Come and sing in our lovely St Andrew's Church, the home of Sedbergh Music Festival. Start the celebrations in style. The piece will be Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man. If you want to take part arrive at 2:00pm. If you have the score bring it along, some additional copies will be available.
The performance, with an orchestra, will start at 5:00pm. Turn up and enjoy the rendition! Its all free.
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Singing for people living with dementia has known benefits and Sedbergh Songsters is a local singing group of about 25 members which started in 2015 under the umbrella of the charity ‘Dignity in Dementia’ and led at that time by David Burbidge and since 2017 by Claire Pope. Our aim is to provide support through music and friendship to people living with dementia. With once weekly meetings in Gladstone house in Sedbergh, we sing a wide range of popular tunes from a number of genres. In summary, we are a diverse group with members of all ages and abilities who just love to sing together!
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More than half of the Sedbergh School pupil body are active members of a thriving music department. Run by a full-time team of three and numerous visiting music professionals, school pupils create musical ensembles including a symphony orchestra, a jazz band, various chamber ensembles, rock bands and five choirs - including the prestigious Chapel Choir; finalists in a recent BBC Choir of the Year competition. This selection of talented and enthusiastic musicians are very much looking forward to being part of the Sedbergh Music Festival 2024.
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Julian Cann has lived in Sedbergh for 25 years and is an experienced violinist in a wide variety of fields.
His solo experience includes concertos by Beethoven, Bruch, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, Mozart and Vivaldi, as well as the Brahms Double Concerto and Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante.
Julian has played with the National Concert Orchestra, Manchester Concert Orchestra and Northern Chamber Orchestra, and currently leads the Lonsdale Ensemble, Lancaster’s Haffner Orchestra and Morecambe's PCO. He is also a regular member of the Dartington Festival Orchestra and Lakeland Sinfonia, occasionally as leader, and is a regular guest leader of Brecknock Sinfonia.
A highly experienced chamber musician, Julian led the Serafin and Castalia Quartets, with whom he performed in many venues in Britain and Ireland, including at the Edinburgh Festival. He recently performed with members of the Berkeley Ensemble and at the Sage, Gateshead. More locally, he plays with with the Pennine Piano Trio, and has a regular duo partnership with pianist David Battersby. In lighter vein, Julian enjoys playing with the Pictish Players Scottish country dance band, with whom he has recorded CD’s and played in London, Edinburgh, Paris, Vienna, Venice, Istanbul, and Jaipur, India.
The quartet for the June 18th concert is formed especially for the Sedbergh Festival.
Tenor Nicholas Hurndall Smith returns to the Sedbergh Festival with a recital of German and English song accompanied by pianist Jen Hartley.
Beginning with some of Purcell’s best-known songs, the recital includes Schubert’s dramatic song ‘Der Liedler’ (a tale of the supreme sacrifice for love made by a wandering minstrel, with werewolves included) and Beethoven’s ‘An die ferne Geliebte’.
The programme includes Tippett’s virtuosic cantata, ‘Boyhood’s End’ based on WH Hudson’s memoir of his childhood in the Argentine pampas. Jen Hartley is a teacher, pianist and composer. She read Music at Cambridge University and completed a PhD at the RNCM. She enjoys working as an accompanist and directing choirs, and is currently the Associate Composer for Cumbria Opera Group. She has a deep attachment to Sedbergh and the Howgills, having lived here for over twenty years.
Known for her work as a teacher and chamber musician, alongside that of accompanist and choir director, Jen continues to pursue research interests in pedagogy and creativity following completion of her PhD at the RNCM. From September, she will be joining the staff at Chetham’s School of Music.
As a pianist, Peter has performed in a number of piano duo teams and recorded for BBC Radio 3 and Hyperion. He has mentored on many pedagogical courses both in the UK and internationally, is co-founder of the website E-MusicMaestro and an examiner and trainer for ABRSM.
