A music festival featuring performances by Armonico Consort, elements of CBSO and City of Birmingham Choir will take place in the village of Wootton Wawen, Warwickshire, next month.
The theme of this year’s Wootton Wawen Music Festival, which has been running as a biennial event since 2010, is a musical essence of England and runs from June 9-14.
Greensleeves and Elgar to modern musicals and madrigals feature in the event with the last night including marching songs from the First World War to mark the coming centenary of the start of the conflict.
Village volunteers led by the Wagen Trust, a local charity which supports the parish church of St Peter, are fulfilling roles like stewarding, administration and hosting performers, among them international cellist James Barralet who grew up in the village.
The church – Warwickshire’s oldest dating back to the ninth century – is the venue for the event, its features providing good acoustics used for CD recordings by several festival performers, including the acclaimed Armonico Consort.
The festival kicks off with music by the Werther Ensemble on June 9. It continues on June 11 with Kristina Kennedy (harp) and Jessica Gabbot (flute), voices from the City of Birmingham Choir and CBSO associate conductor Julian Wilkins delivering modern music and English choral works plus Elgar and Vaughan Williams.
On June 13 Armonico Consort will perform traditional songs and closing the festival on June 14 will be CBSO members forming the Berkley Salon Ensemble, contrasting relaxing Palm Court music with the marching songs of the First World War.
John Lawton, secretary to the Wagen Trust, said: “Essence of England is our third festival using this lovely old church to highlight its acoustics and give people of the village and surrounding areas a musical feast.
“Paying normal professional fees to put on good quality concerts is costly and we are seeking sponsorship support from businesses and individuals. Any profits will enable the Trust to extend its funding activities for projects that help the church and support the local community.”
* Tickets at £15 each are via Pat Phillips, 01564 793114, email patphh@btinternet.com All performances 7.30pm.
