Dear Friends, Artists, Colleagues and Music Lovers,
What could be a more prestigious year than one celebrating the Diamond Jubilee while the London Olympics dominate world attention?
Welcome to our 28th festival celebrating great British composers through the centuries.
We open in the Coronation Hall with a rare performance of the Hiawatha Trilogy from the pens of Coleridge Taylor and Longfellow. Gathering momentum we can relish astronomer Herschel’s music and costume with the 18th Century Concert Orchestra in Keswick, and appreciate the night stars over Derwent Water with Andrew Newsam.
Paul Lewis will take us into the creative world of Schubert whose music ossed all dream-lines. Ben Johnson, tenor, will introduce us to Victorian/Edwardian lady composers mingling with Purcell, Schubert and Britten.
New collaborations include the Chilingirians, Benjamin Frith and Ben Johnson. Explore new works between Bach and Brahms with Yuko Inoue and Carole Presland.
Christoph Richter features Ethel Smyth’s cello sonata.
The Gould Piano Trio and the Škampa Quartet programmes promise riches. I Fagiolini take us from Byrd to Britten in Kendal Parish Church, while Jonathan Scott’s brilliant programme from Handel to Widor displays the qualities of its two organs.
‘Rising Stars’ and LDSM young Artists go for gold. Films at Fellinis and 5 o’clock concerts at Blackwell cement our partnerships. Music Theatre, Manchester Camerata, Masterclasses, meet our Artists … enjoy !
Our deep gratitude is to all our artists who bring us music-making of Olympian heights. We look forward to meeting old and new friends.
Renna Kellaway,
Artistic Director
