Sherborne Abbey Festival website

Sherborne Abbey Festival held its first concert on Friday, 5th May 2000, and the festival has been held each year since as a four or five day event based around the liturgy and its music. The festival is run by volunteers and aims to bring high quality classical events to the town at a price people can afford. Any profits made are used to fund future festivals and to promote music within the Parish of Sherborne

Lesley Garrett

Bath Camerata

Tallis Scholars

2012 FESTIVAL

Sherborne Abbey Festival will run from Friday 4th May-Tuesday 8th May and once again presents a musical programme to thrill and excite.

Artists appearing this year include Lesley Garrett and Emma Johnson, two of Britain's most glamerous and versatile performers, appearing together in a specially devised programme for the soprano voice and its instrumental counterpoint, the clarinet. The Tallis Scholars present a programme of Tallis and Byrd and top and tail this programme with 'Spem in alium', presenting the 40 part motet in A with Bath Camerata. Remember Zum, well these fantastic musicians are appearing in their classical format, London Concertante, with soloists Adam Summerhayes (violin) and Steven Hudson (oboe) presenting a programme which includes Albinoni's Oboe Concerto, Pachelbel's Canon and Bach's concerto for violin and oboe. Ruth Rogers Co-Leader of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and described as “the finest of the younger generation of violinists” (Musical Opinion) and hailed by the Guardian as “superb” will feature alongside Francesco Attesti (piano) in a special programme presented by Bournemouth Symphony Players which includes Bach's Keyboard Concerto and Mendlessohn's Concerto for violin, piano and strings. Also Sherborne Festival Chorus are presenting a wonderful programme which includes Mozart's 'Great Mass in C minor and Haydn's 'Te Deum'.This year we also welcome back the award winning group Backbeat who will run a fully interactive workshop looking at several features of rhythm, co-ordination and percussion skills and who will also present an exciting concert of music, featuring a huge array of percussion instruments.

So what more could you want! With a full programme of 23 concerts and services, keep your eye on this site for further details, then come and enjoy 5 days packed with the most wonderful music in beautiful Sherborne in 2012

Emma Johnson

Ruth Rogers

Fransesco Attesti

Francesco Attesti

Sherborne Festival Chorus

Backbeat

Llondon Concertante

London Concertante.

In his book England's Thousand Best Churches, Simon Jenkins lists Sherborne Abbey in the top 18 of England's churches and credits it with some of the finest vaulting in the country. He writes, "I would pit Sherborne's roof against any contemporary work of the Italian Renaissance".

To encounter great music in these beautiful surroundings is something rather special. These moments of real magic are available all too rarely. So why not come and join the growing number of people who return year after year to enjoy our festival in this wonderful setting -- once experienced never forgotten.

Photo courtesy of Mr Stuart Glasby

Sherborne Abbey Festival is run in aid of Sherborne Abbey.

Contact by post: Sherborne Abbey Festival, PO Box 6317, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 9AP.

Contact by phone: Ticket and Concert Enquiries 07724 396470

Supported by


CHARTERHOUSE Auctioneers and Valuers	THE DUNARD FUND
Simon Digby Charitable Trust	Blackmoor Vale Magazine	THE EASTBURY HOTEL