CANDLELIT CHRISTMAS RECITALS

Each year, in late November, Richard Durrant swaps his regular touring show for these beautifully presented Candlelit Christmas Recitals.

The repertoire is usually centred around the English renaissance and performed on a selection of plucked strings, but Durrant then contrasts this with Christmas music from around the world.

There are always two versions of the show, one tailored for larger, professional venues and the other for all sizes of English churches. In 2010 Durrant played the Gulbenkian Theatre Canterbury one night followed by the tiny Saxon church of All Hallows, Woolbeding Sussex the next. The Gulbenkian audience was treated to the full splendour of a Durrant stage production with vast, projected, Christmas images and beautiful lights filling the space - whilst in All Hallows Durrant sat surrounded by a hundred candles (the church has no mains electricity) his solo guitar singing out acoustically with the pathway to the church lit by lanterns.

In 2011 it was the turn of the Stables in Wavenden, Trinity Arts Centre in Tunbridge Wells and All Saints Chapel, Eastbourne to host the larger scale Christmas productions. The more intimate acoustic nights were at Wilmington and Woolbeding churches. The finale was once again at the Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham on the night of the Winter Solstice. The concert was a complete sell out with a large waiting list for tickets. A wonderful end to a memorable year of concerts and a lovely start to Christmas.

Candlelit Christmas Recitals 2011:

One man and a guitar wander through the English Reniassance, discovering Bach on the ukulele, meeting the Sugar Plum Fairy and Claude Debussy just as Silent Night drifts across the Mississippi Delta. This is no ordinary guitar recital. This is a Candlelit Christmas Guitar Recital by the UK’s most imaginative concert guitarist. An evening performed on beautiful acoustic instruments.