Epsom Playhouse‘s capacity audience had patiently waited 12 months after Milton Jones show was postponed in 2022. The King of the One-Liners rewarded their forbearance with his unstoppable flow of puns and word play. “The other day I said to my longstanding girlfriend – sit down”. That sort of thing in isolation is OK but when one of a torrent of double-entendres laughter is irresistible.

Following one of Milton’s many granddads appearing on Zoom, Thomas Houghton provided a creditable and funny warm-up act that was a substantial part of the first half. Not wishing to give too much away in case you wish to catch his show on tour – Mr. Milton made deft use of national flags in holding topical and witty conversations between nations. The EU and Union Jack exchange was the shortest and funniest.

The funny showman has nearby performances coming up in Horsham 29th October, Camberley 2nd November and Farnham 4th November. See: https://miltonjones.com/live-dates/

The London Django Collective (LDC) charmed the capacity audience at Epsom Jazz Club on Tuesday 18th October sweeping all along with their infectious enthusiasm for Gypsy Jazz, playing fabulous versions of Django Reinhardt compositions including “Flèche d’or” and “Nuages” alongside the band’s own music. 

This Quartet don’t just perform standards from the early 20th century, they write their own tunes within this genre as well. LDC exquisitely delivered the captivating “Marrakech” and “Samoreau”, composed by guitarists Kourosh Kanani and Harry Diplock respectively. 

Violinist Matt Holborn solidly commanded The Oaks Room venue, both on his instrument and on the microphone between tracks. And the audience were kept waiting until the very last track (“Billets doux”) for a tantalising solo from bassist Pete Thomas. 

An incredible foursome, and such accomplished ambassadors for this well-loved style of Jazz. 

Epsom Jazz Club returns with its final concert of 2022 on Tuesday 15th November, welcoming the Tobie Carpenter Organ Trio to The Oaks Room. For more information and tickets visit  www.epsomjazzclub.com

@EpsomJazzClub on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook

Surrey Arts inclusion music teacher Raghad Haddad has won the Inspirational Music Leader Award at the Youth Music Awards 2022. Raghad received her award on 19 October in Troxy London in recognition of her work for Surrey Arts as a diverse leader of refugee background, supporting vulnerable children in Surrey.

Raghad Haddad is a viola player from Yabroud, a small town in the mountains north of Damascus. Since being granted asylum in the UK in 2018 she has performed at numerous charity events in London and Brighton and recently performed with Damon Albarn, The Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and The Orchestra of Syrian Musicians.

On behalf of Surrey Arts Raghad has worked on multiple projects supporting vulnerable children including SEND and refugee children and has been the executive producer of a major international music project involving the United Nations and 120 participants from around the world.

After finding out she won the award, Raghad said: “I was speechless when they announced my name as the winner of the Inspirational Music Leader at the Youth Music Award 2022 this week!

“It’s such an honour to have received this award and I’m so grateful to my colleagues at Surrey Arts for the support they have given me since I arrived in the UK from Syria. 

“Thank you for giving me the opportunity, not only to rebuild my own life but also the privilege to help others affected by war, poverty, climate change and discrimination. Sadly, the need to support displaced communities is not getting smaller and I look forward to supporting more of your transformational projects in the months and years ahead.”

Kavyan Hajirostami also won the Young Leader Award for their work with Big Leaf. Big Leaf support Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) across Surrey and work closely with Surrey Arts on a range of music and arts projects. You can find more information about Big Leaf here: https://www.bigleaffoundation.org.uk/

Surrey County Council news

ShedArt Gallery will be painting for Epsom based Surrey Stands With Ukraine during Mole Valley Arts Alive in October. There will be paintings of sunflowers and other subjects in different media and sizes. All proceeds from the sale of these paintings will go towards a bus pass for a local Ukrainian family and the rest will go directly to the charity.

In addition to the Ukraine-themed paintings, there will be over 100 other works on display including from two new artists who have recently joined the Gallery. These events are always a lot of fun for everyone and it’s a chance to meet the local artists and see how they work.

One artist has welcomed a Ukrainian family into her home and the gallery has become aware of how difficult it is for them to live in a different country and not able to speak English and hence not able to work. They decided to help by dedicating wall space in their gallery to Ukraine. Some of the artists have chosen sunflowers as their theme. Some will donate a piece of their existing work to this cause.

In addition to the Ukraine-themed paintings, there will be over 100 other works on display including from two new artists who have recently joined the Gallery. These events are always a lot of fun for everyone and it’s a chance to meet the local artists and see how they work.

ShedArt Gallery is located in Harlow House Barn, Dukes Road, Newdigate RH5 5BX Telephone: 07851 71395
(Do not use Post Code on SatNav. Enter from Rusper Road end – no entry from Partridge Lane)

There is free parking and toilets, with complementary tea and coffee available. Please note that there is a small flight of stairs to access the studio.

