Concerts
Serena
During the 2024/2025 season Serena will have given performances of Saint-Saens (look up official spelling) Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso with Barnet Symphony Orchestra, Alba Sinfonia and Elstree Mozart Players, Mozart Sinfonia Concertante with Barnet Symphony Orchestra, and forthcoming Bach Double Violin Concerto with Alba Sinfonia on 19th July 2025.
Serena looks forward to performing the Brahms Double Concerto and Saint-Saens Violin Concerto No 3 in 2026.
Derek Holland
With musical director and conductor of Elstree Mozart Players
The Berakah Players - Up Here
This song, Up Here, was written by guitarist Mohammed Nazam especially for the tour with string arrangements by Mark Hinton Stewart.
Lyrically the song is about the need for spiritual seekers to keep their feet firmly on the ground. With a mixture of World Music, Jazz, Blues and traditional elements drawn from Europe and the Middle East, the tour also showcases new music, written specially for the tour to celebrate their first ten years.
The Berakah Players are –
- Chantelle Duncan – vocals
- Serena Leader – violin
- Mohammed Nazam – guitar
- Mark Hinton Stewart – piano
An Evening with Janice Watson
–All Saints Church, Borehamwood 11th May 2025
Soprano: Janice Watson
The Barry Solomon Trio: Barry Solomon – oboe, Serena Leader – violin, Derek Holland – Keyboard
Yedid Nefesh - Berakah
A traditional Jewish melody performed by members of The Berakah Project in February,2012
A recital by Serena Leader and Gordon Back, reviewed by MALCOLM MILLER
The gifted young violinist Serena Leader partnered by the experienced pianist Gordon Back regaled a sizeable audience at their much-welcomed return to London’s Wigmore Hall on 24 March 2007 with a delightfully varied programme which combined three twentieth century masters, Debussy, Messiaen and Prokofiev, with Beethoven.
Berakah @ The South Bank Centre, London
In March 2009 Berakah, the innovative and acclaimed multi-faith band Berakah played a sold out concert at The Purcell Room in London’s prestigious South Bank Centre. This song is called Sahara Blues, combining both Middle Eastern sounds and the blues! Guitarist and Composer Mohammed Nazam founded the new World/Jazz/Classical en-semble BERAKAH in summer 2005. Bringing together musicians of Jewish, Christian and Muslim heritage, Berakah is the first UK band of its kind. Featuring virtuoso musicians such as Nazam, classical violinist Serena Leader, Algerian percussion master Abdelkader Saadoun, the soulful vocals of Chantelle Duncan and TV/film composer Mark Hinton Stewart, Berakah brings audiences together through music, challenging cultural stereo-types, raising awareness, encouraging acceptance and building bridges. Having success-fully toured the UK in 2007 the band are now looking to reach music audiences across the globe.