Ludlow English Song Weekend is back
The Ludlow English Song Weekend will return this weekend, with three days of talks, panels and most importantly, music.
The popular celebration of English songs will see performances from talented and award-winning musicians including guitarist Sean Shibe and violinist Michael Foyle.
It will run from today to Sunday, April 7 and will see Ludlow full of artists and music fans galore.
Spokeswoman for the event Jane Nicolson said: "Ludlow English Song Weekend brings three days of superlative performance of English song in one of the UK’s loveliest places, and BBC Radio 3, with presenter Ian Skelly, join us to record five concerts for later broadcast.
"Programmes include music from the Elizabethan era to the present day by Finzi, Vaughan Williams, Grainger, Ireland, Will Todd, Huw Watkins, Jonathan Dove, Roderick Williams, Dowland, Nicholas Maw, Malcolm Arnold, Quilter and more.
"This year sees a new relationship with English National Opera and their Harewood Artists Programme, welcoming seven of these outstanding young singers to Ludlow: Soraya Mafi, Rowan Pierce, David Webb, Alex Otterburn, William Morgan, Elgan Llyr Thomas and David Ireland.
"Artistic director and pianist Iain Burnside plays in a number of concerts. The young composers workshop and showcase is led by composer, Eleanor Alberga, and soprano Susan Bullock leads a masterclass with students from the RNCM.
"There is a special showing of a film about the life of Vaughan Williams, introduced in person by its director, Tony Palmer, whose filmography of over 100 films ranges from early works with The Beatles to his Wagner epic, starring Richard Burton and Laurence Oliver.
"Three fascinating talks and discussion panels hosted by Dr Katy Hamilton take place throughout the weekend, with esteemed panel members from the arts and music worlds including the writer Patrick Gale, David Jackson, director of BBC Cardiff Singer of The World, Paul Baxter, founder and managing director of Delphian Records, Fiona Maddocks, writer and critic, and two composers, Edward Rushton and Alex Woolf.
"We have a fringe event in conjunction with Castle Bookshop with writer Patrick Gale at the Blue Boar on Saturday, where he will be speaking about this latest novel and signing books afterwards.
"Events take place in the stunning St Laurence’s Church, where the ashes of A E Housman are buried, and in the Ludlow Assembly Rooms.
"All events and concerts are just one hour long, and venues are less than five minutes’ walking distance from each other. Artists and audience members sit side by side at mealtimes, lending an especially friendly and unique atmosphere to this festival."
For more details and to view the full programme, see ludlowenglishsongweekend.com
