Tutors on this weekend’s Mandolin and Voice Weekend, Simon Mayor and Hilary James, are joined by the Mellow Virginians Andy Baum and Richard Collins for a special evening performance.

Simon Mayor will bring the hilarious banter and mandolin wizardry  he is known for (he’s one of the world’s leading virtuosos, not to mention his fine guitar and fiddle playing). Alongside Hilary’s “wonderfully honey-dripping voice” and unusual basses!

To ring the changes and bring a trans-Atlantic flavour to the weekend there will be two guest musicians from Simon and Hilary’s quartets, the Mandolinquents and Slim Panatella and the Mellow Virginians. Andy Baum and Richard Collins are both multi-instrumentalists and vocalists who, as well as featuring on the Saturday night concert, will be adding the occasional harmony in Hilary’s singing group and joining in on one or two of Simon’s mandolin arrangements. You’ll see them around throughout the weekend.

 

Simon Mayor is one of the world’s leading mandolin virtuosos and composers for the instruments. His many faceted career includes his own series on BBC Radio 2, an album in the Classic FM Top Ten chart and causing mayhem at a Canadian humour festival, but his most thrilling moment was a journey through the square window on BBC’s Playschool!

“Matchless playing and breadth of genres, from classical to ragtime. Superb.” Musician Magazine

Hilary James’ ‘elegant singing’ (Daily Telegraph) has received much acclaim: quintessentially English but easily crossing the great musical divides from British folk ballads to blues and Berlioz. She’s famed too for an unlikely taste in bass instruments (she could turn up with her giant mandobass or slimline, semi-acoustic double bass). Her fine guitar accompaniments cross the genres from Vivaldi to bluegrass and she might even manage a step-dance if the wind is in the right direction.

Andy Baum and Richard Collins are the Mellow Virginians.