Use the calendar below to find concerts and musical entertainments.
You can now book your tickets for Charlton Church concerts via this link! https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/st-peter-and-st-pauls-charlton-church-dover
MUSIC AT CHARLTON - An Overview
Thanks to its size, its versatile lay-out and the beauty of its remarkable acoustic, Charlton Church is Dover’s prime venue for live music. As it is becoming more widely known, Charlton is increasingly a sought-after venue for choirs, large scale concerts, ensembles and soloists. It is also developing a vital educational role, hosting services, workshops, demonstrations and concerts given for and by local school children. Charlton is delighted to be facilitating the work of Deal Music and Arts in Dover, and looks forward to involvement in the developing work of the newly formed Dover Youth Orchestra.
Music is of course an essential part of worship at Charlton Church and it has become a vital part of our mission in Dover, a town that has been identified by the Arts Council as a Priority Place for cultural ‘levelling-up’. We are proud to offer to the Dover community a range of affordable musical experiences, bringing people together for high-quality, enjoyable and uplifting entertainment.
Charlton Church – a music hub for Dover!
Please continue reading to find out more.
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CHARLTON FINE ARTS
The generous donation of a fine grand piano spear-headed the creation of Charlton Fine Arts, a series of monthly Sunday-afternoon recitals starting in September 2023 and concluding in May 2024. The aim was to enhance lives by bringing affordable, live, high-quality musical experiences to Dover, serving the community around Charlton Church and further afield. The performers included the counter-tenor Richard Decker, the pianist Oliver Poole, the mezzo soprano Penelope Turner and the pianist Helen Crayford. Local support was solid from the start and has continued to grow as word has spread.
We are extremely grateful to artists who helped launch Charlton Fine Arts by giving of their time and expertise, or by taking only a token fee. Thanks to their generosity, we now have an established concert series, and have been able to plan a 2nd Season, scheduling seven exceptional concerts for Dover.
Admission is £8 and remains free for under-18s. Refreshments after each concert prove to be popular, giving a chance to meet the performers or to relax and enjoy the impressive setting of Charlton Church. For information about the 2nd Series, and recollections of the first, please see the Charlton Fine Arts page.
It's not too late to buy a Seaon Ticket: Click here to read about the 2nd Season.
CHOIRS AND LARGER SCALE CONCERTS
Recent choral highlights have been a return visit by the excellent Kent Police Male Voice Choir and a ‘Come and Sing’ performance of Stainer’s Crucifixion and Handel’s Zadok the Priest directed by Rupert Preston Bell.
In the months to come, various choirs and ensembles will give concerts at Charlton. These will include Sound Waves (formerly the P&O Choir), Revelation Strings, Alright on the Night and the Bradstow Chamber Orchestra.
In July, the Thanet Chamber Choir under the direction of tenor, Greg Tassell, came to Charlton to sing choral evensong for the official welcoming of the Revd Melissa Carter. The music was beautiful and an atmospheric addition to the lovely words of the Evensong service. We look forward to the choir's return for a concert.
MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENTS
We are pleased to say that the spectacular performer on electric cello, Christian Grosselfinger, will include Charlton once again in his tour, appearing on March 31st, 2025. Christian’s show has to be seen to be believed as he creates a one-man orchestra with his very own technique: Celloop!
MUSIC FOR SERVICES
WORSHIP BAND
Charlton's skilful Worship Band, led by Alistair Mackie on the guitar, provides the music for Parish Mass once a month and for special services at the church and in the Dover Town Benefice.
MUSICAL REGENERATION
Plans are afoot to form a Charlton Church Choir. Please use the link to find out more.