Poetry & Music: Bach, Mozart, Schumann vs Pushkin, Yeats & Shakespeare

We invite you to an evening where poetry and music intertwine in a seamless dialogue — a journey across centuries & continents. In the intimate acoustic of Kensington United Reformed Church, internationally acclaimed pianist John Bryden, bass-baritone Stephen Allen, and poet-composer Julian Henry Lowenfeld unite for a one and only performance that moves between the timeless masterpieces of Bach, Mozart, and Schumann, and the evocative words of literary giants from Pushkin to Yeats and Shakespeare.

The programme opens with the meditative preludes of Johann Sebastian Bach, setting the stage for Lowenfeld’s musical settings of Alexander Pushkin, Percy Bysshe Shelley, W.B. Yeats, and Shakespeare, performed with rich vocal colour by Stephen Allen. Lowenfeld’s own songs and poems are threaded into the programme, shared in his warm, distinctive voice and shaped by his award-winning work as a translator and storyteller.

Highlights include:

• Mozart’s Fantasia No. 3 in D Minor, K. 397 — a work of sudden contrasts and lyrical beauty

• Schumann’s Fantasie in C, Op. 17 (Finale) — a radiant conclusion to an evening of depth and tenderness

• World premiere of Our Hermit Fathers by Julian Henry Lowenfeld

• Moving readings of Pushkin’s most intimate poems, alongside works by Yeats, Whitman, Shelley, and LermontovJoin us for a rare evening where the eloquence of poetry meets the resonance of music — a celebration of the human spirit through words and sound.

The concert organisers are the creative agency RED EVENTS & Distribution Ltd., which makes exceptional cultural events in ancient mansions, on rooftops, in greenhouses and in other most atmospheric venues of Europe, Great Britain, Azerbaijan, Georgia and other countries. Also in the repertoire – a collection of concerts by candlelight and with complete immersion in the space of video art and sound.

Duration: 75 minutes without interval (Doors open 30 minutes prior to the scheduled start time)

Please note: If you are late for a concert, you may be offered seats other than the category indicated on your ticket. Follow the instructions of administrators and security. We recommend arriving at concerts in advance.

PERFORMERS

John Bryden — Piano

Acclaimed British pianist John Bryden has performed as a soloist and chamber musician across Europe, the United States, and Asia, earning praise for his refined interpretations and expressive depth. A graduate of the Royal College of Music and Cambridge University, he has appeared at venues such as the Barbican, Wigmore Hall, and Southbank Centre, and has collaborated with leading ensembles including the English Chamber Orchestra and the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Known for his exceptional clarity of touch and sensitivity to style, Bryden has also recorded for the BBC and released critically acclaimed albums covering repertoire from Bach to contemporary British composers.

Stephen Allen — Bass-baritone

Stephen is a versatile bass-baritone with a rich background in choral and ensemble singing. His vocal journey began as a boy chorister with the choir of St James the Greater under Dr Timothy Lees, and his early choral experiences included prestigious tours to America and Europe. Stephen studied music at Cardiff University and has been an active contributor to Oxford’s vibrant choral scene for 25 years, performing with numerous choirs, chamber groups, and small ensembles, as well as undertaking solo work. He served as Director of Music at St Michael & All Angels, Summertown, for 12 years, and now directs The Liturgy Singers. Stephen has led vocal workshops and previously run a barbershop sextet, showcasing his broad musical interests and leadership.

Julian Henry Lowenfeld — Narrator, Poet & Composer

Julian Henry Lowenfeld is an internationally celebrated poet, composer, translator, and performer. Educated at Harvard and NYU, he is widely regarded as the foremost English translator of Alexander Pushkin, having received Russia’s International Pushkin Medal for his groundbreaking verse translations. His plays and musical works have been performed on stages from New York to St Petersburg, and his poetry collections are published in multiple languages. As a composer, Lowenfeld’s music has been heard in theatres, films, and concert halls worldwide, and his performances — blending spoken word, song, and piano — have been praised for their emotional immediacy and artistry. In August 2025, he premiered his theatrical work Kafka for Beginners, a darkly comic and deeply affecting allegory of conscience and resistance, performed at 59E59 Theatre in New York and featured in the prestigious Fringe Edinburgh Festival.

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