Nicola Lisle talks to Chris Windass about the Adderbury Ensemble, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year

For someone used to playing with major UK orchestras and opera companies, not to mention several distinguished chamber ensembles, putting on concerts in a village church might seem a bit of a comedown.

But violinist/violist Chris Windass, who founded the Adderbury Ensemble thirty years ago, loves the community spirit that comes with performing in small venues.

“I’d much rather do a really good concert for the local community,” he says. “I find that much more rewarding than the Festival Hall or the Albert Hall. They’re exciting, but there’s something even more rewarding about bringing something of a really high standard to places like Adderbury that maybe otherwise wouldn’t have it.”

The Adderbury Ensemble first came together in May 1986, formed mainly from players Chris had known at college in Birmingham, and established the popular Music in Adderbury series in the local church.

But Chris was also keen to perform at the Holywell Music Room, where he had enjoyed concerts as a youngster. And so the Oxford Coffee Concerts series was born.

“My mother was a professional violinist, so I used to go to the concerts she was playing in,” he says. “I remember going to the Holywell when I was young, and I thought, this is amazing. So from an early age I’ve always loved the room.

“I had the idea of doing a Sunday morning slot because it wouldn’t clash with anything else apart from church.

“I started by booking four concerts to see how they went. Our biggest audience then was about 35, but we had a really nice time doing it and the people that went loved it. The Turf Tavern produced the coffee, so we had a nice concert and then went for a nice cup of coffee afterwards. So it was a lovely experience.”

That inaugural season was successful enough for Chris to put on a second series, and soon he was increasing the frequency from fortnightly to weekly, with audiences steadily building.

“I think for a lot of people now, it’s what they do on a Sunday morning. About half of the audience consists of people who come most weeks.”

Initially the series was a platform for the Adderbury Ensemble, but these days features a variety of major ensembles.

“So many fantastic players come, often as a rehearsal for a concert at the Wigmore Hall or for a recording they’re doing, so you’re getting people who are really at the top of their game.”

Big names coming up this season include local favourite Tom Poster, the Schubert Ensemble and the Carducci String Quartet, with the Adderbury Ensemble performing in February and March.

Other plans for the ensemble this year include anniversary concerts in Oxford and Adderbury, as well as continuing their monthly concert series with SJE Arts.

So did Chris ever imagine that the coffee concert series he started so tentatively in 1986 would still be going thirty years later? “I don’t think I realized that it was the end of my Sunday morning lie-ins!” he chuckles. “I wasn’t sure how it was going to pan out, but I’m delighted that it has.

“The coffee concerts are as good as they’ve ever been, and I believe in having really good concerts happening around Adderbury. If I can possibly carry on doing it, I will.”

Where and when
Oxford Coffee Concerts
Holywell Music Room
Sundays, 11.15am
Tickets: 01865 305305 or ticketsoxford.com
More info at coffeeconcerts.com