:
Rev'd Norman Steer, Paul Fleet Marie Curie Cancer care and Rosemary Steer

Organisers of Dickleburgh’s 50 Christmas Trees in a Church festival met local Marie Curie Cancer Care volunteers at All Saints Dickleburgh on Monday, February 10, to present a cheque for £3,000 to the charity.

Marie Curie Cancer Care was the festival’s designated charity for 2013. Funds were raised through entry charges and a bucket collection. The Christmas tree festival, which marked its 10th anniversary in 2013, also has a public vote for the best tree with 23 cash prizes on offer for the winning trees, providing additional support for local organisations. Marie Curie Cancer care was one of the winners and the volunteers were presented with an extra £25.    

Rev’d Norman Steer, 50 Christmas Trees event organiser, who retired from the role after 10 years at the end of 2013, was the winner of the Inspiring Achievement Award at South Norfolk Council Community Volunteer Awards on February 7. He received a cheque for £250 for his nominated charity, Marie Curie Cancer Care, which was also presented to the volunteers on Monday.

Paul Fleet, Community Fundraiser, Marie Curie Cancer Care said: “I would like to thank everyone involved in raising such a fantastic sum of money. The income from the Christmas Tree fundraising will go towards supporting Marie Curie Cancer Care nurses across Norfolk. £3,000 is an incredible achievement and will help to pay for 150 nursing hours in the county”

Rev’d Norman Steer, event organiser said: “The Dickleburgh Christmas tree festival is delighted to be able to give Marie Curie Cancer Care £3,000 to support them in their work with caring for terminally ill patients in their own home. The symbol of hope, the daffodil, was displayed with pride throughout the festival and the slogan ‘Devoted to Life’ was clear to see in the fantastic statistics of the care given to over 38,777 terminally ill cases in the period 2012/2013. Our blessing and grateful thanks go to all of the members of the Marie Curie Cancer Care staff, doctors, nurses and carers and the dedicated team of fundraisers.”

Dragons at the Maids Head Hotel, Norwich

More than 40 dragons, created by children from Magdalen Gates primary school, arrived at the the Maids Head Hotel in Norwich on Friday, February 7 and were officially welcomed by the Lord Mayor of Norwich, Councillor Keith Driver.

The dragons will we on display in the hotel until Sunday, February 23, part of Norwich Dragon Festival.  A public vote for the favourite dragon will be open until Thursday, February 13.

Christine Malcolm, General Manager of the Maids Head Hotel said: “Our dragon-making competition with Magdalen Gates Primary School is the first project in a new partnership with the school. We will be developing activities with the staff to help the students learn about Norwich’s history and traditions. We are really looking forward to the Dragon Festival and hope to see lots of visitors in the Maids Head viewing the children’s dragons and voting for their favourite.”

For more information about the Maids Head Hotel t. 01603 209955, www.maidsheadhotel.co.uk.

Wymondham Music Festival Annual Public Meeting – Monday, February 10

Jazz Picnic with Dixie Mix (2013)

Head to Fairland Hall, Wymondham, Norfolk on Monday, February 10, at 7pm, for Wymondham Music Festival's 12th Annual Public Meeting.  Hear about plans for the 19th Festival Fortnight in 2014, plus a review of 2013. There will also be plenty of opportunities to ask questions and make suggestions in the meeting and chat informally over coffee and cakes.

The evening begins at 7pm with music from Ian Hireson and Mark Jolley, who normally perform as the Bays River Jazz Duo. Refreshments are also served at 7pm.

The main meeting begins at 7.30pm with a review of 2013, including the annual accounts, and then looks forward to the summer, introducing plans for the programme launch in May. Barbara Randall, Festival Secretary, will reveal some of the key highlights of the 2014 programme, including Festival Fortnight, which runs from Saturday, June 21 to Sunday, July 6.

John Wood, who has been Wymondham Music Festival Chairman for 14 years, is stepping down from the role at the Annual Public Meeting. He will be Vice Chairman for the forthcoming year and will continue to be Chairman of the Music Festival Trustees. John has also been Chairman of Wymondham Arts Forum since 2001.

