St Mary’s Parish Church Concerts 2026
Launch Concert for Summer Series: Saturday, 23 May.
£25 (Students free*)
We are delighted to welcome back Panos Karan who has the theme Chopin: The Four Ballades & Other Stories Around the World for the Summer Concert Launch on Saturday 23 May at 6.30
Tickets are £25 to include a drink & canapés from 6 pm.
*Students in education are free with an adult.
The proceeds for this concert will be divided between Keys of Change and St Mary's Parish Church. Keys of Change, the charity that Panos supports, is dedicated to bringing the power of music to communities around the world. From a brass band in the mountains of Ecuador to a youth orchestra in Ghana, their projects help young people grow in confidence, creativity, and hope.
Concerts that require tickets can be obtained from Reception (Mon-Fri 9.30-12.30)
01255 679164 / office@stmarysfrinton.org.uk
Thursday Lunchtime concerts in June and July
Retiring collection after each concert for Walton Foodbank and St Mary's
4 June: Robert and Linda (piano) are a duo that is redefining the concert-going experience. Their unique ability to reach out to audiences with exquisite music-making and charisma blended with humour, their vision is to enthral seasoned concert goers as well as reach new audiences. Their concert programmes are tailor-made and mix standard repertoire with their own arrangements.
11 June: Rob Rogers (oboe) who came last year is being joined by his wife, Debbie (flute). Their musicianship and experience always enthral audiences who are lucky enough to hear them.
18 June: Beth Spendlove (violin) is well-known in the area. She founded the Kingfisher Ensemble in 1991, and the Kingfisher Sinfonietta in 2011. Beth has had a duo partnership with pianist Nigel Clayton whose parents used to live in Frinton, for many years. We are always pleased to hear this special duo, and particularly glad that Nigel is willing to travel a long distance to be performing at these concerts.
25 June: Featured as a rising star in BBC Music Magazine, London-based Chinese pianist
Siqian Li brings a rare blend of elegance, dynamism, and artistry to the stage. Her debut recording, Voyage among Fragments, described as a ‘meditation on movement and memory’, serves as an artistic mosaic, gathering ‘shards of experience’ from Li’s life and career into a single, unified ‘language of sensitivity and refinement’.
2 July: Local vocal ensemble, Marenzio Singers, return for the second time by popular request. Emma Bishton (soprano), Lesley Gunfield (soprano), Janet Bullard (alto), Andrew Spencer (tenor), and Paul Torrington (bass) will be singing a varied repertoire. A review from Lexden Arts Festival: The clarity and vitality of their performing style was admirably shown in the wide ranging repertoire, from the cool tranquility of sixteen-century anthems to the liveliness of Britten – and all was conveyed to the audience with infectious enthusiasm.
9 July: Rebecca Welham (’cello) is delighted to be playing a concert with her pianist
Thérèse Miller. Rebecca is a versatile performer whose aim is to break down the barriers
which sometimes make classical music unapproachable, and infuse a sense of wonder and fun. Thérèse played Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with St. Botolph's Music Society Orchestra in July 2025 to much acclaim. We are definitely in for a treat!
16 July: Duncan Archard (organ) always looks forward to playing the final concert in which he hopes to show the colours of the organ in a varied and interesting manner.
Many audience members appreciate seeing him at work through a video link.
Sandwiches were be available on a cash basis
from 12 noon in the Church Hall, Old Road.
Other Events
Saturday, 20 June, 3pm: Harpsichord and Strings concert. Tickets £20.
Students in education are free when accompanied by an adult.
Peter Thorne has written a Quartet, a Concertino and three harpsichord pieces
which deserve to be heard by professional musicians. The programme will be balanced with Mozart’s String Quartet No.21 in D major, K.575.
The concert will last an hour and a quarter,
and afterwards there will be tea & cake.
Sunday, 5 July, 3pm Tendring Male voice choir, conducted by Sarah Stephens.
Summer Concert with refreshments and raffle.
See Tendring Male Voice choir facebook for more information.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/tendring.male.voice.choir/
Saturday, 3 October, 3pm. Beatrice Nicholas, Piano.
£20 to include tea & cake in the interval.
Classical-jazz fusion programme called Classical Swing has proved to be very popular
with audiences and Beatrice returns to bring this concert to Frinton.
Hazel Scott, arr. Beatrice Nicholas Hazel's Boogie Woogie;
Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata Mvt 1;
Art Tatum, arr. Jed Distler Moonglow;
Chopin Waltz in C#m;
Lil Hardin Armstrong, arr. Beatrice Nicholas. East Town Boogie;
Claude Debussy, Clair de Lune;
also Chopin arr. Beatrice Nicholas. Margaret Bonds and Liszt.
Duncan Archard (Chairman, Concert Action Group)