Below, you'll find news and comments in chronological order, so, the most recent stuff is at the bottom of the page

2-week tour of the Channel Islands

Ian Laurence, resident Public Realtions Officer [with special responsibility for brass quintets], looking after Chaconne at Alderney Airport.
Behind the camera is Resident Visual Media Operator Miguel Montero [with special responsibility for brass quintets]. At the rudder is Captain John Jackson [with special...].
Thanks to you all for getting us safely to Jersey

Chaconne

''Dear Chaconne, (Chaque un? You were certainly a notre Goute!) My wife Sally and I had a marvellous evening with you at St James in Jersey - We had our early morning tea this morning to the strains of "We are not alone" and felt that we were still among the friends we had met last night! I am now typing to the haunting and searing sound of the flugel horn extravaganza "An Iberian Draft..." which was my highlight of last night's concert - well, not so much a concert, as a family gathering. We felt as welcomed, though not as expert, as you new member, Emily!
Congratulations on a thoroughly moving, entertaining, varied and musical evening - you may find me donning shorts, despite my 67 year old knees, and creeping in as a school boy on Wednesday's Schools afternoon! Our friend came to join us not knowing what to expect and left having loved it - another convert!
With best wishes and many thanks and more congratulations''

Philip and Sally Le Brocq

‘’Rod McLoughlin enjoys an evening of musical content, charm, guffaws and...a garden hose.’’
Chaconne Brass at St James - the Jersey Evening Post.

''...well-judged deadpan humour that made a couple of hours in the company of Chaconne Brass on Friday at St James such fun...''

''...But what makes it such a good evening out is, of course, the addition of a high degree of technical skill on the part of the players and the very effective demonstration of the breadth of musical possibilities open to this combination of instruments. Chaconne Brass either arrange or commission their own repertoire, and Edward Longstaff’s four-movement Sonata, written two years ago, provided evidence of the success of their relationship with contemporary composers.'' ''...Longstaff’s Sonata deserves to be mentioned along the Arnold Quintet...''

''...one of the most successful works was a fantasy on the slow movement from Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez...demanding a feel for bending the notes and rhythmic flexibility that you don’t always get with classically trained musicians...''

''...In the end, a concert like this is more than the sum of its parts. What appeals is not just the musical content or the essential charm of much of the music but the sense that you have had a thoroughly good night out without being patronised in the least.''

and, finally, the perceptive Rod observes that...

''...tuba player James Doherty (easily mistaken for the Liberal Democrat MP for Montgomeryshire)...'' (!)

Chaconne will investigate this further . We'll let you decide, but it looks like James' cover is blown. Not easy for anyone to have to own up to having a career in politics.

Addlesdon, Surrey, recital:

''Just a short note to say thank you for a wonderful recital last Wednesday.  Everyone who attended was quite excited at having been there and asks about next year''.

Jeremy Axten

Hello Chaconne !,

''I just want to say THANK YOU for a most excellent gig ! ...I loved every minute of the evening. However, being a member of a very elite group of much sought after musical talent (A TUBA PLAYER !!!) I am disappointed that you did not allow Maestro Doherty more chance to show off his virtuosity...simply superb...I had an absolutely fabulous evening...especially when played as well as you guys do ! ...your gig was the best gig I have been to in YEARS. And...I have not given up playing, rather I have been inspired. ALL HAIL JAMES DOHERTY !''

Simon Middleton. Tuba Player and proud of it !

''Thank you all for a splendid concert.Not only was the quintet in splendid form instrumentally but you also provided us with fun filled information about the composers and and their works. Splendid! Hope to have you all again in the future.
With all best wishes to you all.'' Sue Murdoch

It is now possible to buy and download Chaconne repertoire, scores and parts, on-line!
Click here or on the brand new and shiny 'buy chaconne scores' button at the top of the page.

Dear Sirs and Madam,

''What a great website !!!'' Cliff Palmer

Re Chaconne's recital in Pangbourne:

Wonderful concert, inspirational playing. Thank you.   
Tony and Hazel Driver

Recital for Lanercost Festival, Lanercost Priory, Cumbria:

''...Well worth the drive from the outposts of west Cumbria, yesterday's recital at marvellous Lanercost Priory was a delight. Splendidly balanced music and something for everyone in the programme...By the way excellent website and photos.''
Stella

Phew! What a scorcher!
I hadn't expected what I heard and saw last night at Lanercost. Mrs Trellis would have been amazed. It was wonderful. I grew up surrounded by music, but always assumed a brass section would need accompanying rhythm section too. And it didn't strike me that I could spell mellifluous until last night! Bowled over by brass. Hope you come again.
Judy Belford

March 2007
Chaconne rehearsing before their concert at
the Philharmonie in Berlin, the first concert as part of a 5-day tour.

...and a workshop with school-children in the same hall, Andreas Peer Kähler helping out with the German translation

3rd March 2007, recital at the South Holland Centre, Spalding, UK. June Atkins of BBC Lincolnshire writes:

''Chaconne Brass are the ultimate brass quintet that has managed to harness a very rare power over their audience. They charm, even seduce the unsuspecting until very slowly temptation of such overwhelming passion filters into their victim. As you succumb, control finally passes and surrender is complete as superb music explodes onto the sound waves.''

and, just as you thought that it couldn't get any better;

''...Versatility oozes from these guys, their repertoire is outstanding, don't let it be said a piece of music, any piece of music can't be played by brass because believe me it can! ...We should not run the risk of missing such talent or expanding our own horizons.'' ''...Give it a try. After all you may like it!''
''...A truly spectacular evening. Brass is beautiful!''

Classical Music 28th April 2007 writes:
Chaconne a son gout: Peter Soul of Reading was not sure what to make of the Radio Times Radio 4 listing promising programme 'Go 4 It, with African music group Chaconne Brass'.
'The text-message nature of the programme name warned me it might be dangerous for my aging ears to listen to more than the first few seconds,' he says, "but even so it was immediately evident that this was no mere assembly visiting from abroad, but indeed the esteemed ensemble that is based here in Reading.'What's more, says Mr Soul, the members are all British except for a Swedish trumpet-player.

David Hill, the BBC Singers and Chaconne at St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge, London, in November 2007, recording Chris de Souza's Missa Douensis for the BBC, due to be broadcast on Radio3, Easter Sunday 2008

Sally Wagner writes 23.12.07 of Chaconne's 8th annual Christmas Concert:

DEAR Chaconners ALL - it was absolutely wonderful - since it always signals the START of Christmas we look forward to it EVERY YEAR but we all reckoned that you've capped it AGAIN - programme balance was perfect, choir was WONDERFUL, drummer and kora were WONDERFUL, organ was WONDERFUL and CHaconne were just brilliant...

Our guests this time were Jally Keba Susso (cora/jembe), Issa Sawane (dance/jembe) and Gillian Dibden with the Taplow Youth Choir; soloists Sarah Maxted, Daisy Bevan, Roseanna Brown, Douglas Gibbs and James Wilder.