Join in a weekend of recorder playing sessions and recitals celebrating the centenary and legacy of the Dolmetsch Early Music Festival, founded in Haslemere in 1925, with special guests Palisander, Harriet Oliver, Chris Orton, Slava Sidorenko, Philip Thorby, Marguerite Dolmetsch and Brian Blood.

The Dolmetsch Weekend ticket (£75) includes:

Saturday 17 May 2025

14:00 Welcome and registration (Haslemere Hall)

14:30-16:30 Saturday Playing Session

17:00-18:00 Centenary talk “Dolmetsch: Family, Festival and Legacy” followed by Q&A

19:30 Concert: Palisander “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” (St Christopher’s Church)

21:30 Centenary celebration drinks (St Christopher’s Church)

Sunday 18 May 2025

9:30 Welcome and registration (Haslemere Hall)

10:00-12:00 Sunday Morning Playing Session

13:30-14:30 Concert: Chris Orton and Slava Sidorenko Sunrise and Meditations: Music for Carl Dolmetsch and Joseph Saxby (St Christopher’s Church)

15:00-17:00 Sunday Afternoon Playing Session

17:00-18:00 Informal concert (family and friends welcome)

18:00 Close

Tickets for individual sessions/events are also available as follows:

• Saturday Playing Session (£25)

• Saturday afternoon talk: Philip Thorby “Dolmetsch: Family, Festival and Legacy” (£6)

• Saturday evening concert: Palisander “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” (£21)

• Sunday Playing Sessions – includes 5pm informal concert (£45)

• Sunday Younger Players Playing Session* 10am-6pm including 5pm informal concert (£5)

• Sunday lunchtime concert: Chris Orton and Slava Sidorenko “Sunrise and Meditations: Music for Carl Dolmetsch and Joseph Saxby” (£13).

• Younger players/children should be Year 3 or above and have had at least one term’s tuition, and/or be able to play at least three notes (BAG). Under 16s to be accompanied by an adult.

Playing sessions will be facilitated by Palisander, Harriet Oliver and Clive Osgood. Sessions for intermediate and advanced players will run in parallel on both days. As always, large instruments are especially welcome!

A new piece, “Concert Variations” by local composer Clive Osgood, has been specially commissioned to mark the Centenary. During the Sunday afternoon session participants will work on this piece and then have the opportunity to play it alongside Palisander, conducted by the composer.

Please bring your own music stand.

Transport: Haslemere is easily accessible by road (off the A3) and Haslemere Hall is a 10 minute walk from Haslemere railway station.

Venues: The central venue is Haslemere Hall (playing sessions and talk), but we also use Haslemere Educational Museum (playing sessions), which is a 5 minute walk, and the concerts take place at St Christopher’s Church, which is a 20min walk or 5 min drive away.

Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided on both days. For meals during the weekend there are plenty of cafés, restaurants and a Waitrose supermarket within a short walk of our main venue, Haslemere Hall.

Overnight accommodation is not included in the ticket price.

International, award-winning quartet Palisander will curate a weekend of recorder ensemble playing which celebrates the diversity of the recorder. Continuing Dolmetsch’s legacy of reviving and renewing repertoire for the recorder, Palisander will lead sessions featuring a range of repertoire, in chamber groups and recorder orchestra settings. Palisander are Tabea Debus, Lydia Gosnell, Caoimhe de Paor and Lizzie Knatt.

Palisander regularly work with SRP and U3A branches and coach as part of recorder festivals and courses, throughout the country.

“I am really impressed at the fact that all four of you possess the ideal combination of skills for running an all-ability recorder weekend. You are all not only supremely skilful performers, but also empathetic, competent and hospitable tutors (and all-round lovely people)” – Hawkwood
College course participant, 2025

Harriet Oliver is an experienced recorder player, teacher and conductor, based in Wiltshire. She runs two U3A ensembles near Marlborough and has established a thriving U3A ensemble in Woking. She conducts an ensemble in Bookham, tutors a quartet in Woking and gives individual lessons. She is chair of Guildford Society of Recorder Players, regularly conducting the branch sessions as well as conducting at other SRP branches, and runs weekly sessions on Zoom. She is a tutor at the annual October Recorder Festival near Bury St Edmunds.
Clive Osgood is a classical composer, accompanist, organist and music teacher living near Haslemere, Surrey. His written output includes a variety of music for choirs, orchestras and chamber groups. Choral music constitutes the largest part of his work and he has a particular interest in church music.

Clive’s music is in the classical tradition – injected with elements of jazz harmony and the rhythmic vitality of Latin American music. He has released five albums to date, with more due for release soon. In 2024 Clive was joint winner of the prestigious Bach Choir Carol Competition.