On 9 May the City Bach Collective will be taking part in a memorial concert for our much missed friend and colleague Philip Yeeles (pictured), who passed away at Christmas. The event takes place in the atmospheric space and beautiful acoustic of St Mary’s Old Church, Stoke Newington. Various groups and individual musicians who were closely associated with Philip will be performing, and we feel privileged to be taking part. Our contribution is J. S. Bach’s lovely Cantabile ma un poco adagio, BWV 120/ivR, which features oboe and strings, and J. C. Bach’s poignant ‘Mein Freund ist mein’, which sets a beautiful text from the Song of Songs over a chaconne bass. The event is invitation only for reasons of space (the venue will be packed), and guests are coming from all over the world to celebrate Philip’s memory.

Next Bach Vespers: 22 May at 6.30pm at St Mary at Hill, with BWV 37.