Our fifth free concert on Friday 17 May: Thomas Siemens presents Some time ago in Paris

Some time ago in the 19th century, Paris was a centre of the musical world and perhaps the most important centre for the guitar. Many virtuosos from different countries came to the city, some to pass through, some to stay. Soon the guitar was a big trend and the salons were filled with its sound. In this concert we will explore this to-many-unknown world of so-called "guitar mania" and meet some interesting people and their music along the way.

Thomas Siemens, born and raised in Germany, comes from a musical family and began his musical journey early. He received training in piano, violin (later viola), and singing, but found his passion in the classical guitar. Notable successes include winning the Isolde-von-Müller Prize and performing at the international festival "Eurofestival der Zupfmusik".

Under the guidance of Michael Tröster, Thomas completed his guitar studies and attended masterclasses with renowned artists such as Aniello Desiderio, Scott Tennant, and Carlo Marchione. His artistic endeavors range from solo performances to chamber music and teaching. He performed in and outside of Germany with concerts bringing him as far as Japan.

Currently, Thomas is a doctoral student at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, researching improvisation on the guitar in the 19th century. He is excited to contribute to the understanding of this fascinating aspect of musical history and looks forward to participating in the work of reintegrating classical improvisation into today's music practice.

You can find Thomas on YouTube and Instagram.

Dates for the next few concerts are: 21 June, 19 July and 16 August

Free Friday Lunchtime Recitals at St Mary’s have been made possible by a generous legacy left by Denise Antenen.