Founded in 2010 by Donald and Shirley Smith under the auspices of ‘Sedbergh Pepperpot Club’ (a local charity that encourages anyone to take up an orchestral musical instrument), the orchestra draws players, without audition, from Sedbergh and the surrounding areas.
The orchestra has built a good reputation and loyal following and musicians living in Sedbergh feel very fortunate to be able to play and perform orchestral works so locally. Since 2019, our musical director has been Roland Fudge, a distinguished composer, violinist and teacher as well as conductor. We perform two orchestral concerts each year and in 2024 plan a lively programme in St Andrew's Church for the festival.
John Robinson is a Choral Conductor and Organist. Currently, he is the Director of Music at Blackburn Cathedral, Director of Blackburn Chamber Choir, and Blackburn Music Society. Robinson is widely active as an Organ Recitalist, having performed in venues across the US and Europe, and recorded on the organ for Priory, Herald, Hyperion, Regent and Ambisonic. He has worked in Canterbury Cathedral, and in Boston USA, where he led choral festivals for various organisations including the RSCM and Pueri Cantores. His choral recordings include releases on Decca Records and Sony Classical. In 2022 his organ recording 'Laus Deo' was 'Editor's Choice' in the Awards Edition of Gramophone Magazine.
The Sedbergh Town Band is a true community band of more than 30 players with a wider range of backgrounds, experiences and abilities. Every year the band performs a wide range of concerts including a Remembrance concert, a Christmas concert and a highly enjoyable dance concert as well as many other performances in Sedbergh and further afield. The musical repertoire is wide-ranging and includes pop songs and film themes as well as the usual hymns and marches. We are a friendly band who rehearse weekly, so all new members are welcome, no matter their ability!
The Cottontown Chorus, a highly acclaimed male a cappella group, is based in Bolton, Lancashire, UK. They are renowned for their passionate and high-quality performances that resonate deeply with their audiences. The group is known for its all-age, diverse membership, drawing members from various walks of life across the North West of England and beyond.
Their expertise in close-harmony, unaccompanied singing has earned them numerous accolades. Crowned the British Association of Barbershop Singers (BABS) Chorus Champions eight times, is testament to their excellence in the field.
Cottontown is not just limited to traditional barbershop music; their repertoire is quite diverse. They perform a range of music, from classic hits by the Beach Boys to ballads and contemporary chart-toppers from artists like Kate Bush and Coldplay.
Beyond their music, the chorus also actively engages with their community and fans. They regularly open their rehearsals to the public, welcoming potential new members and fostering a community spirit.
Their journey over the past four decades has seen them perform at prestigious venues both nationally and internationally, including the London Palladium, the Eisteddfod in Wales and the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Their commitment to musical and performance excellence has not only brought them recognition as the leading men’s chorus in the UK but also the opportunity to perform in significant events like the BBC Adult Choir of the Year competition.
In summary, the Cottontown Chorus represents a blend of traditional barbershop harmony with a modern twist, bringing their unique brand of music and emotion to a wide audience. Their dedication to their craft and their ability to engage and move audiences make them a distinguished and respected group in the world of a cappella and barbershop singing.
Founded in 1996 by Charlotte Jackson and based in Kendal, Amabile draws girls aged 12 to 18 from local schools. They won youth choir category at the 2019 North Wales Choral Competition, the 2019 Carlisle and District Music and Drama Festival and the 2019 Mary Wakefield Westmorland Music Festival. In previous years they won BBC Radio 3 Youth Choir of the Year, Senior Children's Choir at Llangollen International Eisteddfod, Youth Choir at the Manchester Amateur Choral Competition, Youth Choir at the North Wales Choral Festival and the European Musical Festival for Youngsters in Neerpelt. They received the Alfred Wainwright Memorial Award in recognition for their outstanding contribution to civic life in Kendal.
The Claire Cope Quintet, a newly established contemporary jazz ensemble, present the music of British composer and pianist Claire inspired by artists such as Brad Mehldau, Babelfish and Kenny Wheeler.
