Final Musical Weekend Features Pandemic Quartet and Classic FM Contenders

A quartet which formed and sang together in the park during the days of Covid social distancing and a choir shortlisted for the Classic FM carol competition 2023, are amongst the musicians who will this weekend be entertaining visitors to Levens Hall and Gardens near Kendal.

After two tricky weekends weather-wise, Levens Hall and Gardens is looking forward to staging its third weekend of Silhouettes and Song.  This combines the opportunity to tour the Guinness World Record-holding Topiary Garden – the oldest in the world – with the chance to enter the Elizabethan Hall and hear festive music performed against the backdrop of its magnificent interior.

On both Saturday December 16 and Sunday December 17, Levens Hall and Gardens will be open from 11am to 4pm and both dates offer an opportunity to appreciate some fabulous Cumbrian talent.

Between 11am and 1pm, on December 16, the musical entertainment will be provided by cappella quartet, Parcapella, who have continued to perform together since their days in the park.  They will be singing an eclectic mix of songs, old and new, mostly seasonal in character but with a few different tunes thrown in.

From 1.30pm to 3.30pm, Grange-over-Sands band, The Sands Band, will be the kingpins of music in the Hall, delighting with Christmas carols and songs sung in a folk style.

On Sunday December 17, the morning session will feature a small ensemble from Kendal Concert Band, who will play a selection of tradition Christmas carols with a variety of wind instruments, including flute, clarinet, French horn and euphonium.

Then, from 2pm to 4pm, the event will come to a crescendo with the arrival of Levens Choir and its innovative, wide-ranging repertoire of traditional carols and unusual pieces drawn from European Christmas tradition in countries including Sweden, Italy, France and Russia.

Levens Choir has made the last 10 of the 2023 Classic FM carol competition and is currently waiting to hear if its recording will be one of five played on air, on the  late afternoon Drive programme.

This unique way of appreciating the beauty of Levens Hall and Gardens, in such a traditional festive way, will be open to all visitors. The Elizabethan Hall has amazing craftsmanship exhibited in features such as stained glass, carved fireplaces and plasterwork, plus exciting and unusual historic items on display.  Atmospheric festive décor and a roaring fire will add to the ambience, creating goose bumps as the performers entertain and fill the Hall with song.

Visitors also have an option to enjoy a festive menu in Levens Kitchen, with dishes and treats including Norfolk Bronze turkey with trimmings or Pithivier of hay-baked celeriac with trimmings.  Levens Bakery, which opened in the summer, will have festive bakes and cakes for sale, whilst Levens’ gift shop will inspire those seeking Christmas gifts.

Visitors can pay on the gate, at an event costing just £5.50 for adults and £2 for children, with pricing having been set to assist families struggling to make heritage visits during the cost of living crisis.  Last entry is at 3.30pm.

Details of how to find Levens Hall and Gardens for this event are at www.levenshall.co.uk

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Editors notes

Levens Hall & Gardens is a historic house in the South Lakes, Cumbria, close to Kendal and home to the world's oldest topiary gardens, dating from 1694, created by French garden designer, Guillaume Beaumont. The Hall is a stunning Elizabethan house built around a 13th century pele tower and has close links to the Duke of Wellington, as well as various items which once belonged to him and Napoleon Bonaparte. Levens Park is home to the rare Bagot goats gifted to the Bagot family and a place in which to stroll and enjoy nature. Levens Kitchen is the contemporary new cafe, full of delights for cake lovers and foodies alike.