The Three Choirs Festival in Worcester

THE THREE CHOIRS FESTIVAL IN WORCESTER

a four or eight night holiday | 25 & 29 JULY 2020

Worcester’s glorious cathedral on the banks of the River Severn is the venue for the 2020 Three Choirs Festival, the first under the direction of Samuel Hudson who came to Worcester in 2018 from Blackburn Cathedral. The 2020 Festival marks the 400th anniversary of the departure of The Mayflower from Plymouth, by featuring works by a number of American composers. The festival will also add musical adventures and discoveries of its own, in keeping with the spirit of the hundred-plus pilgrims who made that momentous journey four hundred years ago. As usual, we will include several visits to houses and gardens in the area.

The ITINERARY

You can choose one of the four night holidays, or stay for the whole festival for eight nights. We stay at Fownes Hotel in the centre of Worcester, within walking distance of the cathedral. The itinerary for the 24 July departure will include a visit to Hanbury Hall, an imposing Queen Anne house in the care of The National Trust. We will also visit The Firs in Broadheath where Elgar was born in 1857. In addition we will tour the Museum of Royal Worcester, whose matchless collection is now displayed in a renovated gallery. The tour departing on 29 July includes a visit to the glorious country house and garden at Madresfield Court, still the home of the Lygon family after 900 years. In Little Malvern we will visit Little Malvern Court, a 14th century house with superb gardens and a view across the Severn valley. At St Wulstan’s church we will see the grave of Elgar, who died in 1934. Another English composer, Dorothy Howell (1898-1982), used to tend Elgar’s grave and is herself buried here. There will also be a visit to Greyfriars House and garden. The house dates from the late 15th century.

All evening concerts at Worcester Cathedral; venues for morning and afternoon concerts are to be confirmed. NB. Clients on the eight-night holiday will attend the morning concert on 29 July. The English Symphony Orchestra will play Beethoven’s Symphony No.7, and the world premiere of a symphony by James Francis Brown (born 1969). 25 July, 7.45pm: Philharmonia Orchestra; conductor Geraint Bowen; Marta Fontanals-Simmons, soprano Copland (b.New York City 1900, d.there 1990): Fanfare for the Common Man Stephen Paulus (b.New Jersey 1949, d.Minnesota 2014): Sea Portraits Elgar: The Music Makers 26 July, 7.45pm: Philharmonia Orchestra; Geraint Bowen, conductor; Anita Watson, soprano; Catherine Carby, mezzosoprano; Ed Lyon, tenor; David Stout, baritone Elgar: Enigma Variations Horatio Parker (b.Massachusetts 1863, d.Long Island 1919): Hora Novissima 27 July, 3pm: The Elias Quartet; Robert Plane, clarinet Howells: Rhapsodic Quintet Beethoven: String Quartet No. 11 ‘Serioso’ Bliss: Clarinet Quintet 27 July, 7.45pm: Gabrieli Consort; conductor Paul McCreesh Purcell: King Arthur 28 July, 11am: Philharmonia Chamber Players; Adrian Partington, conductor; Roderick Williams, baritone Colin Matthews: The Great Journey 28 July, 7.45pm: Philharmonia Orchestra; Geraint Bowen, conductor; Joshua Ellicott, tenor

MUSIC PROGRAMME

Dobrinka Tabakova: Centuries of Meditations John Rutter: Visions Britten: Saint Nicolas Op.42 29 July, 7.45pm: Philharmonia Orchestra; Adrian Partington, conductor; Ruby Hughes, soprano; Njabulo Madlala, baritone Mendelssohn: The Hebrides Overture Copland: Appalachian Spring Armstrong Gibbs: Choral Symphony ‘Odysseus’ 30 July, 3pm: The Marian Consort Scarlatti: Stabat Mater Gabriel Jackson: Stabat Mater Dani Howard: New work 30 July, 7.45pm: Philarmonia Orchestra; Anna-Maria Helsing, conductor; Guy Johnston, cello Beethoven: Egmont Overture Howells: Cello Concerto Elgar: Symphony No. 3 31 July, 3pm: The Three Cathedral Choirs Bach: Magnificat Buxtehude: Membra Jesu Nostri 31 July, 7.45pm: Philharmonia Orchestra; David Hill, conductor John Adams (b.Massachusetts 1947): A Short Ride in a Fast Machine Eriks Esenvalds: The Pleiades 1 August, 11am: National Youth Choir of Great Britain The programme includes works by Roxana Panufnik, James MacMillan, Tallis, Eriks Esenvalds and others 1 August, 7.45pm: Philharmonia Orchestra; Samuel Hudson, composer; Bozidar Smiljanic, bass-baritone Beethoven: Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage Vaughan Williams: Songs of Travel Walton: Belshazzar’s Feast

tour information

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES

DATE PRICE SINGLE SUPP

25 July (4 nights) £1,157 £280 29 July (4 nights) £1,245 £280 25 July (8 nights) £2,398 £560

Our prices are per person, based on two people sharing a double/twin room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.

what we include

• Accommodation with breakfast and dinner each evening • Tickets for concerts as described • Return transfers between the hotel and each concert • All sightseeing as described, entrance fees and gratuities • The services of the Kirker Tour Leader, Andrew Biggs