Classical Concerts & Landscapes

Good to see the Elgar Festival using one of my images from a concert earlier in the year to promote the masterclass for 2026.

Well that music festival was incredible, spanning two weeks with numerous venues, performers, and very appreciative audiences. The festival keeps improving each year, and I'm eager to see what 2026 has in store. To see more images from the festival https://elgarfestival.org/

Many photos of Rosalind Ventris - Violist  playing in Great Malvern Priory with the English Symphony Orchestra  and Kenneth Woods, conductor  during the Elgar Festival  2025. .

An incredible final festival recital yesterday afternoon at Henry Sandon Hall at Royal Porcelain Works  as the phenomenal Raphael Wallfisch  and Simon Callaghan  performed works by Kenneth Leighton, John Ireland, British Composer , Ian Venables - Composer  and, of course, Elgar, and then treated the completely sold out room to a beautifully moving encore of Sospiri.

Worcester Cathedral  was packed on Saturday night for our Festival Gala concert! Huge thanks to all who took part to create the Elgar Festival Chorus of 2025, conducted by Stephen Shellard. To baritone Gareth Brynmor John who landed only that morning from Vienna! To Ian Venables - Composer  for giving us his beautiful and newly orchestrated song cycle, Out of the Shadows To to our fantastic artistic director Kenneth Woods, conductor And last but not least to the wonderful pla

The Worcester Cathedral Chamber Choir under the leadership of Stephen Shellard dedicated this evenings evensong to the Elgar Festival

We rounded off Festival Friday with a hugely uplifting concert given by the English String Orchestra, conducted by Kenneth Woods, conductor  in The Priory Church at Great Malvern  featuring Rosalind Ventris - Violist  and including 2 beautiful works by our festival Ian Venables - Composer  alongside Peter Fribbins, Elgar and finishing with breathtaking Walton - what a performance!

All Saints Church was the venue for the free to enter event from the Worcestershire Symphony Orchestra  as part of the Elgar Festival  . Mozart, Ruth Gripps and of course Elgar were on the programme. Conducted by Keith Slade the full church were treated to some marvelous music.

The The Elgar Chorale  conducted by Piers Maxim  in St martins Church as part of the Elgar Festival  performed songs from Elgar and Ian Venables - Composer

April Fredrick , soprano and Eric McElroy , piano played to an audience in the Huntigton Hall. The programme consisted of : Elgar: Speak, Music, from Op. 41 Elgar: Rondel, from Op. 16 Elgar: Pleading, from Op. 48 Lennox Berkeley: Counting the Beats Ian Venables: Love’s Voice, Op. 22 Arthur Bliss: The Hare Arthur Bliss: This Night Arthur Bliss: The Fallow Deer at the Lonely House Eric McElroy: A Dead Man’s Embers

image by classical music concert photographer michael whitefoot

image by classical music concert photographer michael whitefoot

The ESO Youth  players, conducted by James Topp, wowed a packed Worcester Cathedral last night, joined by presenter Zeb Soanes  to perform Paddington's First Concert and other bear related repertoire! Congratulations also went to Rory Woodward and Ottilie Wallace, winners of this year's festival Young Composer Competition, who had their pieces performed by the wind players of the English Symphony Orchestra  and their prizes awarded by Ian Venables.

In a strange twist the Elgar Festival together with the National trust and Malvern Council decided to put on a days event at the Rushwick park. Free cycle and scooter repairs were on offer as well as refreshments Even the local police popped along to have a go. And of course the music in the background was written by Sir Edward Elgar.

A concert held in St Georges RC Church by the Elgar Festival involved hearing notes taken by Elgar whilst organ playing in the church and the quintet playing the pieces Elgar wrote.

At The Firs (Elgars Birthplace) the Elgar Festival ran a workshop for talented singers run by Ian Venables and April Fredricks. Five singers were out through their paces with constructive help along the way

Around 40 walkers with experienced guides walked from Blackwood Car park over the hills to St Wulstan's Church where Sir Edward Elgar and some relatives are buried. An hours walk followed by some reshments led to a marvelous recital by Shuwel Zuo (violin) and Jiayi Chen (piano). Both are participants in the Elgar Festival/Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Young Performer Showcase Programme.

Lynne Lindner and the Jenny Lind Singers performed to a full St Georges Church in Worcester as part of the Elgar Festival  2025. Included a programme celebrating the works of women composers past and present as well as songs by Edward Elgar.

Worcester Concert Brass conducted by Chris License entertained the shoppers in Worcester this afternoon with a string of well known tunes. Part of the Elgar Festival  2025

The Proteus Ensemble entertained an audience in Pershore Abbey this morning as part of the Elgar Festival  2025. Conductor Stephen Shellard  and his professional singers hail from all over the UK and even have a CD just out.