Talk of the Town 
​for string orchestra

Talk of the Town is a suite for string orchestra that depicts various scenes from life in a town. It is inspired by the composer's home town of Hitchin in Hertfordshire, and was written for the non-professional Hitchin Chamber Orchestra. The opening movement depicts the hustle and bustle of the Saturday Market, with traders calling out to sell their goods. This is followed by The font of St Mary's, a piece that describes the remarkable 14th century font in St Mary's Church, Hitchin, that was brutally vandalised by Puritan soldiers in the 1640s. The joys of sledging down a hill are depicted in the next movement Sledging on Windmill Hill, with both a sense of joy and danger, as well as a few collisions along the way. An emotional Adagio then follows in Farewell, Old Home, which explores feelings of loss and separation. To finish, there is a dance-like energy to Town Square Celebration, as a community comes together for a party.

Talk of the Town was commissioned by Hitchin Chamber Orchestra for their 10th anniversary concert in St Mary's Hitchin on 12th July 2025. 
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1. Saturday Market
2. The font of St Mary's
3. Sledging on Windmill Hill
4. Farewell, Old Home
5. Town Square Celebration

Total duration: c.18 mins