As each year of the Etchingham Arts Festival succeeds one to another, we seem to have found our niche by bringing the Arts into a magnificent medieval church, with the beauty of the Sussex countryside all around and for a wide community of people hereabouts. I hope that also as we grow in stature and artistic standards, it is also a sign of our confidence to work in a professional and fairly competitive arena. The gift of the church as a setting is centuries old, but the Festival is but twenty years old and seems to be gathering strength in our commitment to the ideals and ambitions of the founders.
Each year the programme endeavours to build on past successes, introduce new performers, always indicating our intention to mix traditional styles with new innovations. This year's programme has some very direct links with the Festivals of the past, but with a definite eye on the year's prevailing influences.
One thing we pride ourselves upon is creating friends out of many of the artists, and it is a great joy to begin the Festival with Spencer's Nighthawk Orchestra on Saturday 1st July. Last year they astounded us with what can only be described as a musician's merry-go-round, when every member of the band changed instruments 3 or 4 times during one number. You really had to be there to see and hear it!
The Sunday evening Concert is a tranquil evening of superb music, and we welcome The Bloomsbury Quartet, who, in this anniversary year of Mozart will play works by the Genius himself, as well as Haydn and Hummel - the latter of whom is also enjoying something of a resurgence of interest.
On Tuesday, 4th July, we bring a joint production between the East Sussex Music Service, based in Lewes, two soloist student singers from the Royal College of Music, and pupils from Etchingham Church of England Primary School. They will pool their resources of playing singing, acting, dancing, and for the School supported by the Textile Club, make their own costumes for a production of 'Noye's Fludde' by Benjamin Britten.
Two years ago we were overjoyed that Dr Peter Katin, one of the world's greatest interpreters of Rachmaninov's 2nd Piano Concerto, and the piano works of Chopin, Debussy he accepted our offer to become our Patron, and his guidance has been immeasurable. His commitment to us means that we are assured of a recital, and with his own interest in supporting and introducing new pianists, Peter will perform on Wednesday 5th July works by Chopin, and introduce Alisdair Hogarth who will play works by Haydn, Debussy and Rachmaninov.
Last year Peter brought as his guest Richard Evans who thrilled the audience with some bravura playing of works by Liszt, and this year it is Richard's turn to bring a guest. As pianist in his own right, Richard will play works, again by Liszt together with Beethoven, and then he will act as accompanist to the soprano Katherine Fuge with songs by Schubert and Wolf. But the most anticipated item will be a piano accompaniment setting of The Four Last Songs by Richard Strauss.
The last ticketed Concert is the ever-popular Opera Supper Concert, and this year sees a slight departure for us. Whilst we would not want to spoil such an enjoyable Concert, this year we shall have a short piano recital to serve as the hors-d'oeuvre, and follow with the main course of a semi-staged production of Ravel's one-act opera 'L'heure d'Espagnole'.
The Etchingham Arts Festival traditionally ends on the Sunday with a free concert/recital and this year we hope to welcome one of the area's best Church choirs who will sing a number of anthems and choral pieces.
Booking opens on June 1st and more information is available from;
Etchingham Arts Festival
9 McMichaels Way
Hurst Green
East Sussex TN19 7HJ
Tel: 01580 860701
email: etchfest@aol.com
