Swindon Recital Series 2025-26

Welcome to the Swindon
Recital Series 2025-26.
As Artistic Director of the Swindon Recital Series, I am proud to present you with a season of professional chamber music events. Following on from our successful themed seasons: Bohemian Rhapsodies, French Impressions and Modernist Classics, we’ve elected to feature the sumptuous and melodic music of Johannes Brahms.

As Gramophone commented: “One of the giants of classical music, Johannes Brahms appeared to arrive fully armed, found a style in which he was comfortable – traditional structures and tonality in the German idiom – and stuck to it throughout his life. He was no innovator, preferring the logic of the symphony, sonata, fugue and variation forms” (January 2025).

Choosing Brahms has led us to some unusual and appealing collaborations, such as clarinet and cello, viola and clarinet, and French horn with violin. It’s also an opportunity to hear a wide range of Brahms’ chamber music, of which he is a master. In a development of our usual events, we’re planning a unique performance of Brahms’ German Requiem to mark the date of his death, which happens to fall on Good Friday in 2026.

Many of our programmes feature major works by other composers, such as: Mozart’s Kegelstatt Trio; Liszt’s virtuosic Piano Sonata; Shostakovich’s Piano Quintet and Strauss’ glorious Four Last Songs.

I have succeeded in attracting some of the best soloists from around the country to entertain you. Some of our artists will be familiar to our regular audience, but we are particularly proud to introduce Jamie Cochran (solo piano) and singers Andrea Tweedale (soprano) and Matthew Palmer (baritone) to the family, who are particularly talented musicians and communicators.

In conclusion, we’re eagerly anticipating entertaining you with a unique live music experience in the heart of Swindon.

Paul Turner
Founder and Artistic Director