A Gesture of Friendship

This year is the 10th anniversary of the Malcolm Arnold Festival which is on 17 to 18 October 2015 in Northampton and concerts include Martin Yates and the BBC Concert Orchestra with pianist Peter Donohoe with Arnold's Philharmonic Concerto, John Field Fantasy and Seventh Symphony and the festival concludes with a concert from the Worthing Symphony Orchestra performing the Commonwealth Overture, Saxophone Concerto and Scottish Dances.

When asked for his thoughts on the place of music in society, Sir Malcolm observed: “Music is a social act of communication – a gesture of friendship”. And so, the Festival’s theme for this milestone year is ‘A Gesture of Friendship’. The Festival would like to mark this year with a special venture: to unite musical people from all around the world on the second day of the Festival (October 18th 2015) in recognition of music’s cohesive power. The Festival is inviting musicians – young and old, amateurs and professionals – to play a favourite piece of music to friends and family, as a gesture of friendship. This can be a formal occasion – such as in a school or music society concert – or an informal one, perhaps in your own living room. However you choose to share your music, the hope is that you can also engage with a far wider audience by sending details of your performance via the A Gesture of Friendship Facebook page.