Society to host festival lecture and lunch

One of the largest single composer societies in the UK will host two special events at one of Worcestershire’s most loved festivals next month.

The Elgar Society – which is celebrating its 75^th anniversary this year – is organising both a lecture and a lunch at this year’s Elgar Festival.

Entitled the A.T. Shaw Lecture, the talk – which will take place on the final day of the festival, Sunday 31 May at 11.00am at the Henry Sandon Hall in Worcester – will feature world renowned independent recording producer Andrew Keener – in conversation with Kenneth Woods – about his work in the studio with some of the most renowned Elgar conductors and instrumentalists from the 1980s to the present day.  Entry is free.

The Museum of Royal Worcester will also be the venue for the Elgar Society Lunch on the same day at midday; tickets cost £32 per person  with pre-booking essential, contact chairman@elgarsociety.org.

Kenneth Woods, Artistic Director of the Elgar Festival said : “The Elgar Society plays an important part in our annual festival; with this year marking its 75^th anniversary we are delighted to welcome them back!”

The 2026 Elgar Festival event takes place between Saturday 23 until Sunday 31 May.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.