Other great festivals
Leamington Music Festival 1-5 May There’s Beethoven aplenty, of course, while Leamington’s own Howard Skempton features alongside Vaughan Williams’s On Wenlock Edge.
Tel: +44 (0)1926 497000
Web: www.leamingtonmusic.org
Sheffield Chamber Music Festival
8-16 May
‘Nature’ is the starting point for Sheffield’s slice of the Beethoven cake, and there’s a Steve Reich pop-up in the Winter Gardens. Tel: +44 (0)114 249 6000
Web: www.musicintheround.co.uk Swaledale Festival 23 May - 6 June
Guided walks in breath-taking scenery, its very own ‘Reeth Lectures’ and a quartet of quartets – what’s not to like?
Tel: +44 (0)1748 880019
Web: www.swaledale-festival.org.uk
Elgar Festival 28-31 May
In his home city, Worcester’s most famous Wolves supporter is fêted with The Spirit of England and Symphony No. 1.
Tel: +44 (0)905 28613
Web: www.elgarfestival.org
Gregynog Festival 15-21 June
Spurred on by lutenist Thomas Dunford’s Ensemble Jupiter, the Powys-based festival ponders the theme of ‘generosity’.
Tel: +44 (0)1686 207100
Web: www.gregynogfestival.org
Northern Aldborough Festival 18-27 June Semi-staged, Handel’s Theodora precedes violinist Viktoria Mullova, and oboist Nicholas Daniel’s Haffner Ensemble pairs Mozart and Beethoven.
Tel: +44 (0)1423 900979
Web: www.aldboroughfestival.co.uk Lichfield Festival 9-19 July
Other birthdays are also available! Stephen Sondheim at 90 is celebrated, and the cathedral welcomes I Fagiolini, violinist Rachel Podger and the Armonico Consort. Tel: +44 (0)1543 306150
Web: www.lichfieldfestival.org