The sun shone, the crowds gathered and music filled the air at the 70th Cheltenham Music Festival this weekend. I can think of no other music festival that offers so much to families and young audiences. And I am incredibly proud to have been able to participate again this year.
The festival was preceded by visits to 8 schools, with painting-to-music workshops. As always, the children did superb work, reacting to music like Sibelius’ Swan of Tuonela and Rossini’s William Tell. With the story and an illustration demonstration from me, they threw themselves into the task. We were all very moved and humbled when even the children with special educational needs responded far beyond expectations. The power of music and art!
Then came the festival itself…
A spectacular Concert for Schools was my first event. I was honoured to be sharing the stage with three brilliant young musicians, Alex Kirk and Jonathan McNaught on piano, Rebecca McNaught on the ‘Cello. And they were superb! This took place at the vast Town Hall, where 700 children clapped and cheered. It was quite an experience!
Sharing the programme were the Artea Quintet and the Soweto Strings (a sensational South African Township string orchestra). Here are the latter, performing their hearts out.
That evening I attended a moving memorial concert for John Tavener at Gloucester Cathedral, with four string quartets in the corners of the cathedral, by candlelight. Hypnotically, powerfully memorable.
The next day – Saturday – was a complete performance of Saint-Saen’s Carnival at the Parabola Theatre in Cheltenham. The event was “very sold out” as festival director Meurig Bowen put it, and as Alex, Jonathan and Rebecca thrilled with their virtuosic playing, I scrabbled around for the right brushes to attempt paintings of each and every animal. All was interspersed with verses I’d written especially for the concert. Two encores and a raffle followed, raising funds for the excellent outreach education work the festival offers schools.
As always, I felt a bit bereft afterwards. So it was lovely to discover a review on the BBC Music Magazine website of the concert, by Jeremy Pound (thank you!). Click here to have a read:
http://www.classical-music.com/blog/beastly-weekend-cheltenham
Here are a few of the animals. Including my 45 second Wild Ass!
My thanks to all who came, you made it a very special event!
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