Fortune spins her wheel, who will win, who will lose?

Two classics of the 20th century choral repertoire are on the menu for our summer concert.

Most famous to many as the soundtrack for the Old Spice aftershave advert and films such as The Omen, Carmina Burana has become one of the most celebrated and performed works in recent history. Inspired by Orff's instant infatuation with a collection of medieval poems that he chanced upon in an antiquary in 1934, this popular work explores life’s delights, unpredictability, and excesses. Between its explosive opening, insistent tribal rhythms and beautiful melodies, it remains a monumental choral work which never fails to give us the chills even now - perhaps because it makes us feel that the world is much bigger than ourselves.

The Armed Man is a relatively new work which has become a choral classic in its short life. Commissioned by the Royal Armouries to mark the new millennium, it was dedicated to the victims of the Kosovo conflict whose tragedy was unfolding as it was being composed in 1999. An extraordinarily thrilling piece of music, The Armed Man fuses words and music from many different centuries and cultures in condemnation of war and the misery it brings. It takes us on an epic journey from the beginnings of war, faith to see us safely through, to the bloody reality of war, its devastating aftermath and the final realisation that 'Better is Peace'. A message that rings as true today as ever.

Andrew Storey (conductor)
Kent Sinfonia
Ana Beard Fernández (soprano)
Richard Decker (counter tenor)
Rupert Pardoe (baritone) tbc
Tickets are £18, £20 on the door, half-price for under 25s. Ticket includes a programme and interval drink. Ticket Source 0333 666 3366 (£2 fee)

On Sunday May 14 2023, Citizens Advice Epsom & Ewell will be walking, skipping, riding or rolling to raise funds for our community service. Join us for a 5- or 10-mile walk in the countryside around Epsom, Surrey and help us meet our target!

We are walking the extra mile to raise £6,000 so we can support and give advice to people, families, neighbours, young and old, who need our help. It costs, on average, £60 across the year for each client that we help. Raising £6,000 could help an additional 100 clients this year.

The cost of living crisis is having a devastating impact on people in our community. As food costs and energy bills rise, families are struggling to make ends meet. It’s stressful, isolating and frightening. Every day our advisers go the extra mile for these clients to help solve the problems they face.

So will you join us on Sunday 14 May 2023 and together we can walk, skip, ride or roll those extra steps and raise a few extra much-needed pounds for Citizens Advice Epsom & Ewell with Go the Extra Mile – a walking event that’s a little extra challenging and a little extra fun!

Register now for a self-guided 5 or 10 mile walk in the countryside close to Epsom (exact routes confirmed shortly). Entry is £5 per adult and children go free. All entrants are encouraged to gain as much sponsorship as possible. By raising £60 you could enable us to help another client this year. You may wish to set yourself a more ambitious target of £100, compete with your friends to see who can raise the most or even walk in fancy dress.

Please visit our website for more information, where you can register via Eventbrite, download a sponsor form or create a Just Giving fundraising page.

Every day we go the extra mile for our clients. Will you go the extra mile for us?

Netherne Mental Hospital, Coulsdon was opened by Surrey County Council in 1909. Initially accommodating 960 patients, by 1950 numbers had increased to 2,000. The hospital closed in 1994. The surviving archive, now preserved at Surrey History Centre, includes 19,500 patient case files and around 10,000 photographs taken c.1959, exploring all aspects of the hospital's life. From the wards to the airing courts; the art therapy unit to the operating table, these vivid images provide a rare glimpse of daily life inside a Surrey psychiatric hospital, allowing us to take a tour of the hospital on a typical day at what was a turning point in its history.

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council are pleased to announce Bourne Hall’s Festival of Ewell ‘New Beginnings’ which will run from Friday 19 – Saturday 20 May.

The design of Bourne Hall’s building has long had connotations of space and sci-fi, with its circular design, reminiscent of a flying saucer. Through the Festival of Ewell, the community-led venue aims to celebrate this very space-inspired theme. Fans of Dan Dare, the quintessential, alien-fighting spaceman, may also notice links throughout the event to the Eagle comic, which has origins in Epsom and Ewell.

Maps are an important but often overlooked resource for family historians. This talk explores how maps can enhance our understanding of a local area and also shed light on the places where our ancestors lived their daily lives. It will show what can be found in local libraries and record offices and also what is available online. It will also explore some practical aspects of using different sources alongside maps to explore where and how our ancestors lived and hopefully help us to walk in their footsteps.

The Satisfied Eye International Film Festival (SEIFF) returns to Epsom for its 4th season this May.

SEIFF, which rated in the top 100 festivals in the world within its first year, returns with a selection of the best independent features, shorts, documentaries and animation from around the world; as well as free animation screenings for children.

