It’s Tudor music party time at the arts centre

Party Like it’s 1599 is perhaps how the title suggests, a chance to experience the music and dance styles of a bygone age.

It’’s been organised by local musician Lizzie Gutteridge who is the director of the Colchester Waits group as well as the person beyond Consort of 1, in which Lizzie plays Medieval and Renaissance through looping technology.

Having grown up in King’s Lynn, where she played clarinet and violin from a young age, Lizzie went on to complete a BA in music at Durham University.

It was whilst there that she became interested in world music, taking lessons on shakuhachi, playing gamelan and travelling to Delhi for intensive vocal and violin lessons in the classical Indian style.

In 2004, Lizzie started working for Essex Music Services, teaching violin, viola, guitar, clarinet, recorder and piano as well as running world music sessions, after school clubs and even trying her hand at some class teaching. She also started playing penny whistle in a folk rock band and shawms and other early instruments in The King’s Lynn Waites and Wyldes Noyse.

Lizzie now performs around the country as a member of Blondel and is also a York Wait, having performed at numerous concerts with them as well as recording and helping to produce their three latest albums. Freelance engagements have included the Globe’s Nell Gwynn both on tour and in the West End, The Knight of the Burning Pestle at the Wanamaker Theatre, and large scale events at Hampton Court and the Tower of London.

As Consort of 1, together with The Colchester Waits, Colchester Historical Dance, and students of Evolution Foundation College, Lizzie has put together a number of pieces for Sunday’s show, which starts at 2.30pm. For tickets call 01206 500900.