ONE artist has the distinction of performing in more events than anyone else during the Three Choirs Festival, appearing in 11 in the course of the festival’s eight days.

As festival organist, Peter Dyke accompanies all the week’s services and plays the orchestral organ parts in the evening concerts, too.

On Sunday, Peter is also conducting the Evensong sung by the Cathedral’s Voluntary Choir, which is marking its first appearance at the festival with a new work by Patrick Dunachie.

“Of course, there is a colossal amount of preparation to be done for the performances in the festival, particularly perhaps the service to be broadcast by BBC Radio 3,” said Peter.

“What is not so well known is the fact that I also do the arranging of the nine hymns and one choir anthem for the opening service and Festival Eucharist, where the chorus and cathedral choir are joined by a brass group and an orchestra – this involves many hours on the computer preparing the scores and the instrumental parts.

“It will be very exciting to hear what these sound like on the day.” Tickets to the opening service on Saturday are free.