With a high-quality programme including Oscar and BAFTA nominees and winners, premieres, familiar faces ranging from Hollywood legend Jane Fonda to A list regular Oscar Isaac, comedies and cartoons, horror and sci fi, world cinema to the best of British, there is guaranteed to be something for everybody.

Tickets are £5 per screening or a full festival pass costs £25 allowing full access to the entire festival (festival passes at the Early Bird price of £20 until the end of April).

Full event details and tickets at www.satisfiedeye.com/tickets

Some of the best jazz players on the British scene come to Epsom in a programme of finger-clicking, foot-tapping classics from the Great American Songbook. Pianist Chris Lee is joined by saxophonist Luke Annesley, bassist Joe Pettitt and drummer Winston Clifford. A rare opportunity to hear these top jazz musicians in your own town performing in the lovely surrounds of St Martin's Church.

The Friends of Horton Cemetery has been awarded a grant by Historic England for the Out of Sight, Out of Mind digital, arts-based project, revisioning the life histories of patients in Europe’s largest asylum cemetery. Led by Dr Alana Harris on behalf of the charity, we seek to recapture the stories of patients and create a crowd-sourced memorial, overcoming historical amnesia, neglect, and inaction.

As a part of this project, we are painting 900 ceramic flowers to commemorate the 9000 patients buried through regular arts-therapy-based craft workshops.

All welcome. Free of charge.

The event includes discussions about mental health past and present.

Epsom Jazz Club celebrates its 1st Birthday with an evening of top quality jazz from Epsom's very own Nigel Price. Sharing the stage with guitarist Nigel will be his highly-regarded A-list rhythm section of Ross Stanley (hammond organ) and Joel Barford (drums).

Nigel is a regular performer at London's Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club where he has made more than 600 appearances. As leader, he has recorded 10 albums, including six with his own Organ Trio which received the Parliamentary Jazz Award for ‘Best Jazz Ensemble’ and the British Jazz Award
for ‘Best Small Group’.

SOLD OUT SOLD OUT SOLD OUT

Go along and help celebrate Epsom's newest live music venue, tickets just £18!

This year, Epsom Choral Society’s summer concert takes us on a journey of discovery with two exciting British 20th century works.

From green and leafy Surrey we will transport you firstly to Brazil to enjoy the jazz rhythms and sparkling piano of Constant Lambert’s popular 1927 work The Rio Grande.

In the second half, we travel across the Atlantic to Africa with David Fanshawe’s African Sanctus (1972), a work which combines the Latin Mass with traditional music recorded by the composer during his travels up the Nile.

We are delighted that Jane Fanshawe, David’s widow, will be joining us for this concert, and she will give us a short introduction to African Sanctus.

Don't miss this unforgettable night of music.

Details about tickets to follow soon.

EPSOM CHAMBER CHOIR BRINGS YOU MUSIC FOR A SUMMER EVENING

Summer is finally in sight and Epsom Chamber Choir’s concert on 24th June is inspired by the thought of those balmy summer evenings with a scent of flowers wafting past. Daffodils, lilies, roses and cowslips all feature in the music performed by the choir under the direction of their conductor Mark Biggins.

Joining them for this performance, will be international prize-winning harpist Mared Pugh-Evans who will accompany them in the vibrant Choral Dances from Britten’s Gloriana. She will be joined by clarinettist Zoë Humphries to play Paul Reade’s Victorian Kitchen Garden Suite which many will recognise as the theme tune from the 1980s Victorian Kitchen Garden television series.

Their programme begins with the mediaeval ‘Sumer is icumen in’, one of the oldest songs written in English. It continues with flower and dance-themed music by Monteverdi, Jonathan Dove, Chilcott, Whitacre, Fanny Hensel and others.

Epsom Chamber Choir is one of Surrey’s leading chamber choirs, performing regularly at St Martin’s Church, Epsom where the excellent acoustics make the most of the choir’s superb sound.

Time and Place: 7.30pm, Saturday 24th June, St Martin’s Church, Epsom KT17 4PX

Tickets: £16 on the day or £14 in advance, free admission to under 18s From www.epsomchamberchoir.org.uk ; tel 020 86725495;

text: 07940 486163 or from a choir member.

The Rotary Club of Epsom are again this year hosting a variety showcase following the success of the show last year. There will some of the acts as before, namely Leatherhead Link, Protogem Dance Group, Ambition Dance, and Cam Brown, to name a few with new acts taking part. like Epsom Girl Guiding. The show is to celebrate local talent and raise monies for charities to include the charities taking part and great entertain for everyone. We do hope you will join us on the night and support local events at the Epsom Playhouse. Tickets are £25 each and available from Epsom Playhouse