Sydenham Music has been the jewel in the crown of our classical music scene for the past few years. Starting at St Barts it grew, expanded to cover Lewisham and last year brought the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to a Catford Broadway residency. Earlier this year Sydenham Music had a shock when Lewisham decided to host the RPO directly. Lewisham did decide, however, to increase its support for music in Sydenham.

So Sydenham Music is proud to announce its 2005 season. Going back to its roots at St Bart's Church does not mean a diminished programme. Quite the opposite. Bringing together established ensembles The Endellion String Quartet, Florilegium, Royal Philharmonic Wind Quartet together with some of London's leading orchestral players playing as the St Bartholomew Festival Orchestra and local artists and choirs.

The Festival kicks off on Wednesday 18th May with an illustrated talk by baroque group Florilegium's Director & flautist Ashley Solomon.

Robert Trory, the Festival Director, writes:

"Spring is here and with it come thoughts of glorious music wafting, or even thundering, through the beautiful church of St. Bartholomew in Sydenham."

Yes! The Sydenham summer music festival is with us again and it won't have escaped anyone's notice that we have added the word 'International' to the title. We believe that our festival is truly international given that all our artists and performers have reputations that go well beyond our own shores and that this year we have invited Sergei Dogadin, 16 year-old virtuoso violinist from St Petersburg, Russia to play with us in our closing orchestral concert.

"Let there be no doubt in any mind that our International Festival in Sydenham offers the very best in music making that can be offered anywhere in the world! "

And let there be no doubt either that our very own St Bartholomew Festival Orchestra is anything other than the best. Brought together specially for the festival, it is comprised of London's finest musicians from London's finest orchestras who live in the area."

For details of the festival programme go <here>
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