Admission is FREE.

www.shedartgallery.com shedart@shedartgallery facebook.com/Shedartgallery Instagram.com/Shedartgallery

Vice Lord Lieutenant of Surrey Sir Stephen Lamport came to Epsom Saturday 24th September. Addressing an audience in Epsom Methodist Church he condemned the aggression of Russian President Putin. He welcomed to Surrey those refugees from Ukraine who have come. He applauded the work of local charities, including Surrey Stands With Ukraine.

His speech was followed by 90 minutes of classical music performed by Ukrainian musicians. Sergei Sinkovski and Yevheniia Semydilko played Bartok duets on violins and Vivaldi. Kateryna Bolkunevych sang Casta Diva from Bellini’s opera Norma and Song to the Moon by Dvorak. Her powerful voice filling the vaulted Worship Hall. She was accompanied by pianist Bogdana Ravliuk who played Ukrainian composer Lysenko’s elegy.

Epsom poet Audrey Ardern-Jones, who’s Ukrainian mother fled Kiev in WWII to escape the Nazi occupation read three poems including a haiku. Translated and read in Ukrainian by the evening’s co-presenter Darina Dvorinchenko.

Young star of Surrey’s Yehudi Menuhin School of Music, Vadym Perog, born in Odessa, played a Mozart sonata for violin accompanied on the piano by Svitlana Kosenko.

The evening was crowned by Juliya Komyshan who brought tears from the standing audience with the Ukrainian national anthem. She played and sang other music using the traditional Ukrainian bandura instrument; to the amazement of all.

Jazz pianist Gabriel Latchin’s Trio performed in the Oaks Room (Conservative Club, Church St Epsom) on Tuesday last. The ever-growing Epsom Jazz Club audience were thrilled with the booking. The Trio performed wonderfully varied sets featuring unique versions of songs by Bossa Nova pioneer João Gilberto, a beautiful reworking of “They All Laughed” by the inimitable Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong, and Latchin’s own composition “Carlora” (a dedication to his parents).

American jazz bassist Christian McBride is quoted as saying “Gabriel is an excellent musician and one hell of a nice guy”. No-one could possibly argue with that.

He’s made a name for himself as one of the UK’s finest musicians, known for his effortlessly swinging feel, deep repertoire and compelling performances, and Epsom’s Tuesday night crowd lapped the three musicians up.

Gabriel Latchin was accompanied on stage by the rock-solid Jeremy Brown on double bass and long-standing collaborator Josh Morrison on drums. A truly wonderful Jazz Trio and understandably a number of the audience were keen to purchase and take home a personalised CD.

And if that wasn’t enough, Epsom Jazz Club had also organised an interval act! Ukrainian refugee Yulia Komyshan had previously performed on the Bandura at a Ukrainian Music Evening held at Epsom Methodist Church, and her remarkable rendition of a blues number went down equally well this week with the Jazz enthusiasts. Incidentally, there’s another Ukrainian Music Evening this Saturday 24th September – again featuring Yulia and her Bandura!

The next Gabriel Latchin Trio album is scheduled for release in early 2023. But until then we’ll just have to make do with listening to his first three albums “Introducing”, “The Moon And I” and “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” on rotation.

Epsom Jazz Club returns with its monthly residency at The Oaks Room on Tuesday 18th October, featuring the ever-gigging and ever-swinging London Django Collective. This is sure to be a popular concert – for more information and to purchase tickets in advance visit EpsomJazzClub.com

@EpsomJazzClub on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook

The University for the Creative Arts (UCA) Epsom welcomes the return of its in person postgraduate shows with work created by our master’s students 2022.

For one week only, UCA Epsom will be displaying innovative work by Epsom MA Graphic Design students as they take the next step in their careers and begin to shape their futures in the creative industries.

Epsom’s University for the Creative Arts (UCA) offers advice to degree seeking ‘A’ Level students. “With over two million jobs in the Creative Industries across the UK, choosing a degree in a creative subject is no longer just about following your passion – it’s a sound career choice” says Julian Henry, UCA’s Head of Student Recruitment.

“If you’re looking at courses in Clearing, choosing a creative degree, can help you develop the skills that employers of the future are looking for – innovation, problem-solving and collaboration. You might also be surprised by the types of creative courses on offer, such digital art, games design or even business degrees focused on creative thinking.”

For students thinking beyond a traditional degree and looking for a course that will let their imagination run free, the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) in Epsom offers its top tips for Clearing.

