Looping Through Time, in Leicester's oldest church

Following on from a performance of A Musical Iliad last year, St Nicholas Church is pleased to welcome back Lizzie Guthridge, with her solo project Consort of 1, to our ancient building.

Consort of 1 is Lizzie Gutteridge's live-looping Early Music project where she performs historical on historical instruments including fiddles, bagpipes, shawms, percussion, recorders, and pipe & tabor. By combining these sounds of the past with some 21st century technology new light is thrown onto ancient music, peeling back, then building up the layers of anything from Medieval dances to lyrical chansons. Historical melodies are given the lightest of modern make-overs with the aid of live looping equipment. Much of this material lends itself well to the layers and cycles that can be produced using the loop station, and most, but not all, of these new arrangements are based on the premise of "what might a person from the period when this tune was written have done with this technology, had they had the chance?"

The concert programme and album Looping Through Time explores historically informed interpretations of pieces from historical manuscripts, ranging from 13thc dance tunes through 15thc chansons and 16thc consorts to Divisions on a ground from the 17thc. Ever since starting out with this project nearly 10 years ago I have set myself a few ground rules: no special effects which alter the sounds of the instrument, nothing louder than the natural acoustic sounds produced by the historical instruments, and every note of every show is played live on the day with nothing pre-recorded.

Although the music and instruments will be briefly introduced and explained between pieces, the emphasis is on the music's own ability to intrigue, enlighten and entertain: When a 5 part consort piece by Holborne is put together one part at a time, it can allow the modern audience a chance to notice elements of the interplay between parts which might otherwise pass them by, as each layer changes the perspective on both rhythm and harmony. A 2-part Ductia from the 13thC can be gradually layered up in 4 or more parts, throwing light on the relationships between different sections of the music by playing them against each other. I hope that this show will introduce period music to new audiences as well as giving current fans a new way to experience something familiar.

Looping Through Time is also available as an album either on CD or as a download through bandcamp

https://www.consortof1.co.uk/shop

https://consortof1.bandcamp.com/album/looping-through-time

Lizzie Gutteridge took up playing shawm as a part of the historical re-enactment movement to re-form Waits bands throughout the country, then decided to pursue it further and make it her main occupation. She plays a wide range of historical instruments, including bagpipes, recorders, curtals and fiddles. Her most recent project is to play the ancient Greek aulos, and she has ambitions to learn the Medieval slide trumpet.

Lizzie performs up and down the country, in and out of historical costume, including as a member of Blondel and The York Waits. Freelance engagements have included the Globe's “Nell Gwynn”, both on tour and in the West End, “The Knight of the Burning Pestle” at the Wanamaker Theatre, performances in Morocco and London with Passamezzo, large scale events at Hampton Court and the Tower of London as well as TV appearances on “Thronecast – Gameshow of Thrones” and “A Merry Tudor Christmas with Lucy Worsley” and live & recorded performances on bagpipe of Gregory Rose’s “Dance Macabre”.

When she’s not performing Lizzie also makes reeds for Renaissance instruments including shawms, curtals, sordunes and crumhorns, and teaches around the country where her workshops and taster sessions are in increasing demand. Back home in Essex she runs The Colchester Waits, an ever-expanding amateur shawm band for all comers which currently consists of about 16 enthusiastic players of Medieval and Renaissance wind music with musical backgrounds ranging from pop and folk to classical or none at all!

https://www.facebook.com/Consortof1

https://www.consortof1.co.uk/programmes

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Tickets will also be available to purchase on the doors.

Children under 12 go free.

Best parking for this event is at the Highcross John Lewis, which is just £2.50 after 5pm.

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Host or Publisher St Nicholas Church, Leicester