Come and meet Elgar’s orchestra

Worcestershire Symphony Orchestra will play a pivotal role in this year’s Elgar Festival.

Conducted by Keith Slade, the performance will take place at Worcester’s Guildhall on Saturday 30 May at 1.30pm; entry is free.

Kenneth Woods, Artistic Director of the Elgar Festival explained: “The annual free performance of the orchestra co-founded by Sir Edward Elgar himself offers families a great chance to experience the thrill of orchestral music up-close in an informal environment. A wonderful programme featuring Elgar, Bach and Mozart alongside 1950’s film composer Doreen Carwithen; come early to guarantee a seat!”

Keith Slade – who was born in the West Midlands – was a finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year Woodwind and a graduate from the Royal Northern College of Music where he was awarded the Hilda Collens’ prize. He furthered his studies with a postgraduate degree at the Royal Academy of Music where he was awarded the Dorothy Grinstead Memorial Prize for the most outstanding postgraduate, the John Solomon Woodwind and Brass Prize and the Morgensterns’ Award.

Keith has extensive experience as an orchestral musician, working with orchestras such as the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, London Festival Opera and the BBC Philharmonic.

Previous appointments include Head of Wind and Brass at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Junior School and Head of Woodwind at Oakham School. At present he is Head of Woodwind at Solihull School. He is Principal Conductor of Kimichi Symphony Orchestra

In January 2010, Keith was appointed Music Director of the Worcestershire Symphony Orchestra. WSO performs several concerts each season and Keith is a regular guest on BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester promoting the orchestra and classical music amongst the local community. In 2018 WSO performed in Worcester Cathedral in remembrance of the Armistice Centenary. Continuing his passion for music education, Keith worked with primary schools in the area to create a truly remarkable concert. In recognition of his services to WSO, Keith was honoured to be invited by Her Majesty the Queen to a private gathering to celebrate HRH’s Diamond Jubilee in Worcester.

Set in the composer’s hometown and surrounding areas over the week closest to Elgar’s birthday on 2^nd June – this year’s festival will take place from Saturday 23 May until Sunday 31 May – 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.

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.

The music of the festival’s namesake will be the centrepiece of a busy programme of 27 events across 15 different venues with 3 pre-festival events including the relaxed concerts. The full breadth of Elgar’s work will be showcased, including songs, miniatures, chamber music and choral anthems alongside his most beloved orchestral masterpieces.

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.

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