1. Don’t panic – just breathe! Take the time to think about what you want from your course and what you want to get from your university experience.
2. Focus on your strengths. Think about what you’re passionate aboutand the skills you have that are often undervalued in traditional subjects, like imagination, curiosity and open-mindedness.  
3. Keep an open mind and think outside the box. Want to pursue a creative career – then think creatively about what you study – you might be surprised by the range of creative courses on offer.
4. It’s not all about grades. It’s fine to change your mind about your what you want to study but do think about whether your qualifications and personal statement are still relevant. At UCA we consider more than just grades – we want to know about your creative potential.
5. Check out your options. Don’t wait until Clearing Day to start looking at universities and courses, ask questions online or sign-up to online events to find out more.
6. Think about what you need. Universities come in all shapes and sizes. At UCA we are focused on creating a personal, supportive and close-knitted communities.
7. Contact someone and ask questions. If you’re curious about a course, contact the university and ask questions. There’s no commitment and you might just learn something from the way they respond.

“When you choose to study a creative degree, you’ll be stepping into more than a games design studio, film set or architecture workshop – you’ll be stepping into a lifetime of learning, creating, and opportunities.”

A recent graduate from UCA Alex Rahneva enthuses.

“UCA gave me the opportunity to become more independent through self-work and be able to adapt to different circumstances. I think the key skill I’ve learnt for my future is the resilience to create independent work.
And the advice I would give to students would be, believe in your work and trust your talent. It might be very daunting to put yourself out there but at the end of the day, making connections is all about showcasing your work, your skills, and your creative ability to innovate. Industry experts recognise and value this above all else!

I’ve had plenty of opportunities at UCA to meet and network with people from the creative industries, including amazing networking opportunities with industry experts at Graduate Fashion Week. As well as opportunities to meet and network with companies like Meta/Facebook and USP (Unique Style Platform), having won awards sponsored by them at UCA’s Business School for the Creative Industries Industry Awards 2022. Both experiences have been eye-opening and gave me experience and guidance on how to make my way into the fast-paced and global creative industry.”

Ukrainian refugee musicians delighted a packed audience in the Epsom Methodist Church Saturday 30th July. On behalf of the local community Mayor of Epsom and Ewell Cllr Clive Woodbridge extended a warm welcome to all Ukrainian refugees and thanked the sacrifices of local hosts who have taken them into their homes.

Organised by Lionel Blackman with Nina Kaye of Epsom Refugee Network and Surrey Stands With Ukraine, the evening was compered by Darina Dvorinchenko, a refugee from Odessa, who also conducted all the required interpretation.

In response to the Mayor professional pianist Natalia Zadorizhna expressed the deep gratitude to our community for all we are doing in standing with her country in the “evil time”. And that gratitude was demonstrated by fine performances also from her young daughter Diana, who played the piano and recited from memory and in English the Ukrainian poem “Love Ukraine” by Volodymyr Sosiura.

Young Liza Pryiemska played piano, recited the poem in Ukrainian and sang beautifully. 21 year old Tetiana Zheliba at short notice replacing an artist who fell sick, took to the fine grand piano at EMC for two compositions.

Young 16 year old Nika Vlasova played Schubert’s “The Bee” solo on violin.

Like a winged harp carrying angel Yulia Komyshan, recently arrived from Ukraine, had heard about the event on a social network and simply turned up unannounced, Bandura in hand. She crowned the night with the audience standing to the national song and included in her performance was a remarkable rendition of a blues number. She certainly blew the blues away. The audience all rose to their feet in a sustained ovation for these remarkably talented and brave Ukrainians.

Epsom man Philip Lovel celebrates his 80th birthday today (Thursday 28 July) in the knowledge that he has successfully published his first ever novel – a classic ‘whodunnit’ now available on Amazon and at bookshops.

Philip is a retired police officer who has lived in Epsom for almost fifty years and has had a decades-long ambition to write. The result was the 190-page crime thriller ‘The Tribulations of Miss Glass’, published through London publishing house Austin Macauley.

Set in the 1920s and 1930s, the novel tells the story of a missing headmistress, a murder and mysterious goings-on in and around a small town in the Midlands. The enigmatic schoolteacher Letitia Glass and her disappearing colleague are at the centre of the action – with fictional detectives Chief Inspector Martin
and Inspector Carlsen on the trail.

The book’s twists and turns aim to keep readers guessing. Will Miss Glass – who can be cruel and kind in quick succession – reveal her secrets? And whose is the body in the quarry?

Philip said: “I had great fun writing it and am delighted the book has now been published. I drew on my policing experience from the 1960s and 1970s and then adapted it. Policing a century ago was very different to now – no radios, no DNA, and operating under different laws and procedures.” He adds: “A few of the characters are amalgamations of teachers and other people I knew from my childhood growing up in Malvern, Worcestershire and later at work but I don’t think anyone will recognise themselves!”

Philip plans to spend his birthday in Epsom, celebrating with family – and his new status as a published author.

The Tribulations of Miss Glass is published by Austin Macauley
wwww.austinmacauley.com.