Call to ‘Come and Play Elgar’ at this year’s festival

Call to ‘Come and Play Elgar’ at this year’s festival

Issue Date : 7 January 2025 Ref : EF2503

Photo caption: The English Symphony Orchestra’s Associate Conductor, Joe Davies, will conduct the event

The Worcestershire based Elgar Festival – which is set to return to the county in May and June this year – has announced a pre-festival event.

Entitled ‘Come and Play’, the event will take place on Saturday 17 May in the composer’s hometown of Worcester, welcoming amateur musicians from all over the UK for a day of rehearsals, culminating in a performance of Elgar’s 1^st Symphony.

The event is being jointly organised by the festival and the English Symphony Orchestra, with coaching and encouragement throughout the day from the ESO’s principal players; it will be conducted by the ESO’s Associate Conductor, Joe Davies.

Kenneth Woods, Artistic Director of the Elgar Festival said: “Following on from the huge success of 2024’s inaugural Come and Play day this event is an opportunity for aspiring amateur musicians of all ages to experience the joys and challenges of Elgar’s symphonic writing in an enjoyable and relaxed environment.  We are looking forward to welcoming amateur musicians and young musicians from all over the UK to join us for this exciting project.”

Previous experience of Elgar’s 1^st Symphony is not essential and there is no audition; however it is recommended that applicants are Grade 7+ or equivalent standard. All applications will be processed on a first come first served basis. To apply, please visit Come and Play Elgar 1 – The Elgar Festival

The day will culminate in a showcase concert for family and friends at 4.00pm.

The event will take place at St Martin’s Church, London Road, Worcester, WR5 2ED.

Themed ‘Celebrate with Elgar’, this year’s festival will bring together world class professional musicians and artists alongside local choirs and ensembles placing the music of Worcester’s most famous son alongside that of his contemporaries and some of today’s leading composers and arrangers.

Set in the composer’s hometown and surrounding areas over the week closest to Elgar’s birthday on 2^nd June, the festival is an annual celebration of Elgar’s music spanning symphonic and string orchestra concerts by the resident English Symphony Orchestra, along with chamber concerts, choral concerts, recitals, workshops, masterclasses, street performances, a young composers’ competition, exhibits, tours and talks.

Venues include Worcester Cathedral, Royal Porcelain Works, The Guildhall, Malvern Priory, Pershore Abbey, St Martin’s London Road, All Saints Deansway, St George’s Barbourne, St Martin in the Cornmarket, Elgar’s Birthplace The Firs, Huntingdon Hall, St Wulstan’s at Little Malvern, St George’s RC Church and Piston Distillery. 

Since its inauguration in 2018, when it was a Critic’s Pick in both The Guardian and The Times, the festival has doubled in size and scale and continues to grow annually through an innovative development programme of appealing and accessible events, working with hundreds of both internationally renowned professional artists and amateur musicians and performers of all ages to ensure Elgar really is for everyone.

For further information and to apply please visit www.elgarfestival.org/come-and-play-elgar-1/