Concerts revived in memory of tragic school girl

Butterfly Concerts are being revived, inspired by tragic school girl Kate.
Stephanie CantStephanie Cant
Stephanie Cant

The original Butterfly Concert was given at Bishop Hannington Church, Hove, by the nine-year-old Kate Cooper (recorders) and her mother Stephanie Cant (piano) in April 1991, a few months before Kate died of the cancer she had kept at bay since the age of six.

Stephanie said: “Kate designed the Butterfly motif, and during the 1990s many concerts were held in the memory of this child who, undistracted by the travails of cancer treatment, had enjoyed music-making so much, playing the cello, piano and guitar and also composing her piece for violin and cello.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“On March 3 at 7pm, Butterfly Concerts will be revived at Bishop Hannington Church, with the Bernardi Music Group performing. Their leader, Andrew Bernardi, plays a famous Stradivarius violin and he and his ensemble are well known for their wonderful performances in the Shipley Arts Festival in West Sussex and internationally. They are joined here by distinguished special guests Jill Kemp, Joanna Tomlinson, Evgenia Startseva and Esther Ward-Caddle.

Kate playing the recorderKate playing the recorder
Kate playing the recorder

“The concert begins with music by Vivaldi, Mozart, and Schubert and continues with an arrangement of Kate Cooper’s Piece for Violin and Cello played by assembled musicians.”

The premiere of Angelic Imagination, a song cycle for soprano and chamber ensemble composed by Stephanie Cant, with words by Peter Abbs, follows. It draws on Kate’s musical legacy, as does Wedding Songs for solo piano, which will be performed first by the composer.

Angelic Imagination is scored for soprano, recorder, percussion, piano, string quartet and double bass. Entwined amongst Stephanie’s music and readings of Peter’s poems, is a complete performance of the Telemann work which Kate played in 1991, arranged for recorder and string quartet. Stephanie Cant conducts.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Tickets £15 available online: butterflyconcert.bpt.me or by phone from BrownPaperTickets on 0800 411 8881 See www.stephaniecant.co.uk for more information.

Kate playing the recorderKate playing the recorder
Kate playing the recorder

Don't miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you'll be amongst the first to know what's going on.

1) Make our website your homepage

2) Like our Facebook page

3) Follow us on Twitter

4) Register with us by clicking on 'sign in' (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don't miss out!

Always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.