LDCS is a non-profit making registered charity which was founded in 1944. Some of its history makes for amusing reading today, for example the famous contralto Kathleen Ferrier receiving her performance fee – a cheque for 15 guineas! She is only one of the eminent musicians LDCS has engaged, they also include Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears (1946 and 1947); Julian Lloyd Webber (1972 – apparently he visited several Louth pubs) and in the 1990s The Amabile Quartet. For simple reasons of cost ensembles are a bit of a rarity.
More recently LDCS has promoted its International Concert Series. A season of six concerts during the winter months at the Salvation Army Hall mainly featuring young up and coming musicians who the musical charities have kindly subsidised. When we woke up after covid lockdown, necessity, as much as anything else, meant some change of emphasis. We are currently experimenting – with new venues such as St James’ Parish Church and the Riverhead Theatre and different days of the week and weekends afternoons. We are also looking to engage fully professional artists. They come at a price but in March 2023 the classical guitarist Carlos Bonell filled the Riverhead Theatre with nearly 200 tickets sold. In November we will welcome Piers Adams, arguably the greatest recorder player of the modern era, , and founder of the the ultra-popular Baroque ensemble Red Priest. Together with Lindy Mayle on keyboard they produce Baroque Alchemy!
