Vermeer Chamber Concerts
Four part music by Ferrabosco, Purcell, Byrd, Gibbons and two of Matthew Locke’s great Consorts of Fower Parts
Kendal Midday Concert Club
Take Five… viols and what can you play. Well, the famous piece was not composed by Dave Brubeck, but by his saxophonist, Paul Desmond. Jon Rees has arranged it for viols in a free and imaginative way, including the In Nomine plainchant, which is another theme of our programme. Come and experience the unsettling rhythm of five beats in a bar, from the 16th century to today.
Dowland's Lachrimae 1604
Dowland’s intense exploration of tears and the transformative nature of melancholy, expressed in his most luminous work. But as he says in the introduction: And though the title doth promise teares, unfit guests in these ioyfull times, yet no doubt pleasant are the teares which Musicke weepes, neither are teares shed alwayes in sorrow, but sometime in ioy and gladnesse.
Secret Byrd
The extraordinary semi-theatrical project that puts the Catholic Byrd into the context of Protestant Elizabethan England, with The Gesualdo Six.
Nico Muhly residency, with Iestyn Davies
The world premier of a new work for Fretwork by Nico Muhly, in the opening concert of his residency at Kings Place. Including My Days, with Iestyn Davies and Slow, together with music by Byrd & Purcell.
No time in Eternity: Nyman, Purcell & Dowland with Ian Bostridge
Some of Purcell & Dowland’s most wonderful songs, contrasted with Michael Nyman’s setting of poems on the subject of time by Robert Herrick.
St Matthew Passion
Johann Theile’s Passion from 1673, with seven voices, viols and organ. Jan Kobow - Evangelist; Jimmy Holliday - Christus
St Matthew Passion
Johann Theile’s Passion from 1673, with seven voices, viols and organ. Jan Kobow - Evangelist; Jimmy Holliday - Christus
Jackdaws Viol Consort Weekend
This course offers viol players the chance to explore consort repertoire from the viol’s Golden Age and to improve their technique along the way. Composers studied will include Jenkins, Purcell, Holborne, Lawes and Coperario.
Imperial College
Six part consort music by Alfonso Ferrabosco and his pupil, William Lawes
Musick’s Monument
Music for sometimes seven viols, from Taverner to Purcell, including the Missa Gloria tibi trinitas, the magnificent Quemadmodem, and Purcell Fantazies and In Nomines for 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 viols.
Hatfield House with The Sixteen
We join the wonderful Sixteen with Harry Christophers in this historic house, with music associated with the house by Byrd, Lawes, Coprario & Hume.
40th Anniversary Concert
Fretwork is 40! Our debut concert at Wigmore Hall was 25th June 1986, and we celebrate with some of our favourite singers - Susan Bickley, Iestyn Davies & Ian Bostridge - and some of our favourite pieces. We are honoured that Sir George Benjamin has agreed to conduct his seminal work ‘Upon Silence-, written for Fretwork with Sue Bickley in 1990.
We have commissioned ten composers to write a minute of music each in sequence to create a piece called ‘Consequences’. Jon Rees, Orlando Gough. Ewan Campbell, Nico Muhly, Barry Guy, Sally Beamish, John Woolrich, Joss Campbell have all contributed so far.
Consort-Kurs in Schloß Seehaus
Fretwork bietet einen Consortkurs im wunderschönen Schloss Seehaus in Franken an, von Donnerstag 20 bis Mittwoch 26 August.
Die Teilnehmer haben außerdem die Möglichkeit, ein Konzert des weltberühmten englischen Consorts mit Jan Kobow (Tenor) und Alexander Chance (Countertenor) zu erleben. Im Programm stehen Werke von John Dowland.
Ort: Schloss Seehaus, 91478 Markt Nordheim, Deutschland
Termin: Donnerstag, 20. August bis Mittwoch, 26. August 2026.
Kosten: Unterricht: 550 €, (350 € für Studenten unter 25 Jahren)
Unterkunft und Verpflegung: 600 €
Alle Gambengrößen sind willkommen.
Contact: fretworkviols@gmail.com
Consort course in Schloß Seehaus
Come and play English concert music with Fretwork in the beautiful setting of Schloß Seehaus in Frankenland.
Participants will also be able to attend a famous Wandelkonzerte with Fretwork, Jan Kobow (tenor) and Alexander Chance (counter-tenor) on Sunday 23rd, two performances with a short ‘wander’ between venues. The programme will include works by John Dowland.
Address: Schloss Seehaus, 91478 Markt Nordheim, Germany
Dates: Thursday, 20th August to Wednesday, 26th August 2026.
Cost: teaching: €550, (€350 for students under 25)
board and lodging: €600
All sizes of viol are welcome.
Contact: fretworkviols@gmail.com
Dowland with Ian Bostridge
Dowland with Ian Bostridge in the glorious setting of Gloucester Cathedral
Dowland Lachrimae
Part of the Lute Society’s Dowland Festival, marking the 400th anniversary of his death in 1626. with Elizabeth Kenny
Dowland with Ian Bostridge
John Dowland’s songs and consort music in the festival dedicated to his great contemporary, Claudio Monteverdi
https://www.monteverdifestivalcremona.it/en/
Choral evensong
Choral evensong with the choir of St David’s Cathedral, including the music of Thomas Tomkins. Broadcast live on BBC Radio 3
Take Five
Take five viols, and what do you have? Music in five for five viols by Paul Desmond, Orlando Gough, Christopher Tye, Claude Debussy, Henry Purcell, Arvo Pärt, William Byrd, Orlando Gibbons, Radiohead, Kate Bush and J.S.Bach
Heinrich Schütz: The Resurrection History
Schütz’s extraordinary depiction of the resurrection of Christ. with Charles Daniels - Evangelist - and Martha McLorinan, Eleanor Minney, Elisabeth Paul, Simon Wall & Jimmy Holliday. Silas Wollston, organ.
The Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross
Schütz’s meditation on Christ’s last words, together with music by Johann Schein and Samuel Scheidt. With Martha McLorinan, Elisabeth Paul, Simon Wall, Charles Daniels & Jimmy Holliday. Silas Wollston, organ.
Dowland with Ian Bostridge
The music of the great John Dowland with Ian Bostridge and Elizabeth Kenny
Dowland with Ian Bostridge
The music of the great John Dowland, with Ian Bostridge and Elizabeth Kenny
Dowland with Ian Bostridge
Some of Dowland’s most memorable songs, together with his wonderful consort music from the 1604 Lachrimae collection.
Dowland: Lachrimae Pavans
Dowland’s groundbreaking 1604 publication, with Elizabeth Kenny, lute.
Take Five
Five viols play music in five, including Paul Desmond’s immortal tune, given a new twist by our own Jon Rees. Plus music by Tye, Debussy, Purcell, Orlando Gough and Orlando Gibbons, J.S.Bach and Kate Bush.
‘randy for antique’
Larkin’s poem, Church Going, is the inspiration for a programme of music by Parsons, Gibbons, Byrd, Lupo, Jenkins, Lawes, Purcell; and the solitary work by the great ‘Picforth’