John’s successor as Music Festival Chairman is Richard Elliott. Richard is a former Chief Fire Officer for Norfolk. He retired from the fire and rescue service in 2010 after 35 years, serving in a number of fire and rescue services, including London and West Midlands, moving to Norfolk in 2000 as its Chief Officer. Since retiring Richard has become a Trustee of a number of local charities, is an active Rotarian and also qualified as a ski instructor at Norfolk Snowsports Club.

John Wood said: “My time as Music Festival Chairman has flown by. I cannot believe I have been in the role for 14 of the Festival’s 19-year history! Brilliant teamwork by our hard-working volunteers has seen the festival grow in popularity year on year. I wish Richard success in his first year and look forward to my continuing involvement.”

Richard Elliott said: “During John Wood’s tenure as Chairman, Wymondham Music Festival has become firmly established as one of the most popular and diverse festivals in the county. I am delighted to have John’s support in my first year as Chairman and look forward to an exciting summer of music in town.”    

Keep in touch with Wymondham Music Festival and sign up for regular e-newsletters at www.wymfestival.org.uk.

Raveningham Gardens Norfolk - Snowdrop Season February 9 to February 23

Raveningham Gardens opens for the snowdrop season from Sunday, February 9 to Sunday, February 23 (closed Saturdays). See drifts of snowdrops in the main garden, Monday to Friday 11am to 4pm and Sunday 2pm to 4pm (dusk if earlier).

Galanthus Jacquenetta

Admission is adults £4, concessions £3.50 and children under 16 free; proceeds go to Priscilla Bacon Lodge, a centre for specialist palliative care services in Norwich. Tea and home made cakes served on Sundays.

Raveningham Hall is the home of Sir Nicholas and Lady Bacon. It was Sir Nicholas’ mother, Priscilla Bacon, who added snowdrops to the garden.

The 18th century Walled Kitchen Garden with its large glasshouses will be open and visitors will also be able to enjoy views across the new lake established at the turn of the Millennium and the contemporary sculpture in the gardens.



Raveningham Gardens (NR14 6NS) is 10 miles south east of Norwich, signposted off the A146 at Hales, then B1136, t. 01508 548480.

Journeys - Holocaust Memorial Day 2014 film

Norwich 20 Group Launches 70th Anniversary Year at Norwich Theatre Royal

Norwich 20 Group launches its 70th anniversary year with an exhibition at Norwich Theatre Royal, from 24 January to 23 April, open Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm.

The exhibition is part of a collaborative series at the Theatre Royal kindly sponsored by Targetfollow Estates Ltd. Curator Sarah Cannell has selected work submitted by Norwich 20 Group members for the show, which is staged in The Adnams Bar.

Joceline Wickham

David Jones

Norwich 20 Group was formed in 1944 after a touring modern art exhibition came to Norwich Castle Museum. Spurred by the public outcry, twenty local young artists mainly from Norwich School of Art and Design (now Norwich University of the Arts) created the group to promote understanding of modern art in Norwich.

The group is no longer limited to 20 and now has more than 70 members from across Norfolk.  All aspects of the practice of contemporary fine art are represented e.g. sculpture, print, photography and painting.

Over the years the membership has included nationally known artists, for example, Michael Andrews, Bernard Reynolds, Jeffrey Camp and Colin Self. Mary Newcomb, one of Britain’s best loved artists, famous for her visionary ruralist paintings, who died in 2008, was a member of N20G for many years. Her work often sold at exhibitions for around £20. It now changes hands for five figure sums. Current N20G members include David Holgate, Ros Newman, Vanessa Pooley, Laurie Rudling, Louise Richardson and Julia Sorrell, who is the group’s Chairman.

The group has strong links with Norwich's twin European cities and has held joint exhibitions with Novi Sad in Serbia, Rouen in France and Koblenz in Germany.

The group has a licentiate scheme and selects graduates from Norwich University of the Arts who are offered the opportunity to become members and exhibit with the group free of charge for one year.