Claire is joined musicians active across the UK and beyond: the stunning harp and vocals of Tara Minton, acclaimed UK jazz saxophonist Rob Cope, bass player Gavin Barras and drummer Johnny Hunter. Following a sold out debut performance at the Sandbach Concert Series in 2023, the programme features music composed specifically for the unique combination of piano, harp/vocals, soprano saxophone and clarinet/bass clarinet in a contemporary musical setting.
Formed in 2019 by friends who enjoyed the music of male voice choirs, choral societies and the off-beat humour of ‘The Spooky Men’s Chorale’, members first performed in October ‘21 and now have several concerts each year, mostly in the Western Dales, donating their fees to charities and good causes. They return to the Festival after a very well received first appearance in 2022 (under their original name of 'Grievous Bodily Harmony') to entertain, amuse and stir emotions.
Come and enjoy a cappella close-harmony singing of all eras and genres: ancient to modern, sacred and profane, traditional, folk and working songs, as well as songs from the 20th and 21st centuries, with some laughs along the way.
Founded as a charitable school in the 17th century, Chetham’s, based in the heart of Manchester became in turn a grammar school and, since 1969, an independent, co-educational school with a focus on music. It now has 300 students and is the largest specialist music school in the UK. Students aged between 8 – 18 are all bonded by a passion for music and believe in the power of music to bring people together and transform lives.
The talented hands of Jess Gillam and the string players of Royal Northern Sinfonia will present the the saxophone in a new light. Cumbria-born Jess is one of those rare musicians who makes performing look truly effortless; seamlessly blending music from different eras and genres with a warm conversation style that’s made her BBC Radio 3 show ‘This Classical Life’ a huge success and is a heavenly match for the bright, vibrant sound of the UK’s only full-time chamber orchestra. Expect an eclectic, joyful and memorable evening with some of northern England’s best musicians.
You can find out more about Royal Northern Sinfonia here: Our Story | The Glasshouse (theglasshouseicm.org)
AnnaKate & Gwen are professional harpists who initially met while attending the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama and studied with Karen Vaughan; at the time the co-principal harpist for the London Symphony Orchestra. Performing in orchestras together & being college friends it was only natural to continue working with each other and they formed a harp duo. In their careers they have played an array of venues in the UK and have been honoured to play for Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Opera, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra & BBC2 Radio Folk awards 2015.
Based in Lille in northern France, Louis (guitar and Saz), Pierre-Antoine Despatures (Double Bass) and Marwan Fakir (Violin) have been playing together for over four years but this is their first tour outside the EU. Describing themselves as ‘Between tradition and modernity, inspiration and creation’ Fakir Trio was born from an initiative coming from a triangle of theoretically opposing worlds: oriental, classical and jazz and they can be seen and heard here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2DoaeRhchM
Kenneth Wilson is an ex-vicar, failed property developer, and reformed vegetarian, who once ran an India travel company. Now, as Highway Cello, he plays a wide variety of solo cello music - ranging from Bach to Bond, tango and Irish airs.
In 2022 Kenneth cycled with his cello from Hadrian's Wall to Rome, performing every day en route. The book of this adventure was published by City Village as Highway Cello, and he also offers a performance telling that story through readings and music. https://kennethwilsoncello.com
Tracing its origins to 1924 as ‘The Wireless Chorus’, the BBC Singers are the only full time professional British chamber choir. Conducted currently by Swedish mezzo Sofi Jeannin the 21 singers perform a wide range of choral music and promote a 50:50 gender policy for composers whose work they undertake.
They tour throughout the UK and overseas and work with a wide range of other musicians.
This is a workshop for Junior and Senior Choirs from across the North of England. The workshop will be led by BBC Singer Conductor, David Hill (MBE) Choristers will have the opportunity to sing with the BBC Singers in a performance of Bob Chilcott's 'We Are'.
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Come and see all the performances at a bargain price.