The classical music group Harmoniemusik will be returning to Cornwall to give three concerts at the Parish Church of St Columb Major in August.

Harmoniemusik’s ‘Classic Cornwall’ series has secured a loyal and enthusiastic following since its first concerts in August 1992, when it began its annual celebration of outstanding chamber music in the attractive surroundings of the Parish Church at St Columb Major, an historic setting noted for its beautiful acoustic.

The three concerts take place on Tuesday, August 27, Thursday, August 29, and Saturday, August 31, all from 7.30pm.

Since its formation in 1991, Harmoniemusik has given more than three hundred concerts in the United Kingdom, Europe and beyond, has made a number of CD recordings and has become renowned for its distinctive repertoire and performance style.

The group have performed at other venues in Cornwall, and widely within the United Kingdom and abroad, most recently in tours of Belgium and Germany between 2007 and 2022 and in concert in France between 2009 and 2016.

In July 2015, Harmoniemusik was invited to perform at The Janacek Festival at Hukvaldy, Czech Republic, giving a concert of Janacek’s music on Janacek’s birthday. In May 2017, they was invited to perform William Walton’s Façade at The Dulwich Picture Gallery at their prestigious concert series, more recently, performed for the Roseland Music Society and at Travethan Barn near Blisland.

Harmoniemusik have also visited Cornwall on a number of occasions to give free seminars and workshops to pupils at Treviglas Community College in Newquay and the St Columb Major Community Primary School.

This year’s varied programmes include much-loved classics of the chamber music repertoire such as Elgar’s piano quintet, Mozart’s horn quintet (both on Thursday) and Bach’s Suite in B minor (Saturday) with its famous final movement ‘Badinerie’. 

Tuesday’s concert features works by Mahler, Vaughan Williams, Faure, Mozart, York Bowen and a new work by Jason Carr called ‘Winter in Sherwood’ for flute, clarinet and piano.  

This year’s Saturday programme also includes a colourful quintet by JC Bach, a selection of three miniatures by Frank Bridge adapted for clarinet, bassoon and piano and Rimsky-Korsakov’s impressive quintet for piano and wind (K452).

Light pre-concert suppers (from 6pm) and interval refreshments will be served each evening in the Columba Centre.

Tickets are available in advance at harmoniemusik.square.site, by post from Harmoniemusik Bookings c/o Glebe House, Market Place, St Columb Major, TR9 6AN or on the door.