This month George and I are travelling to Torrington in Devon to perform at St. Michael & All Angels Church. On Tuesday, 23 November 2021, at 19:30, we will be performing our first song recital together as the Todică duo following our wedding in August. We are really excited to share the stage as husband and wife, especially after performing at our friends Harriet and Rory’s wedding last Friday in Norwich – and what a lovely day it was.
In Torrington, we will perform a program inspired by the musical voyage of our last year. The first half will be a montage of Italian and German songs and arias, which we hold dear after performing them as part of our balcony concerts. The second half is inspired by my tour working with Scottish Opera on HMS Pinafore by Gilbert and Sullivan. We will follow the journeys of the female characters – Josephine and Buttercup, as they embark on this royal Navy ship which will become the setting for their entangled love stories. Throughout the evening, there will be piano solos punctuating the program to add a little extra Todica flair! Our musical voyage will continue its travels by disembarking in America with joyful folk songs arranged by Aaron Copland. I couldn’t resist finishing the concert with Glitter and be Gay, as I love any excuse to sing it as I am a musical magpie for sparkles and high notes!
If you are in the area and would like to come along, tickets will be £12 and can be bought on the door or in advance from Michael Downward 01837 83307 or by email merrtyman@waitrose.com.
As an aperitif, George will be performing a solo piano lunchtime concert on the same day – Tuesday, 23 November at 12:30 pm at the Queen’s Theatre in Barnstaple. Tickets will cost £10, and if you can make it, you shall be treated to an hour of Chopin, Debussy and Rachmaninoff.
We will then be visiting local schools on Wednesday to perform a recital aimed at pupils, and then we will hold a masterclass. I am really excited for these events as we will get to hear aspiring young students perform, and we hope to further grow their enthusiasm for music.
Have a delightful time! Although I am certain that would happen anyway. It is exciting and refreshing to see a couple so well matched in private life a well as public. Cheers to you both!!
As our wedding gift, our guests bought us piano keys. It has been just wonderful to raise funds to buy a gorgeous piano that records backing tracks and has a silent function so George can practice late into the evening without disturbing neighbours and me. I have loved practising on the piano since my return from the Scotland tour too.
Best wishes
Charlotte
A great photo, Charlotte! Your schedule is so busy, I hope you guys can keep up! Be well and safe, guys. 😎🇬🇧
Thank you, John, I’m spinning a lot of plates now, that is for sure, but I’d rather be busy than not, and George is always a busy bee.
Best wishes
Charlotte
How exciting to be able to work together! How wonderful your life’s journey is turning out! Each chapter is better than the previous.
Thank you, GP, we both keep trying and striving, learning and adapting. It’s ‘Mack the Knife’ tonight so that’s an exciting twist.
Best wishes
Charlotte
😎
Wunderbar. You two are certainly glittering and gay. You are indeed making your garden grow.
Love it. You got all the mentions in. Whenever I sang in Candide, I thought of George and I, he’d be quite content in a rural farm with his own animals, fruit trees and vegetables, and I’d be floating around trying not to get my shoes muddy haha.
Best wishes
Charlotte
What a wonderful journey for you and George!
Best wishes to you both for success with your efforts!
Thank you, Sheila. We’ve learnt a lot in the last eight years we’ve been together, and fortunately, we’re very simpatico when making music right from the start so that helps.
Best wishes
Charlotte
All sounds exciting. Charlotte.
Thank you, John. I’ll be able to share the driving now on the five-hour drive because George passed his test although he hasn’t had much practice with lockdown. I think I’ll get us out of London first, though, as I’ve been driving for ten years now. We’re in the South East and the venue is in the South West of England.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Always good to have a second drive in the house.
Dear Charlotte,
Very appropriate that you will be performing at all Angels Church since you are an angel indeed. Wish I could be there and I pray that many will be blessed by your performance. May the Lord continue to bless George also as he performs. May the Lord bless you to become one in Christ as a couple.
Aw, thank you Reverend Tim. I appreciate your prayers for us.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Please have good time for both of you!
Thank you, we are looking forward to it.
Best wishes
Charlotte
23rd? Hmmm. I will be in New York. I must say I would love to hear you both perform live. Been 5 years now since I’ve been to the UK. Hopefully we can schedule a trip some day. Do you know what they say in the Theatre in French? (The equivalent of break a leg?)
How lovely, I love New York. If you know someone with a baby 6-18 months I’ll be in a livestreamed opera for babies at the start of December, looking forward to it. I think its merde, either that or some of my friends are having a joke on me. Hehe.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Don’t we all love NY. Been years since I last went. Look very much forward to it.
6-18? Nope. Sorry.
It is ‘merde’ and one does not say thank you. Just goes out on the stage… So: ‘merde’.
I wish you every success. That is a lovely portrait of you both
Thank you Derrick, It’s a George selfie good thing he has a long arm lol.
Best wishes
Charlotte
This is such exciting news – especially that the student has now become the teacher!
We have both enjoyed teaching this past couple of years, I love working with children.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Much to look forward to and many fine memories in the making. Enjoy!
We are both looking forward to performing in Devon, it is a beautiful part of the country.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Husband and wife team. All the best to you both.
It has worked for my Mum and Dad, and fingers crossed it will work for George and I 🙂
Best wishes
Charlotte
What a very full programme! I wish you both well in your concerts and the school recitals and masterclasses. Have fun!
It was fun to put the programme together with George and I cant wait for us to perform it together.
Best wishes
Charlotte
What a varied programme! I love that you will be reaching a wide spectrum of people in a variety of ways. Wishing you both a great trip and attentive audiences.
Hi Hilary, we are hoping that it will be well attended and that people will venture out. I hope the weather stays fine for the drive down as it is a long way in my little car 🙂
Best wishes
Charlotte
A wonderful photo of you both ~ and exciting to see you’re not only busy, but also that you two are able to work and travel together. Wish you well!
Thank you Randall. We do need to develop the duo side more and find booking agents. I hope that you are doing well too.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Charlotte. &George.
How exciting for you both, I’m really looking forward, to hear how all your projects go..
Good luck,I’m sure you will both enjoy it all.
Lots of photo’s please.xxx