The Wymondham Music Festival team launched the Festival Fortnight brochure at a busy Town Busking Day on Saturday. More than 40 buskers entertained shoppers and visitors throughout the town ce​ntre. 

Festival Fortnight, now in its 20th year, is from Saturday, June 20 to Saturday, July 4. 

The fortnight kicks off on June 20 with two new events: a Community Choirs concert featuring new choirs formed for the event, along with existing choirs, and an evening Klezmer Ceilidh featuring Klezmerized! (ticket £8). Both events are at Robert Kett School.

The Festival’s largest event, the Midsummer Jazz Picnic returns with Simon Nelson’s Dixie Mix (June 22) along with the popular Teddy Bear’s Picnic (June 28).

The Abbey has a busy programme of concerts and recitals: Charlotte Evans and Rob Goodrich, Director of Music at the Abbey (June 24); jazz with the Sue Richardson Quintet, who will be celebrating the life and music of Chet Baker (June 25, £12); Baroque cellist Richard Tunnicliffe (June 27, £10); the annual Wymondham Young Musicians’ event featuring Norfolk Young Musician 2015, Alexander Little (June 29, £5) and BJ Cole and Emily Burridge cello and steel guitar (July 1, £12). BJ Cole has been rated by Sting as the “best pedal steel player in the World…”.

Folk fans have a real treat in store with two concerts: singer songwriter Kathryn Williams will be at Central Hall, supported by Wymondham’s own Johnny Steinberg (June 26, £12) followed by Glasgow’s Trembling Bells with Mike Heron of Incredible String Band fame and their The Circle is Broken tour (July 2, £12).

Dan Tidhar gives the annual Music Lecture & Recital on June 23  – the measured and the unmeasured in harpsichord music – and a special concert is being staged at the Abbey in memory of Leonie Woolhouse on July 2 (£10). The concert arranged by her family features music from Monteverdi’s Vespers, Debussy and Matthew Woolhouse.

The Festival Finale on July 4 will bring the fortnight to a resounding crescendo, with an all day programme of live music in the Market Place (11.30am-6.30pm). This is followed at 7.30pm by Wymondham Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Concert in the Abbey (£12/£10 concs.).

Richard Elliott, Festival Chairman said, “There’s a new team running the Festival and we have decided to reinforce the Festival’s ambition to be more community and family focussed and to showcase live local music.  The opening and closing events of Festival Fortnight 2015 reflects this, along with our very successful Busking Day. But we are also continuing to present some top national musicians, along with regular Festival favourites like the ever popular Midsummer Jazz Picnic.”

Keep in touch with Wymondham Music Festival at www.wymfest.org.uk, where you can buy concert tickets. Tickets are also on sale at Puff’s Toyshop in Wymondham Market Place (cash and cheque only).

Photos are by Anna Meek.

– – –

advert