Welwyn Garden Concert Club is launching its 77th season of concerts in Welwyn Garden City.

The season will start at St Francis Church on Saturday, October 16 with a performance by the leading British pianist Leon McCawley.

Leon will be playing a programme of Mozart, Haydn and Schubert, three composers he is bringing into focus with his current residency at the Wigmore Hall, London.

He became a well-known name when he won first prize in the 1993 International Beethoven Piano Competition in Vienna, and second prize at the Leeds International Piano Competition the same year.

Since then, he hasn’t been off the stage and has added a long list of recordings to his concert performances.

The Gramophone magazine said of him earlier this year: "He’s a thoughtful, keenly intelligent artist in peak form, who brings a wealth of pianistic resources to this incomparable music."

Leon McCawley’s performance is the first of a series of six concerts from October to May, featuring a variety of different chamber music ensembles and periods.

In November, the leading operatic mezzo soprano Fleur Barron will be accompanied by Julius Drake in a recital of lieder and operatic works.

WGC Concert Club then change the style completely in February with a concert by Ensemble La Notte – a baroque ensemble who featured on BBC Radio 3’s Front Row only just this week, performing and talking about their latest recording.

The incomparable Czech Wihan Quartet, long-time favourites with the WGCC audience, will be returning in March.

This is followed later in the season by Savitri Grier and Richard Uttley, who will give a violin and piano recital, back by popular request after their hugely successful debut with the club a couple of years ago.

The final concert of the season will be given by the Fitzroy Quartet, a young ensemble who are making waves on the professional concert scene.

Concerts take place on Saturdays at 7.30pm in St Francis Church, WGC.

"The church has a wonderful acoustic and an intimate atmosphere," said WGCC's Helen Shabetai.

"It’s a great opportunity to hear professional chamber musicians performing locally without having to travel down to London or further afield."

For more on the forthcoming season, visit www.wgconcertclub.org.uk


Welwyn Garden Concert Club 2021-2022 Concert Dates

  • Saturday, 16th October, 2021
    Leon McCawley
  • Saturday, 20th November, 2021
    Fleur Barron & Julius Drake
  • Saturday, 5th February, 2022
    Ensemble La Notte
  • Saturday, 19th March, 2022
    Wihan Quartet
  • Saturday, 23rd April, 2022
    Savitri Grier & Richard Uttley
  • Saturday, 21st May, 2022
    Fitzroy Quartet.