Elgar Society to host finale events for festival

A society that promotes the life and work of Worcester’s most famous composer is holding two special events to round up this year’s Elgar Festival.

The Elgar Society will host a free lecture – entitled ‘A Critic’s View’ with The Birmingham Post’s senior music critic, Christopher Morley – on Sunday 1 June at 11.00am at the Museum of Royal Worcester.

The annual lecture celebrates the contribution of one of today’s leading Elgarians. Past honourees and speakers have included leading conductors, composers, broadcasters and scholars. This year’s speaker is one of the UK’s most distinguished, prolific and respected critics, and very much the music critic of Elgar Country. Morley will talk about his love of Elgar’s music, and his most memorable encounters with Elgar in concert and on record.

Entry is free but tickets must be booked at elgarfestival.org/events/the-elgar-society-a-t-shaw-lecture-a-critics-view.

The society will also host a festival lunch open to all on Sunday 1 June at 12midday.  Tickets cost £31 and are available from chairman@elgarsociety.org; pre-booking essential.

Kenneth Woods, Artistic Director of the Elgar Festival said: “The Elgar Society plays a pivotal part in keeping Elgar very much alive in the hearts and minds of his faithful.  These two events will not only celebrate him as a composer and a person but also bring the 2025 to a close.  We hope you can join us for both.”

The 2025 Elgar Festival event takes place between Saturday 24 May until Sunday 1 June.

The festival – which was launched in 2018 – was established by decree of Worcester City Council and is traditionally held on the weekend closest to Elgar’s birthday, 2 June 1857.

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, the festival is an annual celebration of Elgar’s music spanning symphonic and string orchestra concerts.

Other highlights this year include the annual Gala Concert on Saturday 31 May at Worcester Cathedral, performances by Chamber Orchestras, recitals by world renowned performers Raphael Wallfisch, David Briggs and April Fredrick, several participatory events including ‘Come and Play Elgar 1’ and a Young Singers Masterclass.

There are several free events, relaxed concerts, an exhibition, choral events, a film screening, Q and As, a guided walk and a new performance partnership with students from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

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