ClareStevens
@silverlawn.bsky.social
Writer, editor and occasional publicist, specialising in classical music, choral music and music education. Northern Irish by birth, graduate of a Scottish university, now living in the Welsh Marches after 30 years in London.
Reposted by ClareStevens
Trump wants to destroy the BBC and take our money. And Nigel Farage is egging him on.
All true patriots should tell them both: hands off our BBC.
All true patriots should tell them both: hands off our BBC.
November 10, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Trump wants to destroy the BBC and take our money. And Nigel Farage is egging him on.
All true patriots should tell them both: hands off our BBC.
All true patriots should tell them both: hands off our BBC.
Reposted by ClareStevens
"We had never read anything quite like it," said Roddy Doyle
www.npr.org/2025/11/10/n...
www.npr.org/2025/11/10/n...
'Flesh' wins 2025 Booker Prize: 'We had never read anything quite like it'
David Szalay uses spare and sparse language to follow one Hungarian-British man from his teen years through middle age. The prestigious prize honors the best English-language novels published in the U...
www.npr.org
November 10, 2025 at 10:24 PM
"We had never read anything quite like it," said Roddy Doyle
www.npr.org/2025/11/10/n...
www.npr.org/2025/11/10/n...
Reposted by ClareStevens
Gillian Anderson at her most heartbreaking! Blue Lights faces among cast! But Lola Petticrew steals the show! Here's my review of new drama #Trespasses, which airs from Sunday to Wednesday on Channel 4 www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfi...
Trespasses on Channel 4 review: Gillian Anderson at her most heartbreaking
This story of forbidden love in Troubles-era Belfast is raw, warm and ultimately uplifting
www.standard.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Gillian Anderson at her most heartbreaking! Blue Lights faces among cast! But Lola Petticrew steals the show! Here's my review of new drama #Trespasses, which airs from Sunday to Wednesday on Channel 4 www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfi...
Reposted by ClareStevens
The Joy of Cambridge: Egyptian-style Art Deco Cinema that the owners want to demolish to maximise profits. Maximising profits is what has killed the earth and its cultures.
September 26, 2025 at 4:41 AM
The Joy of Cambridge: Egyptian-style Art Deco Cinema that the owners want to demolish to maximise profits. Maximising profits is what has killed the earth and its cultures.
Reposted by ClareStevens
A quick reminder that this wee gem goes out this afternoon at 3:45pm. If you miss it you can catch up later on BBC Sounds.
Save the date. I’ve a brand new short story about an exorcism in a nursing home on @bbcradio4 next Friday (26th) at 3:45pm expertly read by Seamus O’Hara and produced by the brilliant Michael Shannon (our 20th collaboration for Radio 4) I really love this wee story #ShadowingGordon
September 26, 2025 at 9:03 AM
A quick reminder that this wee gem goes out this afternoon at 3:45pm. If you miss it you can catch up later on BBC Sounds.
Reposted by ClareStevens
“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”
― Cicero
Wishing you a relaxing evening and a fabulous Friday with this reddish pink dahlia delight from Gamble Garden!
#dailyflowers 🌱
#flowerreport
#bloomscrolling
― Cicero
Wishing you a relaxing evening and a fabulous Friday with this reddish pink dahlia delight from Gamble Garden!
#dailyflowers 🌱
#flowerreport
#bloomscrolling
September 26, 2025 at 1:08 AM
“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”
― Cicero
Wishing you a relaxing evening and a fabulous Friday with this reddish pink dahlia delight from Gamble Garden!
#dailyflowers 🌱
#flowerreport
#bloomscrolling
― Cicero
Wishing you a relaxing evening and a fabulous Friday with this reddish pink dahlia delight from Gamble Garden!
#dailyflowers 🌱
#flowerreport
#bloomscrolling
Reposted by ClareStevens
Rosie Dawson reviews two programmes about #Wales, #art, and love offered some welcome respite in a week otherwise dominated by noisy discussion about speech and its consequences
#Radio #Reviews 📻🎨
#Radio #Reviews 📻🎨
Radio review: Artwork: Love’s Moment: R. S. Thomas and Mildred Eldridge and In the Studio: Jon Foreman: Art that goes out with the tide
Two programmes about Wales, art, and love offer Rosie Dawson some welcome respite
www.churchtimes.co.uk
September 23, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Breathtaking colours on the Isle of Arran today.
September 23, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Breathtaking colours on the Isle of Arran today.
After a couple of hours of torrential rain, the skies cleared slightly yesterday afternoon to create this autumnal riverscape at Ogmore, South Glamorgan.
September 15, 2025 at 3:00 PM
After a couple of hours of torrential rain, the skies cleared slightly yesterday afternoon to create this autumnal riverscape at Ogmore, South Glamorgan.
Thanks very much to @theartsdesk.bsky.social for running my review of this year's very inspiring Presteigne Festival (Disclaimer: I live in Presteigne, but I have nothing to do with running the festival, so this is genuinely impartial!) www.theartsdesk.com/classical-mu...
