We offer the following performances. Enquiries are invited.
Concerts and Recitals
Full concerts, usually 90 minutes plus interval. We always introduce the music, often including illustrative readings.
A Miscellany drawn from the Musick Cabinet
A "show case" full concert encompassing a variety of styles, ensembles, and periods. The programme will depend on the repertoire currently in rehearsal.
A Mirror to Early Music.
A full concert by the Canterbury Waits. A number of "mirrors" will refect views of aspects or vignettes from the kaleidoscopic variety of mediaeval and renaissance music, from Plantagenet to Jacobean times. The concert will usually include music for shawms, sakcbut, curtal, crumhorns, recorders, viol and renaissance flutes.
Demonstrations, illustrated talks and lectures.
Suitable for:
music clubs, local history societes, WIs, local interest groups,
public lecture series
supplements to educational courses (schools, colleges or adult education),
background for projects and "out-of-season" events for re-enactment societies' drama groups and Art clubs.
The talks can often be tailored to suit the overarching theme of a festival or lecture series.
Sounds of the Past.
A one hour demonstration recital by the Canterbury Waits. Five players. Whole consorts of Crumhorns, Shawms, and great recorders, plus appearances of the viol, kortholt, curtal, sackbut and more.
Note - this recital may be extendable into a full concert.
Tudor Wind instruments
A one-hour demonstration talk by Carl Willetts on wind instruments from the times of Henry the Eighth and Elizabeth the First, using instruments from his collection.
A whistle-stop history tour.
A one-hour demonstration talk by Carl Willetts on the history of the recorder and related instruments.
The Gentleman Flautist.
A one-hour demonstration talk by Carl Willetts on the history of the flute and related instruments.
The Old Town Waits and their Music
A one-hour illustrated talk on the history, music and work of the old city waits, given by the Canterbury Waits. Four or five players.
Music for functions
Live background music to enhance a variety of events.
Ayres for Fayres
Organising a mediaeval fayre or street market in south-east England? If so, consider the Canterbury Waits for period background music. One to five players.
A Feast of musick
Organising a mediaeval banquet in south-east England? If so consider the Canterbury Waits for period background music. Three to five players.
Historical re-enactments.
The Canterbury Waits Shawm band, in costume, can provide the correct period music for joustings and other historical re-enactments.
Flute Salad
Flute duos (possibly trios) ideal for garden parties, cocktail and wedding receptions. Instruments may be either Baroque or modern flutes depending on the venue or event.
The Early Flute Consort
Three to six players of renaissance and baroque flutes. A programme especially suited to the ambience of historic houses. We have provided background music during "open days".
The Flute Digest
A flute and piano recital of easily digestible light classical music designed as background music at lunchtime.
Incidental music for plays.
The Canterbury Waits can provide incidental music for performances of plays, especially those by the late Mr William Shakespeare.
Other groups and performances.
Our eclectic interests mean that there is music in preparation besides the above. We would be please to discuss your ideas for a performance.