Northumbrian Music Festival Delivers a Classic Programme

The annual Northumbrian Music Festival will take place at Northumberland’s Doxford Hall and Eshott Hall and Ednam House in Kelso between February to April this year. And, this year it features performances from across the UK, North Wales Opera Studio, Much Loved Productions from Yorkshire, Traditional Music from Northumberland and Brass from Cambridge. Highlights include:

• Tim Lihoreau presenter of Classic FM compering Prime Brass Cambridge, who have been hailed by the radio station as an “exceptional brass ensemble” on February 24^th.   Regular performers on Classic FM, this ten-piece line-up includes four trumpets, four trombones, horn and tuba.
• HMS Pinafore from Scratch – a full-length staged version of the G&S favourite, featuring rehearsed contributions from the audience as the chorus, before a full-length performance from everyone in the second half.
• Graeme Danby appears as the region’s most popular baritone to perform an Evening of Northumbrian Song and Austin Gunn, tenor, will sing his way through the melodies of Spring.
• Gala Opera and Sacred Music Concerts will be performed at both Doxford Hall in the dramatic setting of St Andrew’s Church Kelso.
• The Northumbrian Ranters will once again showcase the talents of the Northumberland’s new generation of musicians.
• The Three English Tenors return to entertain with a range of musical genres from dramatic opera to favourites from the musical.

In looking forward to compering the Cambridge Prime Brass Concert Tim Lihoreau said:

“This promises to be a fabulous weekend : full of music and culture – and featuring my favourite

brass ten-piece, Prime Brass. What’s not to like?  I’m so looking forward to it.”

Opera has always been at the heart of the Northumbrian Music Festival on Tour and this year is no exception.  In addition to Opera Galas and evenings of Sacred Music, alongside the inimitable baritone Graeme Danby, making a new appearance is tenor Austin Gunn.  Both singers have themed evenings devoted to the North East and spring, respectively.  The North Wales Opera Studio is an exciting group, new to the North East, that brings together performers who are training as opera singers.

Commenting, organiser Barbara Huddart said: “We are delighted that the Northumbrian Music Festival on Tour is returning.  The music and the food that accompanies it combine to make a hugely memorable event for all who attend.  The new events we’re planning are amongst the most exciting we have ever arranged.”

The longest running item is a Festival favourite, Northumberland’s internationally famous young performers, the Northumbrian Ranters.  They return on 23^rd February and as the Festival’s founder Robert Parker has always said: “It wouldn’t be a Northumbrian Music Festival without them”.

The programme for the 2018 Northumberland Music Festival on Tour is as follows:

16^th February   – HMS Pinafore from Scratch – Doxford Hall

17^th February   – The Three English Tenors – Doxford Hall

23^rd February   – The Northumbrian Ranters – Doxford Hall

24^th February   – Cambridge Prime Brass – Doxford Hall

2^nd March        – An Opera Gala Evening – North Wales Opera Studio – Doxford Hall

3^rd March         – An Evening of Sacred Music – North Wales Opera Studio – Doxford Hall

20^th March       – Austin Gunn and Friends – Spring Serenade – Eshott Hall

21^st March        – Graeme Danby – An Evening of North East Music – Eshott Hall

6^th April           – Gala of Sacred Music – Ednam House Hotel

7^th April           – The Three English Tenors – Ednam House Hotel

With all performances including a gourmet meal, the Festival offers the perfect winter’s evening of entertainment, fine food and culture. The Halls and Hotels of the Group are perfect backdrops for musical performances – with large spaces, or nearby churches, that were designed from the outset for large social events.  Most also provide a dramatic backdrop for the classical music that was written with their architecture in mind.

Taking place in three of The Robert Parker Collection of hotels, this Festival in the North East opens at Doxford Hall on 16^th February with HMS Pinafore from Scratch and concludes with the The Three English Tenors at Ednam House on April 7^th.

Further details for the Northumbrian Music Festival on Tour can be found at www.nmfestival.co.uk  or by telephoning 01668 283100 or writing to the Northumbrian Music Festival, Cheviot Centre, Padgepool Place, Wooler NE71 6BL.