There's a little-known gem in Tewkesbury - the Old Baptist Chapel, hidden away down an alley running from Church Street towards the river.  The building, originally a medieval timber-framed hall house, dates from the 15th century, but some time around 1620 it began to be used as a chapel by the Baptists.  The Chapel's Interpretation Project has won Heritage Lottery Support and a range of events are planned including, I hope, some which celebrate its musical history.  Watch this space!

The Chapel is run by the Abbey Lawn Trust, based at the John Moore Museum and you can read more about it here.

It's well known that Birmingham has one of the finest concert halls in the UK in Symphony Hall.  But there's another - the Elgar Concert Hall at the University of Birmingham.   Christopher Morley wrote all about it in the Birmingham Post when it opened in 2012, calling it "the most resourceful concert room in the country". He goes on to say "The immediate impression offered by this 450-seater room with its light wood flooring is totally welcoming, restfully warm and with plenty of space for the comfort of audiences...music lies at the heart of this tremendous enterprise, and the concert hall offers a wealth of acoustic opportunities, with a ceiling canopy and side-panels which can transform the venue from a space for a full symphony orchestra right down to an intimate solo recital."

You can read his article, which tells you all you need to know, here.  It's easily accessible by road and rail, with a coffee bar on the ground floor.

And if you're now looking for an opportunity to visit yourself, the English Symphony Orchestra will be presenting two concerts there as part of their Elgar Pilgrimage in October.

A new venture for Severn Muses, Chamber Music Plus is a brochure which has been published for the past 23 years listing chamber music concerts in the West Midlands area, also covering parts of Gloucestershire and the Welsh borders.  Jill and her husband Chris O'Grady are preparing the 2015/16 issue which will be ready in August - if you'd like a copy please email chambermusicplus@btinternet.com with your postal address and we will add you to the mailing list.