Stoke D'Abernon Area Guide

An opportunity to join a guided tour of St Marys Church, Stoke DAbernon, Surreys oldest church which dates from the 7th century. Features include reused Roman materials laid in characteristic Saxon style, 13th century wall paintings, internationally renowned 14th century brasses, a 16th century chantry chapel containing Vincent family monuments, a fine Jacobean pulpit and an important collection of 15th and 16th century stained glass. Each tour, which will last around 60 minutes, will be led by a professional guide and there will be an opportunity to ask questions. No charge will be made for these tours but donations to St Marys Church (by cash or card) will be welcome. Numbers are limited so early booking is recommended.

Step into a world where classical elegance meets the energy of rock, indie, and pop. This is an experience that blends musical genres and eras with a unique steampunk flair. Get ready to be transported into a realm of gears, gadgets, and unforgettable melodies from five decades of iconic music, all bathed in the warm glow of vintage Edison bulbs.

After a highly successful performance at the 2024 Surrey Bach Festival, Istante Opera returns to Stoke d'Abernon to bring their new production of George Frideric Handel's Aci, Galatea e Polifemo . This production premiers at Baroquestock 2024, in Heath St Baptist Church, London. More information about Baroquestock can be foundhere [https://baroquestock.com/]. Istante is a versatile musical collective committed to reaching out to new audiences through innovative concert experiences. Istantes performances, often held in an informal setting, aim to inspire the listener by linking repertoire through historical and narrative threads. Individually, Istantes members perform with prestigious orchestras and ensembles including Royal Opera House Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, La Scala orchestra, English Baroque Soloists/Orchestre Rvolutionnaire et Romantique, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Academy of Ancient Music, Kings Consort. By combining their diverse experience, they are able to offer a unique breadth of repertoire, both in terms of style and historical period. Istante has performed in a range of venues in the UK and abroad, including the St Stephen's Festival of the Arts in London, the Newbury Festival and Classica Aurora series in Arezzo (Italy), and was selected for the 2017-2018 BREMF Live! Scheme. The ensemble counts a number of collaborations with Opera Vera, performing original arrangements of La Boheme, Gianni Schicchi, and Mozarts da Ponte trilogy. Istante is ensemble in residence at Baroquestock Festival, featuring a unique fusion of historical performance, folk music, community projects and home-cooked food. Baroquestock highlights include a fully staged production of J.Haydns rarely-heard opera Lo Speziale. The ensemble also play various concerts throughout the year, often as part of the church's lunchtime concert series. Istantes debut album, Little things in Odd Shapes, featuring chamber music for mixed string/wind ensemble by Boccherini and M. Haydn, was released by Novantiqua Records in 2018.

Join renowned choral conductor Eamonn Dougan (Associate Conductor, The Sixteen), for a workshop day exploring some beloved choral repertoire.

Did you miss The Beatles first time around? Don’t miss them now! From Beatlemania to psychedelia and beyond . . . It's 1963 and a new band is taking the country by storm, playing a heady mixture of blues, Motown and rock’n’roll. With the songs that changed a generation, this show will have you tapping your feet from the opening bars, dancing in the aisles, and screaming like you did (or would have!) in 1963! From the depths of Liverpool’s Cavern Club all the way up to that famous rooftop on The Apple Building, The Upbeat Beatles will take you on a journey that is the story of The Beatles through their songs. Let them take you on a Magical History Tour. 13 guitars, five costume changes, great powerhouse vocals and close harmonies, teamed with a driving backbeat to give you a night you’ll never forget.

Steven Devine combines a career as a conductor and director of orchestral, choral and opera repertoire with that of a solo harpsichordist and fortepianist. He is the Conductor and Artistic Advisor of The English Haydn Festival; Music Director of New Chamber Opera, Oxford and Director of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenments Bach the Universe & Everything series. On the concert platform, he has directed Purcell, Blow, Bach, Handel and Mozart with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment; Bach Easter Oratorio with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales; Haydn, Handel, CPE Bach, JC Bach, Ditterdorf and Viotti with the English Haydn Orchestra; Handel, Vivaldi and Porpora Trondheim Barokk, Bach Christmas Oratorio with the Norwegian Wind Ensemble; Handel Solomon as well as JS and CPE Bach programmes with Victoria Baroque Players, British Columbia, Handel Belshazzar at the Valetta Festival and Handel Music for the Royal Fireworks with Arion Baroque Ensemble, Montreal. He has also directed programmes with the Academy of Ancient Music, Academie dAmbronay, the Mozart Festival Orchestra and St Pauls Chamber Orchestra.