This sneak preview of the Stringhenge double album gives a flavour of what we can expect from Richard Durrant’s much anticipated new double album…

1st June sees the first performance of Stringhenge. It also heralds the start of Richard Durrant’s marathon cycle ride from the Orkney islands to the English Channel.

The three week, 1,500 mile, musical adventure will see concert guitarist and composer Richard Durrant performing in a cathedral, the oldest recital hall in Europe, country churches, arts centres and festivals in a programme of British folk music, Durrant originals and music by JS Bach.

Richard Durrant cites the British landscape as the main inspiration for this tour.

But the instruments played at each gig also played a huge part in the formation of this project as Richard explains…

“I’m lucky to be playing what I believe to be the world’s most beautiful concert guitar. It was made from 5,000 year old English Oak by the Lincolnshire Luthier Gary Southwell and the instrument feels like a sacred object. You will also hear my four string tenor guitar (the Uffington Tenor by Ian Chisholm) and a ukulele set aside purely for the music of JS Bach”.

And the new Stringhenge double album will be available on vinyl, CD and download.

It is also somewhat unusual as it includes several guest musicians, the Sompting Village Morris and of course Durrant’s unique multi-instrumental skills.

Stringhenge

Please install the The Events Calendar or The Events Calendar Pro Plugin to display a list of upcoming Events

As well as buying tickets in advance for the tour concerts you can also pre-order copies of Stringhenge on vinyl, CD or download.

If you would like to cycle with Richard and his co-rider Sean please contact us.

Stringhenge

Richard Durrant celebrates the launch of Stringhenge the double album by cycling his solo show from Orkney to Sussex throughout the month of June…

The music for Stringhenge is directly inspired by the British landscape so how better to celebrate the launch of the new album than with a concert tour covering the length of Great Britain. This tour will take in some of the most iconic locations in Scotland and England – here are some of the highlights…

The Ring of Brodgar

Starting on 1 June in St Magnus Cathedral on the island of Orkney – begun in 1137 for the bishops of Orkney when they were ruled by the Norse Earls.

Edinburgh skyline

On the mainland one of the concerts will be at Edinburgh’s Greyfriars Kirk – one of the city’s oldest surviving buildings and an important place in the history of the Scottish Covenanters.

Holy Island of Lindisfarne

Holy Island of Lindisfarne

Along the coast of Northumberland to the remote Holy Island of Lindisfarne and the little Saxon church founded by St Aidan in 635 AD and still a centre of pilgrimage today.

Holywell Music Room

Holywell Music Room

In the city of spires, Oxford and the Holywell Music Rooom – the oldest purpose-built music room in Europe, and Britain’s first concert hall dating from 1748.

BOAT

And finally to a host of venues along the South coast including BOAT – Brighton Open Air Theatre – Placed in The Tatler’s top six outdoor theatres which included Shakespeare’s Globe.

 

Please install the The Events Calendar or The Events Calendar Pro Plugin to display a list of upcoming Events

As well as buying tickets in advance for the tour concerts you can also pre-order copies of Stringhenge on vinyl, CD or download. You can even join Richard (and co-rider Sean) for part of the cycling journey between Orkney and Lindisfarne (June 1st to 8th).

And finally a huge thank you to everyone who supported last week’s fantastic event with at The Hawth in Crawley with Six Grooves for Ukulele. We had a really brillant audience, the amazing Richard Durrent Orchestra and a superb group of community ukulele players..