Presteigne Festival 2025 review - new music is centre stage in the Welsh Marches
If you were a devotee of Dmitri Shostakovich whose only opportunity to attend some live performances marking this year’s 50th anniversary of his death was spending the weekend of 21 - 25 August at the...
www.theartsdesk.com
September 12, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Thanks very much to @theartsdesk.bsky.social for running my review of this year's very inspiring Presteigne Festival (Disclaimer: I live in Presteigne, but I have nothing to do with running the festival, so this is genuinely impartial!) www.theartsdesk.com/classical-mu...
Reposted by ClareStevens
It's Wednesday's Breakfast on BBCRadio3. Good morning! New releases from cellist Pablo Ferrandez & Andrew Davis's final project. There's violinist Lisa Batiashvili playing Prokofiev & remembering Choo Hoey the conductor& mover-shaker who had a huge impact on music in the Far East
September 10, 2025 at 6:10 AM
It's Wednesday's Breakfast on BBCRadio3. Good morning! New releases from cellist Pablo Ferrandez & Andrew Davis's final project. There's violinist Lisa Batiashvili playing Prokofiev & remembering Choo Hoey the conductor& mover-shaker who had a huge impact on music in the Far East
Reposted by ClareStevens
Reposted by ClareStevens
Scaling the heights! 🏔️
We loved our stint in the mountains earlier this month. On a free morning we climbed one of the mighty mountains – a little adventure to balance the music-making! 🎶✨
Later this week we’ll be in Rouen for a performance of ‘Mirror of Time’.
We loved our stint in the mountains earlier this month. On a free morning we climbed one of the mighty mountains – a little adventure to balance the music-making! 🎶✨
Later this week we’ll be in Rouen for a performance of ‘Mirror of Time’.
August 20, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Scaling the heights! 🏔️
We loved our stint in the mountains earlier this month. On a free morning we climbed one of the mighty mountains – a little adventure to balance the music-making! 🎶✨
Later this week we’ll be in Rouen for a performance of ‘Mirror of Time’.
We loved our stint in the mountains earlier this month. On a free morning we climbed one of the mighty mountains – a little adventure to balance the music-making! 🎶✨
Later this week we’ll be in Rouen for a performance of ‘Mirror of Time’.
The stage is set at St Andrew’s Church for Presteigne Festival to begin tomorrow … presteignefestival.com
August 20, 2025 at 6:36 PM
The stage is set at St Andrew’s Church for Presteigne Festival to begin tomorrow … presteignefestival.com
Reposted by ClareStevens
Good morning Bluesky. I'm not generally a fan of Bach transcriptions for orchestra, which to my ears make JSB sound stodgy, soggy and bloated, so I'm surprised by how much I'm enjoying this. A fine tribute to much-missed Sir Andrew Davis.
#NowListening #NewReleases2025
#NowListening #NewReleases2025
August 20, 2025 at 6:24 AM
Good morning Bluesky. I'm not generally a fan of Bach transcriptions for orchestra, which to my ears make JSB sound stodgy, soggy and bloated, so I'm surprised by how much I'm enjoying this. A fine tribute to much-missed Sir Andrew Davis.
#NowListening #NewReleases2025
#NowListening #NewReleases2025
Reposted by ClareStevens
Worth remembering that Terence Stamp was the son of a ship's stoker.
Stamp desperately wanted to act, after falling in love with movies as a kid, and it was a scholarship to Drama School that allowed him to walk that path.
Every time arts cuts are made, they rob us of more Terence Stamps.
Stamp desperately wanted to act, after falling in love with movies as a kid, and it was a scholarship to Drama School that allowed him to walk that path.
Every time arts cuts are made, they rob us of more Terence Stamps.
August 18, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Worth remembering that Terence Stamp was the son of a ship's stoker.
Stamp desperately wanted to act, after falling in love with movies as a kid, and it was a scholarship to Drama School that allowed him to walk that path.
Every time arts cuts are made, they rob us of more Terence Stamps.
Stamp desperately wanted to act, after falling in love with movies as a kid, and it was a scholarship to Drama School that allowed him to walk that path.
Every time arts cuts are made, they rob us of more Terence Stamps.
