Fine chamber music lined up for festival (From Hereford Times)

Fine chamber music lined up for festival

3:16pm Wednesday 3rd January 2007 in Leisure By Julie Harries

THE Wye Valley Chamber Music Festival starts its eighth winter season on Wednesday, with six concerts taking place in Hereford, Much Marcle, Monmouth and St Briavels (on the Gloucestershire side of the Wye Valley, five miles south of Monmouth).

Twenty string players and pianists will descend on the village of St Briavels, pitching camp in the castle.

Members of ensembles such as the Nash, the Kungsbacka and the Leopold will mix and match to create fresh, new sounds.

Elgar's 150th birthday will be celebrated with a performance of his piano quintet on January 18 at St Briavels.

Other English works by Bridge, Yorke Bowen and Vaughan Williams will be worked into a variety of duos, trios, quartets and quintets by Mozart, Haydn, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Bartok and Kodaly.

Wednesday's opening concert at St Briavels is followed by a Saturday afternoon concert at Hellens, Much Marcle, and a third at Wyastone Concert Hall, a few miles north of Monmouth.

The Bishop's Palace in Hereford is the venue for the fourth evening (January 17) before a return to the Norman church at St Briavels (January 18).

The festival ends with a popular programme at Monmouth's Blake Theatre on Friday, January 19.

Tickets are available from Leo Walsh, festival administrator, on 07812 633923, as well as Outback Records in Hereford and Ross TIC.

Advance booking is available until Monday, after which tickets will be for sale on the door. Full details are available at www.wyevalleyfestival.com or www.stbriavelsmusicsociety.org.uk