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JARISEL

JARISEL is a group of four Oxford musicians who got together during Covid to try out a few songs. One thing led to another, and within a few months they were invited to open the Charlbury Arts Festival in June 2022. Now they are an established group with a growing reputation.

Their unique renditions of songs and tunes both old and original vibrate with colour and imagination.

Since its formation Jarisel has performed a number of highly acclaimed concerts at various venues in Oxfordshire, and look forward to developing their profile further afield. The members of Jarisel have all performed nationally and internationally with various groups, notably the Oxford Concert Party, www.oxfordconcertparty.org Moonrakers www.moonrakers.net and the London Bulgarian Choir www.londonbulgarianchoir.co.uk

Group Members

Arne Richards

Arne Richards, keyboards, accordion. A harpsichordist, organist and composer, from his early widely acclaimed Wigmore Hall debut Arne soon developed a high profile as a performing artist. It was with the formation of his highly successful group The Oxford Concert Party, Europe’s only Baroque and Tango Orchestra, which has toured the UK and Europe, where he honed his skills as an arranger of music from many genres, particularly Celtic and Latin American. It is these skills that he brings to JARISEL. 

Natalia Kakarkina

Natalia Kakarkina has been singing since childhood. She did Cultural Studies at the University of Kyiv in Ukraine where she sang with various choirs, made solo appearances and took part in competitions.  She subsequently learnt the Carl Orff method of teaching music to children, which she practised for ten years before moving to England at the outbreak of war. In Oxford she continues to teach and is involved in the Oxford music scene, most notably with Starlings, an Oxford based musical community for people from many different countries who share their songs and stories from around the world. She joined Jarisel in January 2024.

Isabel Knowland

Isabel Knowland, violin, Hardanger fiddle, viola. Isabel trained at The Royal Academy of Music and spent her early professional career as a freelance orchestral player. In 1991 she met Arne Richards and together they formed The Oxford Concert Party with an eclectic repertoire ranging from Bach and Vivaldi to music from Ireland, Scotland, Eastern Europe, France and Argentina. Isabel was brought up in Ireland by music-loving parents, and from early childhood was steeped in Irish folk music, song and dance, together with a love of folk music from many parts of the world.

Jacqueline Johnson

Jacqueline Johnson, cello and accordion. Australian born, Jacqui is classically trained, and on emigrating to England quickly became established as a soloist and chamber musician. Well known in Oxford for her performances of all the major cello concerti she is in great demand also as a teacher. Some years ago she joined the folk group Moonrakers with whom she plays regularly and also teaches on workshops. Her skill and imaginative bass lines demonstrate her love and understanding of folk music.

Songs

Little Celia Connella

Planxty Irwin Lord Inchquin

Steer Her Up