Worcester orchestra releases first ever album to coincide with festival

A Worcester based orchestra with an international reputation has announced the release of its first album.

English Symphony Orchestra’s own ESO Records label first album – which is due for release on Friday 28 March in partnership with Ulysses Arts – includes live recordings of Elgar Symphony No.1 and ‘In the South’ conducted by the ESO’s Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Kenneth Woods.

The release of the album comes just two months ahead of this year’s Elgar Festival; the ESO plays an integral part in the festival with Ken as its Artistic Director.

Ken explained: “There are studio recordings aplenty of Elgar’s major works. Our aim with these Elgar Festival Live recordings is not simply to share a performance of a piece, but to share a memory of an occasion and a flavour of this magical place. Each is a record of a single performance that grew out of a week’s immersion in all things Elgar, down to the sights he saw, the streets he walked and the air he breathed. I never take for granted that I get to stand on the same spot in Worcester Cathedral that Elgar did so many times.”

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.

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, several participatory events including ‘Come and Play Elgar 1’ and a Young Singers Masterclass. 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, a new performance partnership with students from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and a Club Elgar event.

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 English Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1980 and is The International Orchestra of Elgar Country.

For further information and to book tickets please visit www.elgarfestival.org