STARS from across the musical world are making a beeline for Warwickshire next month to help celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Stratford-on-Avon Music Festival.
Performers from Holland, America, Mauritania, India, New Zealand and Ireland will be rubbing shoulders with national and local talent over nine days of musical delights from October 14.
The opening concert is being given by a visiting orchestra - The Orchestra of St John's - from London who will be appearing at Holy Trinity church on their first visit to Stratford.
The orchestra will be joined by clarinettist Sarah Williamson, 2002 BBC Young Musician of the Year finalist, and the programme for the evening includes one of the most popular concertos ever written - Mozart's Clarinet Concerto.
Stratford's own Orchestra of the Swan is performing two afternoon family concerts and an evening concert, for which members will be joined by the Irish pianist David Quigley.
The orchestra's afternoon concerts are part of the festival's education programme for this year. Paul Patterson has composed a children's work based around Roald Dahl's version of The Three Little Pigs which will be presented, along with animateur Brendan Beales, as a treat for local schoolchildren who can work on their own projects based around the programme.
The festival has attracted a wide range of musical performers and other highlights include the Jaipur Kawa Brass Band from North India, Motionhouse Dance Theatre and top jazz musician Ray Gelato, currently on the short-list for this year's Radio 2's Jazz Artist of the Year.
As well as the more common venues in Stratford, there will be performances at Nash's House and the Guild Chapel, as well as Coughton Court, near Alcester, and Shipston Methodist Church.
Keen music lovers can buy a festival rover ticket for £70 which gives entry to every event or a lunchtime rover for £30, and while ticket prices vary for each event, many have concession rates or a child/student £1 entry.
Call the festival box office on 01926 496277 for details or a leaflet or log on to www.warwickarts.org.uk.
The programme of performers is:
Friday, October 14, 7.30pm: Orchestra of St John Smiths Square, with Sarah Williamson (clarinet), Holy Trinity; Veya Saxophone Quartet, Shipston High School.
Saturday, October 15, Noon: RSC Brass Quintet, Town Hall. 7.30pm, Paul Robeson Story: The Search For Ol' Man River, Town Hall; Jaipur Kawa Brass Band, Civic Hall; Esther Miller Sextet, Grange Hall, Southam.
Sunday, October 16, 3pm: Orchestra of the Swan (Three Little Pigs), Civic Hall. 8pm: Osiris Trio, (Holland); Jazz at the White Swan, Stratford.
Monday, October 17, Noon: Joanne Quigley (violin), David Quigley (piano), Town Hall. 7.30pm: Alan Barnes (saxophone), Liz Fletcher (singer) and Dave Newton Trio, Shakespeare Hotel.
Tuesday, October 18, Noon: Jennie-Lee Keetley (oboe) and Jonathan French (piano) Town Hall. 7.30pm: Ralph Meulenbroeks (viola da gamba) Gambomania, Nash's House; Motionhouse Dance's Perfect, Civic Hall.
Wednesday, October 19, Noon: Mainardi Piano Trio, Town Hall. 4.30pm: James Barralet (cello), Ben Powell (piano), The Croft Preparatory School. 7.30pm: Orchestra of the Swan with Dave Quigley (piano), Civic Hall.
Thursday, October 20, Noon: Warren Mailley Smith (piano), Town Hall. 7.30pm: Emily van Evera (soprano), Christopher Morrongiello (lute), Claire Wilkinson (alto) perform My Lady Rich, Guild Chapel; Ray Gelato Band, Civic Hall.
Friday, October 21, Noon: Madeleine Mitchell (violin) and Nigel Fister (piano), Town Hall. 7.30pm: A Baroque Musical Feast with Hazel Brooks (violin) and David Pollock (harpsichord), Shipston Methodist Church; Marylebone Trio, St James' church, Alveston.
Saturday, October 22, Noon: Liam Mallet (flute - Albert Cooper Prize Winner) and Charles Matthews (piano), Town Hall. 7.30pm: Ye Traintors All (Gunpowder Plot Concert) with York Waits, Coughton RC Church; Daby Toure, Civic Hall; Shipston Town Band, St Peter and Paul, Long Compton.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article