Beverley is a town for all seasons, but it is especially beautiful in autumn when the elegant streets of its Georgian Quarter are carpeted with conkers and the trees of Westwood turn burnished gold. In late-September, Beverley has a music of its own when it plays host to the artists and festivalgoers who gather for the town’s Autumn Festival. Here are some reasons why you should join them, and why the event is such a haven for music:
St Mary’s Church
Our concert venue is lovely St Mary’s on North Bar Within: a beautiful medieval church, rich in architecture and history – with a stunning acoustic for chamber music and song.
Nocturnal adventures
Star countertenor Hugh Cutting and his Refound Ensemble explore music of the night, journeying from Purcell and Cavalli to Britten, Howells and Schubert; through folk, cabaret, and even Don McLean’s Vincent (Starry, starry night).
National treasure
Roderick Williams OBE, one of the UK’s most sought-after baritones, appears alongside Libby Burgess in a recital of evocative songs from around the British Isles including Finzi’s Earth and Air and Rain.
Insight
An enlightening talk from music journalist, broadcaster and cultural historian Flora Willson traces changing fashions in concert programming from the late 18th century to today.
Piano matinee
Pianist Martin James Bartlett makes his debut at the festival with a delightful programme: nocturnes by Fauré and Chopin meet with classics by Mozart, Handel and Bach. The recital ends in virtuosity, with a gem of the Spanish repertoire: “Los requiebros” by Enrique Granados.
A new generation
Young string players take part in an Inspire! workshop and our latest cohort of Voyagers – talented teenage musicians – perform on the main festival stage.
Off the beaten track
Discover this hidden gem of a county, from the gently rolling hills of the Yorkshire Wolds to the dramatic white chalk cliffs of Flamborough – all under vast skies.
Well-strung
Four outstanding string players come together for the festival to play powerful quartets by Britten and Bacewicz. They join with Libby Burgess in Elgar’s elegiac piano quintet. Also on the bill is a sparkling piano quartet by Mozart plus sonatas by Schubert and MacMillan.
Fanfare
Connaught Brass – winners of the Inaugural Philip Jones Brass Ensemble Competition – raise the curtain on the festival in a programme of Gallic-American delights. They also serenade pupils from a local primary school during their time in Beverley.
