The prestigious classical music event, the Northern Aldborough Festival, has unveiled its largest, most varied programme in recent years.
Combining world class acts from a variety of genres, the event will be headlined by the winner of the prestigious 2015 Leeds International Piano Competition, Anna Tsybuleva and will also feature a talk by Norman Lebrecht, the renowned commentator on music and culture.
Taking place from Thursday June 23rd to Saturday 2nd July, the festival is held in and around the picturesque Roman village of Aldborough in North Yorkshire. Now in its 23rd year, the event continues to delight audiences with its unique combination of exceptional music set in charming rural locations.
Perfect Pitch Opera will open the festival with a new, heart wrenching production of Bizet’s Carmen and they will be followed by the much celebrated musicians, James Gilchrist, Philip Dukes and Anna Tilbrook. Visiting Aldborough as a trio, they will bring a poignant new collection of songs and chamber music, commemorating the two world wars of the twentieth century. For theatre lovers, the enthusiastically received Three Inch Fools will return for their second year, bringing their highly acclaimed production of Shakepseare’s As You Like It.
One of the finest talents in contemporary jazz, the award winning Liane Carroll Trio will provide a seductive, atmospheric evening whilst in contrast Eusebio Sánchez the Mexican Marimba player will make his Northern debut, showcasing his authentic Latin flair and extraordinary virtuosity.
This year, for the first time, the festival will also embrace a younger generation of music lovers with its family friendly production of The Magic Piano. The animated film from Oscar® award-winning creators BreakThru Films, will be accompanied by solo piano, introducing the music of Chopin whilst creating a spellbinding performance for children and parents alike.
Sir Andrew Lawson-Tancred, chairman of the festival, said:
One of the overriding objectives of the festival is to bring outstanding music to new audiences in locations where it wouldn’t normally be heard. By introducing a family event to the programme we hope to inspire and educate the next generation of music lovers.
The classical programme will close with a fanfare from a collection of London’s finest virtuosos, The Symphonic Brass of London.
The last night is an outdoor family concert with orchestrated fireworks in the grounds of Aldborough Manor. Going back to the good old days of Rock ‘n’ Roll The Bluejays will perform classics such as Buddy Holly, Elvis and Little Richard.
2016 Festival
Perfect Pitch Opera: Carmen (Bizet)Date: Thursday 23rd June at 7.00pm Venue: St. Andrew’s Church, Aldborough The 2016 Northern Aldborough Festival opens with a new production of Bizet’s Carmen from Perfect Pitch Opera, a new opera company boasting a starry line-up of young singers. Passion, sensuality and violence combine to set the stage alight in arguably the world’s best-loved opera. Sung in English. |
Faith, Fate and The Futility of WarDate: Friday 24th June at 7.30pm Venue: St. Andrew’s Church, Aldborough As individual musicians James Gilchrist, Philip Dukes and Anna Tilbrook are world renowned musicians. They come to the Northern Aldborough Festival as a trio, bringing with them a poignant new programme of songs and chamber music commemorating the two world wars of the twentieth century. |
Oliver Baily (violin), Lee Jae Phang (piano)Date: Saturday 25th June at 11.00am Venue: The Old Hall, North Deighton LS22 4EN Oliver Baily comes from a family with close associations with The Northern Aldborough Festival. A talented young violinist completing his studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, Oliver is beginning to make his mark in the finals of the college’s principal competitions such as the RNCM Nossek Prize and the Helen Porterhouse Paganini Prize. He is joined by a fellow student – Lee Jae Phang is studying for Master of Music in Performance. |
Liane Carroll TrioDate: Saturday 25th June at 7.30pm Venue: The Old Hall, North Deighton LS22 4EN Northern Aldborough Festival is proud to be presenting a true jazz great, Liane Carroll, an award-winning jazz pianist and singer described by Jamie Cullum as ‘one of the greatest singers we have in this country’. |
Magic Piano & The Chopin ShortsDate: Sunday 26th June at 2.00pm Venue: Constance Green Hall at St Aidans C of E High School, Harrogate, HG2 8JR Magic Piano, created by Oscar® award-winning creators BreakThru Films, is an animated film with live solo piano and introduces the music of Chopin with a set of unique animations. The main feature, Magic Piano, tells the story of Anna and Chip-Chip’s adventure of discovery aboard a magic, flying piano. |
Lonarc Oboe TrioDate: Monday 27th June at 11.00am Venue: Farnley Hall, Otley LS21 2QF The second of the Northern Aldborough Festival’s morning concerts combines both an outstanding venue, Farnley Hall, with exceptional musicians. Each of its three members is a distinguished oboist with a busy international career, and between them they have played in every Symphonic, Chamber, Opera and Ballet Orchestra in the UK. |
Norman LebrechtDate: Tuesday 28th June at 11.00am Venue: TBC The Northern Aldborough Festival is delighted to welcome one of the most erudite and thought-provoking figures in Classical Music, Norman Lebrecht. A renowned commentator on music, culture and cultural politics for institutions and journals including BBC Radio 3, The Telegraph, Evening Standard and Wall Street Journal, his blog, Slipped Disc, has become the world’s most-read cultural news and views site in English, drawing well over one million readers every month. |
Anna Tsybuleva (Piano, Winner of the 2015 Leeds International Piano Competition)Date: Tuesday 28th June at 7.30pm Venue: St. Andrew’s Church, Aldborough The Leeds International Piano Competition, with which the festival has had a longstanding relationship, is one of the most prestigious prizes in classical music. This year’s young winner, Ukranian born Anna Tsybuleva, triumphed in the hard-fought finals with Brahms’ 2nd Piano Concerto. |
Eusebio Sánchez (marimba)Date: Wednesday 29th June at 11.00am Venue: Bramham Park, Wetherby, LS23 6ND Mexican Marimba player Eusebio Sánchez’s Northern debut will enthral and enlighten the Festival audience with his authentic Latin flair and extraordinary virtuosity. |
Three Inch Fools: As you Like itDate: Wednesday 29th June at 7.30pm Venue: St. Andrew’s Church, Aldborough After their triumphant performance of The Tempest last summer, The Three Inch Fools return to Aldborough for the première of a new production of Shakespeare’s glorious comedy of love and change, As You Like It. The Fools bring a creative approach to Britain’s favourite bard, with live music-making and quick witted drama. |
Christoph Denoth (Guitar)Date: Thursday 30th June at 7.30pm Venue: Markenfield Hall, Ripon HG4 3AD The consummate ‘guitarist’s guitarist’, Christoph Denoth performs all over the world, most recently in Buenos Aires at the Radio Nacional, in Istanbul, New York, Toronto, Zurich, and London, with a recording of Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuéz with the LSO among his plans. He is considered one of the world’s foremost guitarists, much praised for his rich sound and musical expression. |
Symphonic Brass of LondonDate: Friday 1st July at 7.30pm Venue: St. Andrew’s Church, Aldborough The classical programme closes with a fanfare from a collection of London’s finest virtuosos, The Symphonic Brass of London. London is indisputably the world’s leading centre of musical excellence and the musicians you will hear tonight reflect every aspect of music making in this vibrant city. |
Last Night Outdoor ConcertDate: Saturday 2nd July, gates open 5.30pm Venue: Grounds of Aldborough Manor, Aldborough YO5 9EP The Northern Aldborough Festival takes you back to the good old days of Rock ‘n’ Roll with The Bluejays. Dust off your blue suede shoes and get ready for some jiving to the likes of Buddy Holly, Elvis, Little Richard, Carl Perkins, Bill Haley and other legends. When not showing off your best moves, picnic in the grounds and enjoy the stunning orchestrated firework display. |
