The London Mozart Players are to held a celebratory royal concert to bring down the curtain on classical music before its temporary closure this summer.
A programme celebrating the Players’ historic relationship with Fairfield and the borough of Croydon called "Queen & Country" will be performed in the presence of the Earl and Countess of Wessex.
Led by conductor Dominic Peckham, (Lead Mentor on Gareth Malone’s The Naked Choir on BBC2, and Assistant Director of the National Youth Choir), this concert will continue the LMP’s legacy of spearheading inclusive community events in Croydon.
‘Queen & Country’ will pull together many different art forms and cross sections of the Croydon community, including schools, choirs, artists, young composers, local brass bands and dance groups for an unforgettable evening of commemoration and celebration.
Paula Murray, creative director of Croydon Council, said: "What a great performance to have in the summer just before the Fairfield Halls closes for its major refurbishment.
"The London Mozart Players have put together a creative piece that will showcase what Croydon’s talented young people have to offer. Celebrating Croydon’s cultural and artistic diversity in events like this, is an important part of the future development of the borough.’
The programme includes performances from the Countess of Wessex String Orchestra, Bocheng Wang (winner of the 2015 Croydon Concerto Competition), the Citadel Band of the Salvation Army, and a chorus of voices made up of Croydon school children and community choirs. As well as performances of music by some of the most iconic classical composers including Haydn, Handel, and Mozart, the concert will conclude with a specially commissioned piece by the British composer Roxanna Panufnik ‘Fanfare for Fairfield’.
Other elements of this multi-faceted project include: A royal portrait competition for local schools which will be exhibited in the foyer of the Fairfield Halls, a pre-concert performance from Croydon Music & Arts students, and a fanfare writing competition for young composers from local Secondary schools. Performed by the London Mozart Players, the winning fanfare will feature as the opening piece to the concert.
Julia Desbruslais, executive director of London Mozart Players said: "‘Queen & Country will be a momentous occasion for the Croydon borough as we bid a temporary farewell to the Fairfield Halls, our resident home for the last 25 years, but also celebrate the dawn of a new age and the regeneration of this important establishment.
"What better way to bring together the community and celebrate our historic relationship with the Fairfield Halls, than through a royal concert that brings together a plethora of artistic talent from across the borough of Croydon"
Founded in 1949, London Mozart Players took residency at Fairfield Halls in 1989 and is the longest running chamber orchestra in the UK.
Tickets are £25, £23, £20, £16 and £10. To book call 020 8688 9291 or visit www.fairfield.co.uk