Ensemble to play classical and world music at Worcestershire festival

Kosmos Ensemble will perform at the Elgar Festival – the annual celebration of the life and music of Worcestershire’s most famous composer – on Friday 2 June, one of the festival’s two late night Club Elgar events.

The trio – who will perform in Worcester’s Guildhall – offer an inspirational combination of tango, gypsy, Balkan and music from the Far East; re-defining the relationship between classical and world music, they have gathered accolades from all over the world. United by a shared passion for improvisation, music from around the globe, as well as the rigours of classical training, each member of Kosmos is an international soloist in their own right and brings individual flavour to the group.

Described by chief music critic from The Times Richard Morrison as having ‘telepathic
rapport, dazzling virtuosity, serious scholarship, intellectual curiosity and impeccable
musicianship’, the event is set to be one of the festival’s highlights.

Tickets cost £10 with the performance starting at 9.30pm; a cash bar will be available, providing a club style evening of entertainment.
The trio are made up of:

• Harriet Mackenzie, an international violinist, concerto soloist and chamber musician
  who has recorded concertos with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the English
  Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Nova;
  ​
• Meg-Rosaleen Hamilton, a unique viola player specialising in world and folk music
  styles including Celtic, Romanian, Greek and Middle-Eastern music;
  ​
• Miloš Milivojević, a Serbian classical accordionist, awarded a full scholarship at the
  Royal Academy of Music, winner of many international competitions and the prestigious Derek Butler London Prize at the Wigmore Hall – contested by students
  from all four of the London conservatoires.
  ​

This year’s Festival will combine orchestral, chamber and choral concerts with exhibits and lectures to celebrate the life and music of Sir Edward Elgar at various venues in Worcestershire. Entitled ‘We are the Music Makers’, the Festival brings together an array of internationally renowned guest artists, placing the music of Worcester’s most famous son alongside that of his contemporaries and some of today’s leading composers and arrangers.

Kenneth Woods, Artistic Director of The Elgar Festival said : “We are absolutely delighted to
be welcoming the fabulous Kosmos Ensemble to this year’s festival; prepare to be
intoxicated by entrancing dance rhythms, soulful improvisation and gypsy passion delivered
with inimitable panache and virtuoso technique.”

The festival will run from Tuesday 30 May until Sunday 4 June.
Launched in 2018, it was established by decree of Worcester City Council and is traditionally held on the weekend closest to Elgar’s birthday, 2 June 1857.
Since it began – lauded as ‘Critic’s Pick’ in both The Guardian and The Times – the Festival has doubled in size and scale and championed Sir Edward to as wide an audience as possible.

For a full list of events, costs and booking information, please visit www.elgarfestival.org.

To find out more about Kosmos Ensemble, please visit www.kosmosensemble.com.