Southwark (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Bermondsey Chamber Orchestra makes its debut at St. Mary Magdalen Church this Sunday, marked in the classical music scene by Southwark Philharmonic musicians.
The St. Mary Magdalen Building fund will benefit from the £5 admission to their inaugural concert, which is scheduled for this Sunday, March 23, at 6 p.m.
Residents will be able to enjoy music from top artists in a more than 1,000-year-old church because of this incredibly low price tag.
Since at least 1290, a church has stood on the location of St. Mary’s at the intersection of Abbey Street and Bermondsey Street. The church was formerly a component of the 8th-century Bermondsey Abbey, which was demolished in the 16th century by Henry VIII’s reformation.
Tania Mazzetti, a 43-year-old Bermondsey resident and Principal Second Violin in the London Philharmonic Orchestra, started the chamber orchestra after noticing a void in the local artistic community.
She said:
“We love the neighbourhood and there really is no classical music.
Some time ago I started conducting and we were chatting and we said it would be nice to do something together, an ensemble in Bermondsey.
So, one day, I walked into the church and had a chat with Robin and he was very keen for the church to be a place that is more open to the community, to arts, to music.”
At St. Mary Magdalen, 75-year-old church warden Robin Precey is in charge of the structure and operations of the church.
He said:
“I was in church one day and this woman came in – it was Tania – and she just said that the acoustics must be really good here and she introduced herself.
We talked and she said can I come and bring a few musicians in and check the acoustics, which she did, and she really liked it.
So, we agreed that they would do up to four concerts a year and we would provide rehearsal space.”
Ahead of Sunday’s concert, Precey added:
“We’re quite excited by it because it means people will come to the church and see what a beautiful building it is.”
Playing with the major London orchestras, the orchestra’s sixteen musicians represent 10 different countries.
A Bermondsey-based cellist in the London Philharmonic and a founding member of the new chamber orchestra, Waynne Kwon, 29, agreed that Bermondsey is an ideal place to launch this new ensemble:
“There’s such a wide audience here: young families, young professionals, older people from all kinds of cultural backgrounds.
So, I think it’s perfect to introduce timeless music to a new audience that maybe hasn’t experienced it before.”
Mazzetti added:
“There is no balance between the offer that there is, for example, for art, for the food scene, for a lot of other things, and the offer for classical music.
There is probably other music going on which I might not be so aware of but not that much for classical music.
So, we thought it was a good place – and we love the place! I live here, personally, and it’s vibrant, it’s diverse; music is a great way to bring the community together. It’s for everyone, it speaks to everyone.”
Precey explained that the church is focused on highlighting and honouring its history and legacy, while also ensuring that they are engaging with the community: “I think [the orchestra] is a really good example of preserving the legacy of music.”
All music is designed to get you to think more deeply about life and reflect but also be interesting for people to come along to and to listen and engage with it.
He revealed that they have a saying at the church that if you come into this space you’ll meet someone who’s not like you.
The concert’s emphasis on community involvement complements the church’s function as a neighborhood center. The performers can engage with the local community and promote classical music in a more personal context by playing in a church.
Bermondsey Chamber Orchestra will hopefully contribute to this, with Precey adding that it’s a place for people coming together, and music will hopefully do that.
The smaller size of a chamber orchestra offers a more intimate musical experience than the bigger symphonies the members often play in, despite the fact that they are all employed, professional musicians.
Emma Oldfield, 31, who is a member of the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s second violin section, concurred that the Bermondsey Chamber Orchestra members are thrilled about the prospects this new endeavor presents.
She said:
“It says a lot that everyone has a really busy schedule, yet everyone is really happy to come here and do this.”
Everyone is welcome to attend the concert on Sunday, and there will be a chance to mingle with the artists following the show over refreshments.
How did the Southwark Philharmonic choose Bermondsey church for this concert?
Bermondsey may have been selected by the Southwark Philharmonic in order to interact with the local population and promote classical music in a variety of contexts. Their overarching goal of making music available to a large audience is in line with this.
The orchestra may be drawn to churches because they frequently offer great acoustics for classical music. For both actors and audience members, the small-scale environment of a church may offer a distinctive and captivating experience.
To plan the event, the orchestra might have worked with neighborhood associations or the church itself. These collaborations can guarantee the concert’s success and encourage community support.
Ideal acoustics for classical music are frequently found in churches, which can improve the musical experience. With its Gothic Revival interior and medieval features, St. Mary Magdalen Church’s architecture may offer a distinctive and resonant setting for music.