A WONDERFUL week of music is promised in Shaldon this month when the village’s annual Festival of Music makes a welcome return
Starting this Sunday (June 16) ,and running through until June 22, the popular annual event is offering a range of concerts that will include classical, world folk fusion and jazz music.
New this year, and thanks to very generous support from the Shaldon Water Carnival and The Arts Society Teignbridge, there is a free, ticketed, family concert in the Victoria Hall situated on Bridge Road on Sunday, June 16.
Commencing at 3pm Travelling by Tuba – Around the world in 60 minutes’ will feature music from classical to jazz, Africa to Hungary – and plenty of audience participation. The concert promises to be an unforgettable performance with something for everyone - including a a Can Can dancing tubist and an exploding tuba.
Award winning harp and flute duo Alis Huws and Carys Gittins will be on stage on Wednesday evening (June 19). Alis, official Royal Harpist, performed at the King’s Coronation at Westminster Abbey last year, describing it as the “pinnacle” of her five year career.
The duo are also passionate about bringing music into communities, giving regular interactive concerts for people living with dementia.
For the Festival’s outreach, they will be visiting the Alice Cross Centre’s Memory Café in Teignmouth the following day, kindly sponsored via a community grant from The Arts Society.
Thursday evening (June 20) sees the much sought-after, Paris based Trio Sōra, performing a programme of Brahms and Haydn. The trio performed at the festival to great acclaim back in 2019 and has performed on the most prestigious stages of Europe.
The following night Kabantu, the exciting Manchester-based acoustic world-folk fusion quartet, will be on stage with an exhilarating programme of music from across the globe.
Finally, the magic of one of the world’s most famous jazz clubs comes to Shaldon on Saturday June 22, with pianist James Pearson, Artistic Director of Ronnie Scott’s, and the wonderful Lizzie Ball on violin and vocals.
Together they are an incredible tour-de-force of the music of George Gershwin and other American classics. Covering the artistic ‘scenes’ of Paris, London and New York, the programme includes music and arrangements by Heifetz, Ravel, Kreisler, Gershwin, Bernstein, Britten, Copland and Pearson.
The concert will also feature engaging relevant anecdotes in James and Lizzie’s inimitable and acclaimed style.
Tickets for all concerts can be booked online at the festival’s website www.shaldonfestival.co.uk.
All evening concerts commence at 7.30pm in St Peter’s Church, with a pre-concert bar in the adjoining Victoria Hall from 6.30pm.
Tickets on the door on the night are subject to availability.