Something for Everyone!

The 2019 Southwell Music Festival has something for everyone – grand symphonies, intimate chamber music, celebratory choral classics, soulful late night folk music and so much more.

It’s an inclusive event taking place across the August Bank Holiday – from Wednesday 21st to Monday 26th August. Of the 35 events taking place, around half are free.

There’s a noisy, percussion-based Family Concert (free tickets for 12 and unders), an opportunity for choral enthusiasts to Come and Sing Handel, free Fringe concerts across the town, more free concerts in the Minster, and the Ceramics in Southwell fair on the Market Square.

In only five years the Festival has acquired an enviable national reputation and raised Southwell’s profile: as The Sunday Times said: “Southwell can already equal, even surpass, more established festivals. The artistic results are remarkable.”

The Festival was founded by Artistic Director Marcus Farnsworth – a former Minster head chorister and now a successful professional singer. He says:

“One reason the Festival is so special is the handpicked ensemble of around 100 professional singers and players who come from across the UK and overseas to make the very best music in our beautiful, historic town.

“There are several exciting innovations this year including our first late night folk event in the Minster – presenting award-winning fiddler Aidan O’Rourke and keyboard player Kit Downes.

“We open the Festival with our first symphony concert – presenting orchestral drama through the tuneful beauty and colour of Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony and Mahler’s Fourth Symphony.

“At our major Saturday night choral and orchestral concert we present our first Handel oratorio – Israel in Egypt. Anyone who enjoys Messiah will love this piece. Telling the bible story of how the Israelites escaped from Egypt through the Red Sea it’s a dazzling, semi-operatic showcase for our brilliant Festival Voices and Festival Baroque Sinfonia.

“In addition there’s a performance of Vaughan Williams’ ever-popular The Lark Ascending in the celebrity recital by violin virtuoso Jennifer Pike.”

So whether you are looking for a great day out or to immerse yourself in a special concert, Southwell is the place to be at the August Bank Holiday.

Information and tickets are available at www.southwellmusicfestival.com or from the Southwell Cathedral Shop, Church Street: 01636 812933.