Glittering line-up as the Festival of Chichester unveils programme for its tenth year this summer
After two tough years the Festival of Chichester is delighted to unveil the line-up for its tenth festival.
Festival co-ordinator
Barry Smith said: “Ten years ago, we set out to present a brilliant array of arts and entertainment brought together in a celebration of our city of Chichester for a summer festival that everyone could be involved in and everybody could enjoy.
“Our ideal is to bring together the talents of local performers and organisations with the added lustre that visiting national and international stars can bring. This year we think we have fulfilled that dream with a fantastic selection of offerings across the fields of music in all its forms, theatre, spoken word, poetry, community shows, exhibitions, walks and tours and much more.
“We’re delighted to be welcoming to the Cathedral not one but two world class orchestras.
“Jess Gillam, 23-year-old saxophone superstar who wowed audiences in the BBC Young Musician competition, leads the London Mozart Players through Mozart and Glazunov.
“The soloist for the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra is Leonard Elschenbroich, who is quite simply, one of the world’s greatest cellists. He’ll be playing Elgar’s much-loved Cello Concerto.
“And our very own Chichester Symphony Orchestra will be joining in at St Paul’s with an enticing Tchaikovsky programme.
“With the Stradivarius
Piano Trio and the Camarilla Ensemble and more, our festival’s classical music programme matches the very best anywhere. For those who love a bit of jazz, pop, blues, folk or world music, we have that too. There’s an All-star female jazz sextet at the Pallant Suite, hugely talented jazz clarinettist Julian Stringle with guitarist Dominic Ashworth at the Assembly Room, musician’s musician folk star Andy Cutting at Graylingwell, international performers She’koyokh with toe-tapping world music at Halnaker, renowned pianist John Lenehan accompanying silent movies at Selsey and Chichester’s David Bathurst will be singing every Beatles song at Boxgrove. And we shouldn’t forget Jody and the Jerms and Olivia Stevens at Chi Inn and Pavlos Carvalho’s Greek Band at St Paul’s.
“This year we are proud to present three legendary poets – Liverpudlian Roger Mcgough (famous for Scaffold’s number one hit, Lily the Pink) at the Cathedral and Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry winners Grace Nichols and John Agard at the Poetry & Jazz Café. Famous novelist Elly Griffiths discusses her best-selling novels, while the Lord Chamberlain’s
Men entertain on Cathedral Green with Shakespeare and comedian Ninia Benjamin raises laughs at Graylingwell.
“Art lovers are in for a treat with Pallant’s Glyn Philpot’s exhibition while Oxmarket Contemporary stages several shows, as does the Library, Candida Stevens and the
Little Art Gallery. Visitors can take guided tours of the city or learn about nature with a bumblebee workshop. There’s so much to enjoy. The only way to get the full picture is to pick up a festival brochure or browse our website. You won’t be disappointed with our anniversary special!”