Dear Blogger
Message from Whittington Music Festival
| Whittington's Young Musicians
We were thrilled to see both teenage cellist Oliver Pearce, who has taken part in our Saturday morning masterclass sessions and played in family concerts, and soprano Kizzy Lumley-Edwards on national TV, performing at the BBC Proms this year. Oliver played with the National Youth Orchestra, while Kizzy had the honour of singing with the National Youth Voices (National Youth Choir's chamber choir) and the BBC Singers at the Joe Hisaishi Prom. We shall be seeing a lot more of these young people in years to come, but you heard them here first, in Whittington! | | | | Stop Press
Violinist Rosa Hartley has just been offered a position with the highly respected Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Our congratulations go to Rosa on this prestigious next step in her career. |  | | | 2026 Festival: 14 – 17 May
Sophia is hard at work engaging musicians and starting to plan concert outlines. Thank you to everyone who returned feedback forms and suggested works or composers for next year. The information has been passed on to Sophia, and it may well be that requests for some Bach in 2026 are fulfilled. The programme is devised with the development of the young professionals in mind, but you can be confident that there will be a heady mix of the familiar, the new and some favourite works re-interpreted.
| | | | Chef The most pressing task is to find a new chef for the festival as Rachel, our chef for the past two years, has decided to retire. Cooking for the musicians is a huge task which involves staying at Bronygarth (unless you're local) from Sunday evening until the following Sunday afternoon, ordering the foodstuffs and providing three vegetarian meals a day for 15 people, mostly with voracious appetites. Food, along with accommodation and transport to rehearsals and concerts, is what powers the festival – literally! This is a paid post - if you're interested or know someone who might be, please contact admin@whittingtonmusicfestival.org.uk | | | | Festival Friends
Did you know that in 2025 our wonderful Friends, Benefactors and Sponsors contributed 40% of our total income? Hard-won grant funding accounted for 35% and ticket sales, bar income and programmes 25%. In short, Whittington depends upon our supporters both locally and across the country. If you know of anyone who could be persuaded to sign up as a Friend please encourage them to do so. And of course we should be very grateful if you could renew your own subscriptions at your earliest convenience. You can subscribe by cheque, by standing order or faster payment at your bank, and online at www.whittingtonmusicfestival.org.uk Thank you. | | | | Dates for your Diary
On Saturday 11 October 2025, 7.30pm at the Maidment Auditorium, Shrewsbury School SY3 7BA, cellist Daniel Brandon and pianist Sophia Rahman are giving a concert in aid of Severn Hospice. The programme includes cello sonatas by Brahms, Boccherini, Tabakova and Poulenc.
Tickets are available via Ticketsource (not Shrewsbury School). Simply put Shrewsbury School into the search bar on the Ticketsource website and scroll through until you find the event.
Tickets are free of charge, with a retiring collection for the hospice.
Saturday 1 November, 7.00pm at Whittington Church.
As part of our occasional 'Whittington in Winter' recitals. The Scholars and Gentlemen choir will give a concert of a cappella music by Monteverdi in aid of Whittington Music Festival, Please come along and bring a friend. Refreshments available.
Tickets £12 on the door. | | | | |
