JAM festival is tasty prospect

Young and old will come together for a series of concerts across east Kent in the JAM music festival. It is named the John Armitage Memorial (JAM) event after the late trumpet player who studied music as a mature student at Canterbury Christ Church. He came up with the idea of a festival promoting and performing new music and bringing young people together with professional musicians, but passed away before it became a reality in 2001. This year’s festival kicks off on Wednesday, July 3 with a performance of A Sporting Chance, a piece for brass quintet and primary school children. Onyx Brass will join talented pupils from schools in Romney Marsh, Hythe and Folkestone to perform the work from 2pm at Hythe Bay Primary School. Tickets are £5 or free for under 18s. Other highlights include children from the St Leonard’s Church choir in Hythe joining the BBC Singers to perform The Farthest Shore, a new work by composer Paul Mealor, who wrote the Military Wives’ hit Wherever You Are. There will also be a strings concert with Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and a choral concert featuring the Mousai Singers performing Fauré’s Requiem. For the full line-up or to book, visit www.jamconcert.org/season or call 0800 988 7984.