Dream becomes reality - an idea of my old college friend and colleague Jonathan Acton and his partner Kate Waterworth. Keld Ensemble aims to be a musically and physically flexible group able to operate between 10 and 20 players choosing repertoire and venue to suit the size.

 

We perform a combination of:

• well know classics of the string orchestra repertory: Tchaikovsky and Elgar Serenades, Britten Simple Symphony, Warlock Capriol Suite, Grieg Holberg's Suite...

 

• championing unheard and/or unknown music by composers such as Erik Chisholm, with support from the Erik Chisholm Trust.

 

• new arrangements and compositions especially written for the ensemble: Giles Barnes 'Cliffe Woods'.

 

• specially prepared arrangements such as Jimmy Hendrix's 'Purple Haze', Queen 'We are the Champions', and Piazzola's 'Oblivion'.

 

• collaborations with musicians from other genres, or crossover collaborations: guitarists Giulio Tampalini and Giorgio Serci, and DJ Francesca Lombardo

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The ensemble performed to critical acclaim at the Bowes Museum Music Festival in spring 2012, at Birley Arts Centre, Eastbourne and Spittalfields Music Festival in September 2013. Our most recent performance, at St.-Martin-in-the-Fields on 8th April 2014, was a great success selling 294 tickets.

 

Keld Ensemble are also keen to engage directly with schools in education project work. In this capacity we have successfully visited three schools in North Yorkshire two years running.

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The Keld Quartet is a natural offshoot of the Keld Ensemble. Formed of the principal players of the Keld Ensemble, the quartet enables Keld to operate in a wider range of musical activities. On a seperate tour to Barnard Castle in 2012 the Bowes Museum were hosting a guitar festival at which the Keld Quartet gave a concert with the world renowned guitarist Giulio Tampalini and also took part in a day of masterclasses given by Giulio, accompanying guitarists in the quintet arrangement of Giuliani's guitar concerto.

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To book the Keld Ensemble or for more information or a quote please follow this link to the Keld Ensemble website.