THE first week of events in the programme of this year's Cheltenham Music Festival kicks off tomorrow.

From tomorrow until next Thursday, the first 26 of more than 70 events will be taking place at venues around the town, which have attracted top performers and exciting programmes from all over the world, this year with a Russian theme.

The opening event is a concert by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra at 7.30pm, being conducted by the new festival artistic director, Martyn Brabbins. Staged at the Town Hall, it includes a world premiere of a piece by Julian Anderson as well as Bartok's second violin concerto and Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony.

Afterwards, festival-goers will head to Pate's Grammar School where Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale is performed by the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, starting at 10.30pm.

Call 01242 227979 or visit www.cheltenhamfestivals.org.uk for more details and ticket information.

The week's main events are:

SATURDAY: Pittville Pump Room: 11am, Baroque violinist Rachel Podger and Gary Cooper on harpsichord; 3pm, Fingerboard Conversations: What Makes Russian Music Russian? With cellist Alexander Ivashkin and pianist Hamish Milne. Town Hall: 7.30pm, pianist Alfred Brendel. The Centaur (Cheltenham Racecourse): 7.30pm, Kiri Ti Kanawa and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra perform a gala concert for charity.

SUNDAY: Town Hall: 10.30am, Salomon Orchestra, conductor Martyn Brabbins, start an all-day Tchaikovsky-athon of all his six numbered symphonies. Pittville Pump Room: 11am, Fallen Woman and Virtuous Wives with soprano Dame Felicity Lott and Graham Johnson on piano. Bacon Theatre: 7.30pm, Between the Notes musical group, with violinist Viktoria Mullova. Cheltenham College Chapel: 10pm, The Corelli Orchestra performs on period instruments in candle-lit surroundings.

MONDAY: Pittville Pump Room: 11am Rosamunde Quartet. 3pm Wells Cathedral School String Chamber Orchestra. Tewkesbury Abbey: Choral Evensong with The Abbey Choir School of Tewkesbury. Town Hall: 7.30pm Birds in Song and The Birds by The Opera Group and I Fagiolini.

TUESDAY: Pittville Pump Room: 11am violinist Viviane Hagner and pianist Markus Groh; 5.30pm Gamelan Allcomers' Orchestra workshop and performance. St Eadburgha's church, Snowshill Road, Broadway: Callino Quartet. Tewkesbury Abbey: 5pm Choral Evensong. St Swithin's Church, Quenington: 8pm Violinist Marianne Thorsen and cellist Paul Watkins.

WEDNESDAY: Pittville Pump Room: 11am The Lindsays; 3pm Song Circle from the Royal Academy of Music; 10.15pm Guitarist Timo Korhonen. Tewkesbury Abbey: 5pm Choral Evensong. Gloucester Cathedral: 6.30pm, organist Robert Houssart. Everyman Theatre: 8.30pm Opera North with bass-baritone Andrew Foster-Williams, pianist Christopher Gould and film by Mariele Neudecker.

THURSDAY: Pittville Pump Room: 11am Florestan Trio, 7.30pm The Lindsays; 10.15pm Florestan Trio. St Andrew's Church, Montpellier, Cheltenham: Ilid Jones on oboe and Catherine Milledge on piano. Tewkesbury Abbey: 5pm Choral Evensong.