St Wilfrid’s concerts in Haywards Heath

St Wilfrid’s Church, Haywards Heath has launched its 2026-27 series of nine Second-Sunday Evening music recitals, the first of which was on 13th September. Series organiser Tim Carpenter, director of music and organist at St Wilfrid’s, has planned another eight free recitals at 7.15pm, with a retiring collection for the St Wilfrid’s choral scholarship scheme for those aged 12 to 18.

These recitals, which follow the church’s monthly 6pm to 6.45pm Choral Evensong, are performed by musicians who have already delighted audiences at St Wilfrid’s and others making their debuts there. On 11th October Fergus Byett’s pipe organ recital includes works by J.S. Bach, Buxtehude, Howells and Pachelbel, and then on 8th November Adam Maha (viola) and Tim Chua (violin) play some Martinu madrigals and Mozart’s Duo for Viola and Violin (K.423).

After its Advent and Christmas break, the series resumes on 10th January 2027, when Eddie Gifney (piano) makes his St Wilfrid’s debut in a programme of Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and Medtner. This is followed on 14th February by the welcome return of the 13-strong Tredici Wind Ensemble, who play pieces by Richard Strauss, Grieg and Smetana.

The St Wilfrid’s Choral Scholars themselves sing a selection from their solo vocal repertoire on 14th March, and after the Easter break it’s the turn of the Ardingly College Junior Music Scholars on 9th May, who demonstrate their vocal and instrumental talents.

On 13th June the ever-popular, always moving Elgar Cello Concerto is played in a cello-and-piano arrangement by Tim Carpenter and Fergus Byett; they also perform Bach’s Solo Cello Suite No. 1 and Martinu’s Variations on a Slovak Theme. The series will be rounded off on 11th July by Hannah Carpenter (soprano) and Eddie Gifney, who present Art Song and Folk Songs by Britten and Finzi.

The 2026-27 series details are at flipbook.so/flip/ aqJMTSNZ7O0AN2tv6cI5. For further information contact Timothy Carpenter timothy.carpenter9@gmail.com or visit www.stwilfridshaywardsheath.org.uk.

St Wilfrid’s Church Haywards Heath's scholarship fundraiser

St Wilfrid’s Church’s Choral Scholarship Scheme is now approaching its second birthday, which will be celebrated there with a free organ recital by its Director of Music Tim Carpenter at 7pm on Sunday 11th January. A retiring collection will raise funds for the scheme.

This aims to support young choristers local to the Haywards Heath area. Open to people between the ages of 12 to 18, the scholarships provide tuition, travel expenses etc for singing regularly with the church choir during the school terms, with the hope of inspiring a love and knowledge of the sacred choral canon. St Wilfrid’s choir sings chronologically and stylistically wide-ranging anthems and other sacred music at the weekly 9.30am Sunday Eucharist and 6pm Second Sunday Choral Evensong services.

The Choral Scholarship Scheme is sustained mainly from donations made at the church’s series of 7pm post-Evensong free recitals. These showcase singers and instrumentalists from London to Brighton and have included piano, organ, saxophone and solo singer recitals and chamber music, from Bach, Scarlatti, Brahms and Debussy to Szymanowski, Keith Jarrett and Elton John. They resume on 11th January. Visit the church website (www.stwilfridshaywardsheath.org.uk) and search events.

St Wilfrid’s Church, overlooking South Road, was dedicated in 1865 to the man who introduced Sussex to Christianity and Roman psalm-singing. Its excellent acoustics and fine Tickell pipe organ (1998) have long established it as a popular concert venue for local musical groups such as the Hayward Heath Music Society. It also hosts Ardingly Choral Society’s annual Mid Sussex Remembrance Concert.