A Concert for the Independence Day of Ukraine 2025

Sunday 24th August
4pm (for about an hour)
Doors open 3.30pm
Celebrate the Independence Day of Ukraine with a concert of Ukranian songs, piano music and string pieces
at Browne's Hospital, Broad St, Stamford, PE9 1PF

Bridget Howarth soprano
Leon King and Katherine Parsons violas
Fergus Black piano

Art songs, folk songs, a picture of Old Kiev in music, "Postcards from Ukraine" (character pieces in authentic song and dance styles of Ukraine), duets for two violas, and some variations on Paganini's famous caprice. Composers featured include Didorenko, Dychko, Bilash, Glière, Shamo, Skoryk (his famous Melody), Berkovich and Stetsenko. All in all, a tuneful and inspiring event in one of Stamford's historic buildings, built in 1475 in the reign of Edward IV.

Please note: there is a flight of stone steps from Broad Street.
There is plentiful free parking in surrounding streets and public car parks
Tickets: £12 (if bought in advance); £15 on the door, limited to sixty seats in the venue.
Refreshments will be served in aid of Browne's Hospital. Please bring cash.

The concert is in aid of HUGS SMART:

H.U.G.S. is a Canadian based NGO operating out of Kharkiv, Ukraine. Paul Hughes and his son, Mac Hughes, established their charity operation a few short weeks after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since March 2022, HUGS has assisted countless vulnerable Ukrainian populations which have been directly impacted by the war. Recognised by local authorities and in cooperation with other local NGOs, HUGS continues to identify and support populations at risk. HUGS has attracted volunteers from nearly 40 different nationalities throughout the course of their volunteer work.

The SMART programme at H.U.G.S. is designed for Ukraine’s vulnerable youth population that has been directly impacted by the devastating invasion. The young individuals in this program have been forced to evacuate or relocate from their hometowns and now reside in Kharkiv city accommodations until further notice. H.U.G.S. introduced SMART, which stands for Sports, Music, Art, Recreation & Technology, to allow continued youth development and integrate elements of everyday life into their routines.

Further Information about HUGS SMART

Please download the flyer for the concert and repost on socials. It all helps!

Postcards from Ukraine
(six short untitled character pieces for viola and piano, nos 1-3)
Andrii Didorenko (b.1974)

Variations on a Theme of Paganini for piano
Isaak Berkovich (1902 - 1972)

Moods, song-cycle by Lesia Dychko (b.1939)
1. On A Sailboat
2. An Apple Tree
3. In The Silent Darkness Of The Night

Two Duos for two violas Op 49
Reinhold Glière (1875 - 1956)

Three songs by Kyrylo Stetsenko (1882 - 1922)
1. Evening Song
2. I Stood and Listened to the Spring
3. O, Be Not Surprised (with viola)

Postcards from Ukraine
(nos 4-6)

Aria (from the Classical Suite for piano)
Ihor Shamo (1925 - 1982)

Melodia for viola and piano
Myroslav Skoryk (1938 - 2020)

Two Ukranian patriotic songs
1. The Crane - Oleksandr Bilash (1931 - 2003)
2. I look at the sky - Lyudmila V. Aleksandrova (19th century)

Prayer for Ukraine
Mykola Lysenko (1842 - 1912)

Fergus Black was born in Scotland. After taking his degree at St. Andrews University, he studied music in the USA, at the University of Pennsylvania and at UCLA, before returning to the UK. He is semi-retired, and chooses to play in concerts he enjoys with people he likes. He continues to conduct the St Martin’s Singers and Primary School choir events. He lives in Peterborough with his wife, Helen, and his web site is at www.fergusblackmusic.uk

Bridget Howarth graduated with a diploma in Music from Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology and continued her studies in London with the late Sally le Sage. She has an extensive repertoire as a solo soprano, and also continues to sing with numerous groups including the Vox Coelestis, Fayrfax Consort and the upper voices choir, Amicorum. She has sung at the Edinburgh Festival, international choral competitions in France, Spain, Italy and Hungary and festivals in St Petersburg, USA, France, Italy, Sardinia, Germany, Poland and Finland.

Husband and wife viola duo, Leon King and Katharine Parsons, live in Peterborough. Katharine studied viola at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and then went on to study English Literature at Cambridge University. She moved to Peterborough in 2003 to teach for Cambridgeshire Music, and continued to be active as a chamber musician, most recently with the Hesperides Quartet. Katharine currently teaches upper strings for Northamptonshire Music and Performance Arts Trust. She is a keen writer, has published an article in Faith and Freedom magazine, and is presently working on a book about the value of arts education. Leon won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music to study viola, chamber music and composition. He has worked as a freelance player with many British orchestras including the Academy of St. Martin-in-the Fields, BBC orchestras, the Philharmonia and RPO. He also studied baroque viola with Jan Schlapp and is an experienced specialist in period performance practice having worked with a number of period instrument orchestras including the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Academy of Ancient Music, Gabrieli Consort and Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra.