Finchcocks Festival 2025 proved itself to be truly established this year, with audience numbers and fundraising profits reaching their highest totals yet!
We don’t know how we managed it, but the weather behaved on both days – overcast yet pleasantly cool for “Jazz on the Lawn,” followed by blue skies and a gorgeous, warm breeze for “Chopin and Champagne.”
It was wonderful to see people enjoying picnics before relaxing to live music within the private gardens of our Grade I listed country manor. Finchcocks was alive with enchanting sounds and happy company.
Best of all, we were thrilled to announce that we absolutely smashed our fundraising goal for the Finchcocks Piano Scholarship Scheme, with profits from tickets sales, the bar and raffle amounting to £4,025.52!
Saturday: Jazz on the Lawn
Saturday’s event featured our very own Finchcocks Trio: Musical Director and pianist David Hall, Programme Director, singer and violinist Jennifer Maslin and the incomparable James Sunney on his new electric double bass. Hosted in the walled garden, the audience arrived from 1pm and set up camp with their picnics. This year, there was no need to huddle around the edges for shade – they could enjoy the action right on the lawn.
Music began at 3pm and ran until 5pm, as the trio treated picnickers to beloved swing, jazz, Latin, bossa nova, and blues standards in a truly idyllic English country garden party setting. A highlight was a rendition of the title track from their newly released EP Skylark – and the glass of champers after their final set!
Sunday: Chopin and Champagne
Sunday featured the performance of concert pianist (and Finchcocks tutor!) Sam Haywood, with the family Bosendorfer wheeled out especially for the occasion onto our outdoor stage!
Sam’s recital, dedicated to Chopin (and Champagne!), featured breathtaking renditions of favourites such as the Fantaisie-Impromptu, the Minute Waltz, and Ballade No. 4 in F minor.
Accommodation
Guest rooms were once again available during the festival, offering attendees the option to make it a weekend stay. We were delighted to welcome back many beloved regular piano course guests, as well as new visitors. One even enjoyed his stay on the Piano Holiday with Sam just a fortnight earlier so much that he returned for more!
Scholarship Success
With profits totalling a massive £4,025.52, we can now comfortably fund the tuition for five piano scholars who would otherwise not have access to such an opportunity.
On behalf of everyone here at Finchcocks, a huge thank you to all who attended and made the weekend such a happy success. See you in 2026 – if not sooner for a piano course!
