First ever Young Singers’ Masterclass Day at festival

In a new festival event for 2025, the Elgar Festival will welcome young singers in a special Young Singers’ Masterclass Day.

The event – which will take place on Tuesday 27 May at 11.00am and again at 2.00pm – will be held in the inspirational surroundings of Elgar’s birthplace at The Firs in Lower Broadheath, Worcester.

It will offer observers a chance to watch six talented young singers work with master teachers Ian Venables, the festival’s Composer in Residence and renowned American soprano April Fredrick.  Pianists Elizabeth Haughan and Rebecca Watson will also be part of the event.

The initiative was launched towards the end of last year, inviting young singers aged 18 to 25 to audition by submitting a covering letter and a video recording of a song by either Elgar or Venables to singforjoy@gmail.com.

The session – which will take place in the morning – will involve individual coaching, feedback and advice; after lunch all six students will perform in a more formal concert setting.

Kenneth Woods, Artistic Director of The Elgar Festival said: “Encouraging the next generation of singers to help us celebrate the life and works of Worcestershire’s most famous composer adds a new and exciting element to the festival as well as highlighting the talent of these future singers.  It will be a fabulous festival first!”

Both sessions are open to the public, offering an opportunity to learn and be inspired in the setting of Elgar’s birthplace; the event is free.

There is still time to apply; the closing date for applications is Friday 4 April 2025; successful applicants will be notified by Friday 18 April and all piano parts and vocal scores must be submitted by Friday 25 April.

The Elgar Festival takes place from Saturday 24 May until Sunday 1 June this year.

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 by the resident and world renowned English Symphony Orchestra.

Other highlights this year include Elgar’s Symphony No. 2 and John Ireland’s oratorio ‘These Things Shall Be’ performed by the ESO and joined by the 2025 Festival Chorus on Saturday 31 May in Worcester Cathedral. There are further performances by English String and Chamber Orchestras, recitals by world renowned performers Raphael Wallfisch, David Briggs and April Fredrick and several participatory events including ‘Come and Play Elgar 1’. The ever-popular family concert returns hosted by Classic FM’s Zeb Soanes including the winning pieces of the Festival’s Young Composers’ Competition; the event will also celebrate the work and 70^th birthday of Worcester’s finest living composer Ian Venables.

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 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 book tickets please visit www.elgarfestival.org