This short recital celebrates the arrival of spring and the pastoral traditions long associated with May Day. The programme opens with Now is the Month of Maying, a lively madrigal by Thomas Morley, arranged by Gabs Damiani, that captures the joyful spirit of Renaissance May festivities. A more reflective view of the countryside follows in Rhosymedre by Ralph Vaughan Williams, whose gentle lyricism evokes the calm beauty of rural landscapes.

At the centre of the programme is the Pastorella in F major, BWV 590 by Johann Sebastian Bach, a suite of dances in a pastoral style that suggests shepherds’ pipes and rustic celebration. The pastoral mood continues with Shepherds’ Dance by Edward German, before the recital concludes with the vibrant Variations on Lass uns erfreuen by Denis Bédard, based on the joyful hymn tune Lasst uns erfreuen (“All creatures of our God and King”). Together these pieces trace a musical journey through centuries of music inspired by nature, dance, and the spirit of spring.