Sounds of spring in September

GIVEN the continuing uncertainty of staging live events, May’s Newbury Spring Festival has moved this year to September 4-20. Friends chairwoman Caroline Holbrook said: “We are delighted that we will have a full festival fortnight in September and that Mark Eynon has worked wonders to re-book many of the artists who would have appeared at the postponed festivals. “Our sadness at postponing May’s festival is tempered by the excitement about September.”

Full details of the new programme will be released on the website in the coming weeks.

Highlights of the new September festival include The Armonico Consort performing St Matthew Passion with Ian Bostridge on the opening night, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Jennifer Pike on the middle weekend and the London Philharmonic Orchestra will close the festival on the final weekend.

It is expected that many of the socialdistancing restrictions to still be in force in September. Most events will therefore be held in the largest capacity venues of St Nicolas’ Church and the Corn Exchange. Booking dates for the September festival: Tuesday, July 6 – Platinum Friends booking opens Wednesday, July 7 – Gold Friends booking opens Thursday, July 8 – Friends booking opens Wednesday, July 28 – Public booking opens. The updated programme will be sent out later in the spring.

THE National Gallery is streaming a series of online talks and creative sessions, now available to book.

They range from the paintings of Italy’s Renaissance cities to the relationship between art and technology.

In the first – City by City – you can earn about key cities of the Italian Renaissance through paintings from the gallery’s collection and beyond, with Jo Walton. Each session lasts for two hours, with a 10-minute break at the mid-point. There will be time for questions. An optional non-assessed homework is offered on a weekly basis, typically involves looking closely at a painting to reflect on set questions.

City by City dates: Monday, March 15 Monday, March 22

Monday, March 29

Monday, April 12

Monday, April 19

Monday, April 26

3pm- 5pm

Tickets £75, cons £70 (full-time students, jobseekers, and disabled adult). https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/