Passover celebrations in the UK last eight days, this year you can mark the beginning of Passover with a recital in which Canadian classical pianist, Juliane Gallant, will be performing folk-inspired songs at Alyth synagogue.

The recital will include works in English, German and Hebrew, by British composer Benjamin Britten and Austrian composer Hugo Wolf.

Julianne says: “Seeing as folk songs have a long oral tradition, and were sung by many people over the years, many of them don’t have a specific character behind the story, so they can easily be sung and recognised by a vast number of people.

“However, there are recurring themes: Oft in the Stilly Night, set by Benjamin Britten, reminisces about past and mourns lost friends. In The Ash Grove, also a Britten setting, the singer begins by describing the beauty of an outdoor scene where they first met their beloved. This same area is where she now lies in the earth. Many of the other Britten settings in the recital, such as The Salley Gardens, also explore pastoral themes and lost love.

“The Hugo Wolf songs will offer an interesting contrast to the Benjamin Britten settings. For example in Ein Ständchen euch zu bringen, a serenade I bring you, a lighter song, a young man attempts to impress the master of the house by sharing his feelings about the master’s daughter.”

She adds: “We will also be performing well-loved folk songs, such as Danny Boy.”

Joining her are mezzo soprano Katie Hainbach, head of music and arts at Alyth, as well as soprano Claire Lees, tenor Tom Morss and baritone Matthew Palmer. Claire is a current student at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, while Katie and Matthew are alumni of the same institution. Tom is a graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music. Claire, Katie and Matthew are also based in north London.

Juliane was the musical director of Clapham Opera Festival’s La Bohème and the assistant musical director of Opera Upclose’s highly acclaimed production of Carmen, both in 2015. Equally at home in opera and in song, Juliane has performed on the West End, at the Soho Theatre and the St James Theatre, as well as in prestigious venues such as the Barbican and Wigmore Hall.

Her recitals, such as Tracing the Disappearance of Light, an evening of songs about nocturnal lights at the Bloomsbury Festival in 2015, have been praised for their characterful and innovative programming. Juliane has recently performed at Alyth alongside Katie Hainbach during the 2016 Jewish Music Fair, in a talk led by Katie on the theme of Jewish influences of the French song repertoire.

North Western Reform Synagogue, Alyth Gardens, Golders Green, Tuesday, April 19, 1pm. Details: 020 8457 8797