Cello
Guy Johnston
Guy Johnston is a British cellist and the winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year award in 2000.
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A British Isles Fantasia with Guy Johnston & Dame Sheila Hancock
Friday
19
February
2027
,
7:00 pm
Smith Square Hall, London, SW1P 3HA
(view map)
Sandy Denny/Fairport Convention Who Knows Where the Time Goes
John Dowland Lacrimae Tristes
George Harrison While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Edward Elgar Cello Concerto: Adagio
Yusuf/Cat Stevens Father and Son
James Oswald A Curious Collection of Scots Tunes (selection)
James MacMillan Kiss on Wood
Scottish Trad. Dumfries Place Jig
interval
Trad. Folk & Fair Medley (She moved through the Fair, Scarborough
Fair, Llangollen Market, Lads o' the Fair)
Karl Jenkins Palladio: I. Allegretto'
Huw Watkins Three Welsh Songs
Donnacha Dennehy Thread
Enya Only Time
Irish Trad. The Kesh Jig (set)
With arrangements by Harry Baker
Guy Johnston
Cello
Dame Sheila Hancock
Speaker
Tom Fetherstonhaugh
Conductor
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Folk song, classical music and timeless storytelling meet in a vivid journey through the landscapes, languages and musical traditions of the British Isles.
We are joined by cellist Guy Johnston and actor Dame Sheila Hancock for a programme that travels across centuries and borders, bringing together music shaped by memory, place and the passing of time.
The music of the British Isles has always crossed boundaries: between folk and classical traditions, between the concert hall and the pub, and between generations. James MacMillan’s Kiss on Wood, Huw Watkins’ Three Welsh Songs and Donnacha Dennehy’s Thread bring contemporary voices into conversation with older musical traditions, while arrangements by Cheryl Frances-Hoad and selections from James Oswald’s A Curious Collection of Scots Tunes reveal the enduring vitality of folk music.
From Who Knows Where the Time Goes to While My Guitar Gently Weeps, from Highland jigs to Scarborough Fair, this is a concert rich in melody, character and connection, a celebration of the music that continues to shape the soundscape of these islands.
Book early and save: enjoy 15% off tickets for our 2026/27 Smith Square season until 30 September - Use Code: PALLADIO
Collaborators
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Guy Johnston
Guy Johnston is a renowned British cellist, celebrated for his exceptional skill and artistry. His early successes included winning the BBC Young Musician of the Year, and significant awards, notably the Shell London Symphony Orchestra Gerald MacDonald Award, Suggia Gift Award and a Young British Classical Performer Brit Award.
Performances and recordings with eminent conductors have included collaborations with Alexander Dmitriev, Andrew Manze, Sir Andrew Davis, Daniele Gatti, Ilan Volkov, Leonard Slatkin, Mark Wigglesworth, Robin Ticciati, Sir Roger Norrington, Sakari Oramo, Vassily Sinaisky, Yan Pascal Tortelier and Yuri Simonov.
Speaker
Dame Sheila Hancock
Dame Sheila Cameron Hancock is an English actress, singer, and author.
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Dame Sheila Hancock
Dame Sheila Cameron Hancock is an English actress, singer, and author. She has performed on stage in both plays and musicals in London theatres, and is also known for her roles in films and on television.
“There’s one (teacher) that sticks in my mind. One of the joys at my age is music – classical music, and there was a teacher called Miss Tudor-Craig who did musical appreciation. One day she played the Romeo and Juliet overture by Tchaikovsky and I was blown away.”
Conductor
Tom Fetherstonhaugh
Tom is Fantasia's Conductor & Artistic Director.
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Tom Fetherstonhaugh
Tom’s start in music was fortuitous, as he was lucky to be introduced to an inspiring violin teacher by his grandmother at the age of four.
At eight he became a chorister of Westminster Abbey, an experience he describes as ‘transformative’, benefitting from musical training that featured high profile occasions like singing the solo at the Royal Wedding in 2011. Tom then attended Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School, a state comprehensive that champions music and the arts.
He continued with the violin, sang, played the organ, and started to explore conducting, enjoying the process of rehearsals and the ability both to make music with and to bring together large groups of people. It was in his final year at school that he saw the potential for a career in it, founding Fantasia Orchestra in 2016.
Tom now enjoys a busy career with major orchestras, including with the BBC Philharmonic and the National Symphony Orchestra Ireland. In his rare moments of downtime he enjoys running, listening to jazz, and cooking, likening the process to conducting — it being about balance, flavour, pacing and bringing people together.
Venue
Smith Square Hall
Smith Square Hall is a concert hall in the centre of Smith Square, Westminster.
Smith Square Hall, London, SW1P 3HA