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11th March 2010
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| Breaking News |
11th March 2010 |
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For details of The Longslade Consort concerts, please click on The Longslade Consort Page. Festival 2010 The Leicester Early Music Festival is 21 years old this year and now has the proverbial "key of the door". For more than two decades it has had the key of success and celebrates its coming of age with a tremendous line-up of concerts, recitals, workshops, drama and fringe events, with big name artists such as Emma Kirkby, Anthony Rooley and the Leeds Waits. As always, the festival covers a three-week period that spans the Spring Bank Holiday. More than forty events are planned, many of which will take place in Leicester's most beautiful and historic buildings. Centring on the ancient Church of St. Mary de Castro, other venues include the 14th century Guildhall, the Cathedral, the Georgian Castle House, the Saxon St. Nicholas Church and imposing St. Margaret's. Another popular venue that has a quite different appeal is the Black Horse Inn at Aylestone! The first major concert is sure to get things off to a flying start: Emma Kirkby and Anthony Rooley in a programme entitled "Songs of Time and Change" - a meditation for voice and lute by two of the greatest names in the world of early music. Other significant evening events include the festival's 21st Birthday Concert, a tour de force from the multi-talented Leeds Waits, a Thomas Arne celebration by the Concert Royale and a couple of intriguingly-titled offerings: Courtyle Musick's Family Concert, "Flora, Fauna and Feasting" and the "Early Music Weirdos". The festival's favourite pub, the Black Horse, is the venue for a highly recommended beer-tasting, a Friday lunchtime recital and David Lamb's one-man extravaganza - Palestrina and Rome - don't miss it. There are eight lunch-time concerts at various venues, given by some of the regular festival performers, along with a Bank Holiday Monday feast of music, dance and fun for all the family, that's sure to offer something for everyone. As ever, many festival events are planned specifically for children or with children in mind - and not just as listeners; children (as young as two for one event!) are encouraged to take part and gain valuable experience in music, dance, drama and craft. At one regular event, those taking part in an afternoon workshop have the chance to perform at the spectacular Saturday evening concert. For many festival regulars, the icing on the festival cake is the refreshment offered during concert intervals. At least two specially selected wines from one of Leicestershire's leading wine specialists are on offer as part of the ticket price at every concert. What's more, there are also wine tasting and whisky tastings (always jolly events), scheduled into the festival programme. The festival's enduring appeal has a lot to do with the variety of events on offer, some, such as the music and dance workshops, give participants a chance to learn something new and others provide a hour or two of passive enjoyment. You can go on a ghost walk, take part in a competition, sing, dance, eat, drink or sit back and listen to wonderful sounds. It's all there for the taking - and at an amazingly low price! Neil Crutchley Leicester Mercury Music Critic |
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