Classical Concerts & Landscapes

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/

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

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!

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

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.

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

Ian Venables at Seventy The British composer celebrates with at least twenty-five performances on both sides of the Atlantic Written by...