North Norfolk Music Festival

The North Norfolk Music Festival is based in and around St. Mary's Church, South Creake in Norfolk. We happened on the festival last year almost by accident (see my review). This year's festival runs from 12 to 24 August 2014. The festival is opened by soprano Joan Rogers, viola player (and festival co-artistic director) Simon Rowland-Jones and pianist Gary Matthewman in a programme of music by Rebecca Clarke, Britten and Poulenc, including Poulenc's L'Histoire du Babar as well as Rowland-Jones's own song-cycle for soprano, viola and piano setting Stevie Smith. 

Other delights include three young cellists, John Myerscough (cellist with the Doric String Quartet), Bartholomew LaFollette and Philip Higham performing the six Bach Cello Suites, the ensemble Floreat Sonus in music for the Feast of the Assumption (performed on the actual day of the feast, 15 August), Bartholomew LaFollette joining the Doric String Quartet for Schubert's String Quintet, John Mark Ainsley and Iain Burnside in songs by Butterworth, Gurney, Bridge and Ireland on a WWI theme and Jakob Lindberg in a programme of music for solo lute including Bach's suit and pieces from the Balcarres Lute Book. Four singers who have just finished on the Royal Opera House's Jette Parker Young Artists Scheme, Susana Gaspar, Justina Gringyte, Grant Doyle and Jihoon Kim, perform operatic excerpts, and festival finishes with a recital by soprano Ilona Domnich.

Most events are preceded by a delightful festival dinner, which only serves to further the enjoyment. And there is a chance to hear the Doric String Quartet performing Haydn, Janacek and Schubert in the Marble Hall of Holkam Hall. Further information from the festival website.