A highlight of our Pride and Prejudice Festival, we are delighted to present a very special evening of Jane Austen and music…

We’ll begin with warming drinks in the Historic Kitchen, where we will raise a glass to our favourite authoress!

Moving into the House, we’ll examine a number of very special objects from the museum collection up close, under the expert guidance of our collections team. Gather round to see one of Jane’s handwritten music books up close, along with printed music books owned by the Austen family and a first edition of Pride and Prejudice, under the expert guidance of our collections team.

We’ll then move into the Drawing Room, where Jane herself practiced the piano each morning, for an intimate concert performed by acclaimed musical duo The Little Song Party (soprano Penelope Appleyard and pianist Jonathan Delbridge).

‘A Musical Kind of Little Wilderness’

Join Penelope and Jonathan for a musical jaunt on the wild side, as they explore Jane Austen’s use of the outside world in her work, and her apparent preference for a little ‘wilderness’ in landscape, music and literature, particularly in Pride & Prejudice! Seamlessly blending scholarship with entertainment, this performance will celebrate domestic music of the Regency and beyond, with some of Jane’s favourite songs, country dances, themes from TV/film and of course, for Burns Night, some Robbie Burns!

Penelope Appleyard has performed at prestigious venues internationally as both soloist and ensemble singer, ensembles including Apollo5, the Taverner Consort, the Monteverdi Choir, The New London Consort, The Academy of Ancient Music, The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Wiener Akademie, Arcangelo, Armonico Consort, Ex Cathedra and the Royal Shakespeare Company, among others, and appears on numerous recordings. Operatic roles have included Cupid (Venus and Adonis) Dorinda (The Tempest) Shepherdess and Siren (King Arthur) Bonvica (Bonduca) Pallas (Judgement of Paris) Second Woman (Dido and Aeneas) Mopsa (Fairy Queen) and Belinda (Dido and Aeneas). Solo concert work has included Messiah with the Academy of Ancient Music, Bach’s B minor Mass at the Bologna Festival, Arne’s Alfred with Steven Devine, Monteverdi Vespers with Laurence Cummings, King Arthur for the Brighton Early Music Festival and Messiah as a Nevill Holt Young Artist.

“The lovely soprano voice of Penelope Appleyard” – The Classical Review

Jonathan Delbridge is well known for his exciting and varied concert programmes on both the piano and organ.  He is a versatile musician, performing major classical works, jazz standards and his own improvisations and likes to interact with the audience, giving background information to the pieces performed. Jonathan regularly performs at a wide range of small and large venues, from the Royal Albert Hall, and Birmingham Symphony Hall to Plymouth University and All Saints Church in his own village of Lopen, Somerset. He also has a beautifully restored 1814 Broadwood Square Piano which he uses to provide a unique concert experience in more intimate settings.

Details:
Date: Sunday 25 January 2026
Time: 4pm – 6pm
Location: This event will take place at Jane Austen’s House in Chawton. Find us.
Tickets: £75
This event is also available as part our Full Day Pass – if you want to attend all the events on this day, this is the best option!

📖 This event is part of our Pride and Prejudice Festival, 24-28 January 2026