Oxfordshire music festival to return with BBC orchestra show

The 16th annual English Music Festival will take place between May 26 and May 29.

Concerts are scheduled at Dorchester Abbey, Radley College Silk Hall and at All Saints’ Church in Sutton Courtney.

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The English Music Festival promises to “celebrates the brilliance, innovation, beauty and rich musical heritage of Britain, with a strong focus on unearthing overlooked or forgotten masterpieces of the late-19th to mid-20th century”.

The four-day programme includes orchestral and choral concerts, chamber and piano recitals, Folk, Brass, classical guitar and band.

Em Marshall-Luck, founder director of the festival, said: “The English Music Festival is delighted to return to beautiful mediaeval Dorchester Abbey for our 16th festival, which promises to be a really special weekend of music-making and companionship.

“Our opening night with the BBC Concert Orchestra will be a magnificent evening, with new fewer than four world premieres, including works by Vaughan Williams, William Lloyd Webber and contemporary composer Paul Lewis.

“These are written specially for this concert – alongside celebrated cellist Raphael Wallfisch playing Moeran’s utterly gorgeous and moving Cello Concerto.

“I’m also really looking forward to welcoming brilliant young guitarist and lutentist Fabio Fernandes for a late-night recital, and the closing Coronation concert, full of glorious choral music.”

Martin Yates is conducting the BBC Concert Orchestra for the opening concert on May 26 at the English Music Festival.

He said: “It’s always wonderful to take part in the English Music Festival and this year for me to be able to present such a diverse programme is a real joy.

“From the crackling new work of Paul Lewis, through the tragically neglected and beautiful cello concerto of Moeran (with my great friend, the cellist Raphael Wallfisch) as well as some evocative Delius, spikey Alwyn and a premier of Scenes of Childhood by William Lloyd Webber.

“It will culminate in the glorious music of Vaughan Williams, so the audience is in for a real treat of stunning British Music.”

There will be a selection of world premieres, choral celebrations for the coronation, international performances and the renaissance of English song at the festival later this month.

Alongside the music, there also promises to be a selection of talks and social events to put the music into context.

For a full programme of events visit the English Music Festival website.

Tickets are also on sale via the website and people who are local are eligible for a 10 per cent discount. 

A minibus will provide transfers between venues.