Before I get onto festivals I'd better wish you a belated Happy New Year (well it is still January, just), and tell you the answer to the quesion in my mini Christmas quiz. The Welsh Rhapsody writing English composer was Sir Edward German. Simples!
Here come the festivals in chronological order:
Winchester Chamber Music Festival - 19th to 22nd April
Chipping Campden Festival - 6th to 19th May
Salisbury International Arts Festival - 25th May to 19th June
English Music Festival - 1st to 5th June
Garsington Opera at Wormsley - 2nd June to 3rd July
Longborough Festival Opera - 9th June to 29th July
Cheltenham Music Festival - 4th to 15th July
Oxford Philomusica Piano Festival - 29th July to 5th August
Oxford Chamber Music Festival - usually late September, dates TBA
Oxford Lieder Festival - 12th to 27th October
You can hear a wonderful range of music at all of these, but I'd like to highlight one of the less obvious ones, namely the English Music Festival. It takes place in Dorchester Abbey and other venues near, but not actually in, Oxford, which means that the less adventurous souls living in Oxford are prone to giving it a miss. Also it's just English composers, so it's tempting to think that might be a bit limited. Have a look at this year's programme though and you might change your mind. It's an amazing mix of well known works along with rarely performed pieces. This year the unmissable concert from my viewpoint is at 7.30pm in Dorchester Abbey on Saturday 2nd June when the Joyful Company of Singers perform 19 short works by 16 different composers including Britten, Finzi, Vaughan Williams and Tippett. Don't blame me if you miss it.
