Flutes and Frets
La Dolce Vita - Italian music through the ages
Monday, 22nd February 2027 – 7.30pm
Great Hall, Hexham Abbey
A musical journey through time
We first heard Flutes and Frets – Beth Stone and Daniel Murphy – at the 2025 Corbridge Chamber Music Festival and were so taken with them that we invited them to return to the Tyne Valley.
They are two talented young musicians, performing on a remarkable range of flutes and plucked-string instruments. Their work combines historical insight with a fresh, engaging approach to performance.
This evening they turn their attention to Italy, exploring music from the 1400s through to the present day, with works by Vivaldi, Rossini and many others along the way.
Hexham Abbey’s Great Hall provides the perfect setting for this musical journey. Join us there!
Introducing Flutes and Frets
Beth and Dan began performing together as Flutes and Frets in 2021. They are prize-winning musicians who have already appeared at festivals and concert series across the UK and Europe. Their programmes are known for their creativity and imaginative approach to connecting music across the centuries.
Their recently released debut album, Heir of all the Ages, explores four centuries of English music, from Henry Purcell to Malcolm Arnold – and had a very enthusiastic welcome from BBC Radio 3’s Record Review.
This evening’s focus moves south to Italy.
Praise and recognition for Flutes and Frets:
‘I really really love this recording. I think it’s the variety across the instrumentation, the styles, the tonal palettes – it really is a journey through time […] So many musical gems and moments’. BBC Radio 3’s Record Review on ‘Heir of all the Ages’, Flutes and Frets’ new album
‘Complete mastery of a range of instruments seldom heard together in one concert …. Such was the enthusiasm shown for these two brilliant performers that we have invited them back’ Haywards Heath Music Society
‘The evening of music was perfectly paced. […] My favourite part of the evening was seeing young children transfixed on the array of instruments played’ Hampshire Cultural Trust
Programme
Italy has been the birthplace of many composers who have influenced the evolution of Western music over the past 700 years.
Flutes and Frets’ programme celebrates some of the finest of those composers, including Palestrina, Monteverdi and Vivaldi. There is also music by Rossini, including an arrangement of his overture The Thieving Magpie.
This is a fascinating and inspiring chronological journey through Italian music.
Domenico da Piacenza O Dolce Compagno Se Tu Voy Cantare
Guglielmo Ebreo da Pesaro Falla Con Misuras; Colonesse
Francesco Canova da Milano Fantasy for Solo Lute
Palestrina Sicut Cervus
Bartolomeo de Selma y Salaverde Vestiva I Colli
Monteverdi Si Dolce E’l Tormento
Giovanni Antonio Pandolfi Mealli Sonata no.6 op.4 “La Vinciolina”
Matteis Diverse Bizzarrie Sopra la Vecchia Sarabanda o pur Ciaccona
Vivaldi Flute Sonata in C Major RV48
Rossini The Thieving Magpie Overture
Paganini Cantabile
Giuliani Grand Potpourri
Castelnuovo-Tedesco Sonatina, op. 205
Di Marino Sonata for flute and guitar
Watch a recent performance
Two songs by the 17th-century English composer, Nicholas Lanier
An air by the French baroque composer, Jean-Baptiste Drouart de Bousset.
‘August’ from Tchaikovsky’s ‘The Seasons’
Book your tickets
As space is limited in the Great Hall at Hexham Abbey, we recommend booking early.
Book direct with Hexham & District Music Society for the best ticket price.
Event details
Venue: Great Hall, Hexham Abbey, Northumberland
Date: Monday, 22nd February 2027
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: Online through the Hexham and District Music Society website – £20.
Also available from the Queen’s Hall Arts Centre – £23 plus booking fee.
