North York Moors Chamber Music Festival programme revealed

The North York Moors Chamber Music Festival, now in its 15th year, is well known for its daring programming and inclusive atmosphere.

This year’s festival runs from Sunday August 13 to Saturday August 26, and will feature a line-up of around 30 international artists.

This year’s theme – Into the Looking Glass – takes its influence from Lewis Carroll’s classic novel, exploring the psychology of the mind through the prism of music, conveying its various chapters with carefully curated music that takes the audience on an adventurous journey through many twists and turns.

Known for having forged ahead to play to live audiences throughout the height of the pandemic by hiring an open-sided 5,000-square-foot marquee, the festival retains the format this year in the grounds of Welburn Manor while also presenting a series of lunchtime concerts in some of the North York Moors National Park’s beautiful churches: St Michaels. Coxwold; St Hilda’s, Danby; St Hedda’s, Egton Bridge, and St Mary’s, Lastingham.

Artistic director and internationally renowned cellist Jamie Walton. who lives in the North York Moors, has gathered together around 30 international artists including pianist Katya Apekisheva, French horn virtuoso Ben Goldscheider, and violinists Charlotte Scott and Benjamin Baker, with festival debut appearances from the awarding-winning Ukrainian pianist Vadym Kholodenko.

They will perform works by composers including Bach, Schubert, Strauss, Schumann, Debussy and Mendelssohn.

Jamie said: “Although the festival is primarily chamber music in the classic sense, the success of last year’s appearance by folk singer Sam Lee and his band opened up our audiences to new styles and acts. This year, we’re delighted to welcome eclectic singer/violinist Alice Zawadzki and her jazz-infused trio for a concert entitled Wonderland, specially developed for the festival.”

To book, email [email protected] or call 07722 038990