Reposted by ClareStevens
Best of the garden mid August 🌼 #Bloomscrolling #garden #gardening #zone3 #canadiangarden #cottagegarden #cutflowers #grownnotflown 🌱🇨🇦
August 18, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Best of the garden mid August 🌼 #Bloomscrolling #garden #gardening #zone3 #canadiangarden #cottagegarden #cutflowers #grownnotflown 🌱🇨🇦
Reposted by ClareStevens
Day 2 of our BBCRadio3 Breakfast roadtrip. Welcome to Westonbirt National Arboretum! Too dark for photos right now, so here's the setup from yesterday afternoon. 6.30-9 30 with live music from the Bristol Ensemble 🌲🌳🌴
August 19, 2025 at 5:11 AM
Day 2 of our BBCRadio3 Breakfast roadtrip. Welcome to Westonbirt National Arboretum! Too dark for photos right now, so here's the setup from yesterday afternoon. 6.30-9 30 with live music from the Bristol Ensemble 🌲🌳🌴
Reposted by ClareStevens
Welcome to WWTSlimbridge and day one of BBCRadio3 Breakfast from Gloucestershire, Somerset and taking you to the Proms at Bristol next weekend. And this morning there's live music from folk stars Miranda Rutter, Sam Sweeney and Rob Harbron. 6.30-9.30am all week
August 18, 2025 at 5:27 AM
Welcome to WWTSlimbridge and day one of BBCRadio3 Breakfast from Gloucestershire, Somerset and taking you to the Proms at Bristol next weekend. And this morning there's live music from folk stars Miranda Rutter, Sam Sweeney and Rob Harbron. 6.30-9.30am all week
Reposted by ClareStevens
Walking from Sheffield to Edale via Stanage Edge, Bamford, Back Tor and finishing at the start of the Pennine Way
August 8, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Walking from Sheffield to Edale via Stanage Edge, Bamford, Back Tor and finishing at the start of the Pennine Way
Reposted by ClareStevens
Labour MP Vicky Foxcroft has quit her job as a government whip in opposition to the government's plans to cut disability benefits
The Labour MP wrote in a letter to the prime minister she could not vote "for reforms which include cuts to disabled people's finances" 👏
news.sky.com/story/labour...
The Labour MP wrote in a letter to the prime minister she could not vote "for reforms which include cuts to disabled people's finances" 👏
news.sky.com/story/labour...
Labour MP Vicky Foxcroft quits as government whip over cuts to disability benefits
The Labour MP wrote in a letter to the prime minister that she could not vote "for reforms which include cuts to disabled people's finances".
news.sky.com
June 20, 2025 at 4:59 AM
Labour MP Vicky Foxcroft has quit her job as a government whip in opposition to the government's plans to cut disability benefits
The Labour MP wrote in a letter to the prime minister she could not vote "for reforms which include cuts to disabled people's finances" 👏
news.sky.com/story/labour...
The Labour MP wrote in a letter to the prime minister she could not vote "for reforms which include cuts to disabled people's finances" 👏
news.sky.com/story/labour...
Reposted by ClareStevens
Already really warm at 5.30am. The Salford sunflowers are loving it. Breakfast BBCRadio3 is live till 9.30. The dawn chorus was an Eastern Meadowlark in the US of A, Bach Before 7 is from his 1st Orchestral Suite, and there's a hot wind blowing in a song by Monteverdi. 🌻🌻🌻
June 20, 2025 at 5:46 AM
Already really warm at 5.30am. The Salford sunflowers are loving it. Breakfast BBCRadio3 is live till 9.30. The dawn chorus was an Eastern Meadowlark in the US of A, Bach Before 7 is from his 1st Orchestral Suite, and there's a hot wind blowing in a song by Monteverdi. 🌻🌻🌻
Reposted by ClareStevens
Farewell to legendary pianist Alfred Brendel, one of the great musicians of our time, who has died aged 94.
Brendel was made HonDMus in 1999, and we were privileged to welcome him back to the Royal College of Music in 2011 for an illuminating masterclass.
Brendel was made HonDMus in 1999, and we were privileged to welcome him back to the Royal College of Music in 2011 for an illuminating masterclass.
June 18, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Farewell to legendary pianist Alfred Brendel, one of the great musicians of our time, who has died aged 94.
Brendel was made HonDMus in 1999, and we were privileged to welcome him back to the Royal College of Music in 2011 for an illuminating masterclass.
Brendel was made HonDMus in 1999, and we were privileged to welcome him back to the Royal College of Music in 2011 for an illuminating masterclass.
Really interesting appointment of Gabriel Crouch as artistic director and principal conductor in succession to Paul Hillier, announced today by Chamber Choir Ireland, a unique professional ensemble who always perform really interesting programmes: www.chamberchoirireland.com/new-artistic...
Chamber Choir Ireland announces new Artistic Director and Principal Conductor
We are thrilled to announce the appointment of the internationally renowned conductor Gabriel Crouch as Chamber Choir Ireland's new Artistic Director and Principal Conductor.
www.chamberchoirireland.com
June 18, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Really interesting appointment of Gabriel Crouch as artistic director and principal conductor in succession to Paul Hillier, announced today by Chamber Choir Ireland, a unique professional ensemble who always perform really interesting programmes: www.chamberchoirireland.com/new-artistic...
Reposted by ClareStevens
Very pleased to say that my new publishers, Swift Press, will be republishing my novel Villager this September. The link is now up if you'd like to preorder (and the ebook will be available a little earlier): www.amazon.co.uk/Villager-Tom...
June 17, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Very pleased to say that my new publishers, Swift Press, will be republishing my novel Villager this September. The link is now up if you'd like to preorder (and the ebook will be available a little earlier): www.amazon.co.uk/Villager-Tom...