Performances

William Drakett studied singing under Prof. Konrad Jarnot at the Robert Schumann Conservatoire in Düsseldorf, following organ and harpsichord studies at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. His vocal studies have been further enriched by masterclasses with artists including Brigitte Fassbaender, Juliane Banse, Hans Eijsackers, Neal Davies, Eric Schneider, Christianne Stotijn & Henk Neven.

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William has a particular love of the art song repertoire, and enjoys collaborating with pianists including Hans Eijsackers, Benjamin Mead, Edward Picton-Turbervill, Simon Carrey & Reinild Mees. He now lives in Wells where he is a Vicar Choral in the choir of Wells Cathedral, and continues his vocal studies privately with John Evans

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Based near Tavistock Square, Bloomsbury Baroque is an ensemble of some of London’s finest historically informed musicians. They perform on period instruments with a mission to illustrate the cultural life of the eighteenth century – and earlier - through an exploration of the vast wealth of repertoire of that era. For this recital for our Festival they concentrate on music relating to Shakespeare and his legacy. 

The Ensemble is composed of Philippa Hyde - soprano; Diane Moore - baroque violin; William Summers - baroque flute and recorder; Ibrahim Aziz - bass viol, and Yeo Yat-Soon – Harpsichord.  

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Jennifer Waghorn is a theatre history researcher and musician based in Stratford-upon-Avon. She is currently finishing her doctoral thesis at the Shakespeare Institute on the original music of Shakespeare’s theatre company and the seventeenth century composers who worked between the theatre and the court. She has advised on music history for productions at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and The Other Place since 2018 and has worked with the Historical Dance Society on reconstructing Jacobean court masque entertainments.

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Jennifer is also a theatre composer, musician and musical director. She has written music for thirty productions (mostly Shakespeare) and was named Stratford-upon-Avon Musician of the Year in 2018.  ​​​​

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Founded by Stephen Dodsworth and Tim Raistrick in 1993, the Stratford Chamber Choir quickly established itself as one of the leading small choirs in the country. For over thirty years it has performed concerts and services in its home town, in UK cathedrals including Winchester and Westminster, and on tour in North America and continental Europe. Gifted amateurs working to professional standards, the choir aims for consistently high standards. It has been featured on BBC Songs of Praise and on Radio 3.

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Its Festival programme will include the jazz settings of Shakespeare’s words by George Shearing as well as others by Vaughan Wiliams, Benjamin Cook, R.J.S. Stevens, Henry Bishop, James Walker and John Cook. ​​​​​

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