Mellor set to visit for Elgar Festival launch

The bi-annual event in celebration of the music of Worcestershire's famous son and world-renowned composer Sir Edward Elgar was held for the first time last year.

More than 6,000 people from across the world attended the event, turning up for talks and spectacular concerts of the composer's works at the Malvern Theatres, Worcester Cathedral and the Elgar Birthplace Museum in Lower Broadheath.

Now Mr Mellor (right) - who was a member of the Conservatives for more than 20 years and served under Lady Thatcher and John Major - will be speaking at the launch for 2006's festival - being held in the Circle Bar in Malvern Theatres at 6pm on Tuesday, January 18.

The programme for the musical extravaganza will also be announced and an exhibition in photographs of last year's successful event will be staged.

Mr Mellor is a big fan of classical music - having his own show on Classic FM - and was an ambassador for last year's event, which also marked the 70th anniversary of the composer's death.

Other speakers at Tuesday's launch include Malvern Hills District Council's leader Councillor Tom Wells, the Elgar Festival's artistic director William Boughton and Malvern-based English Symphony Orchestra chairman Ben Holland-Martin.

The next festival is set to take place in May and June next year and Mr Boughton said he anticipated it would be bigger and better than last year.

He added that interest in Elgar was so huge in America that they were also considering setting up a "Friends of the Festival" group there.

"As one of our major composers, if not the most important composer in this country, it's sad and a great omission that there hasn't previously been a festival devoted to just him and so this is putting that matter to rights," he said.

"Last year's festival sold out three months in advance of it taking place and the interest around the world was extraordinary so it shows there's a need for an event like this."