Shortly before he died, Roald Dahl gave permission for English Serenata to commission three musical settings of his Revolting Rhymes, after the ensemble’s performance of Cinderella, by Rory Boyle, with Richard Baker as narrator.
Aladdin by Ilona Sekacz, Dick Whittington by Edward Watson and Cinderella by Rory Boyle are set for wind quintet with piano and narrator.
The Dentist and the Crocodile by Guy Woolfenden makes an ideal companion piece to Quintet Opus Number Zoo by Berio, since both pieces are narrated by the members of the Wind Quintet and no keyboard/piano is needed.
During the ensemble’s residency at the University of Wolverhampton, English Serenata collaborated with the university drama department to produce puppet workshops with Dahl Stew for the Birmingham Readers and Writers Festival.
Instrumental workshops for wind and brass with original music, such as Swingaringo or with pieces already in the children’s repertoire are available with performances of two or more of the pieces from Dahl Stew. Children can also take part in the narration.
For concerts or workshops, please contact Gabrielle Byam-Grounds at: