Wymondham Music Festival Launch – Saturday, May 10 - Norfolk

Norfolk Schools' Brass Band

The 19th annual Wymondham Music Festival, centred on Festival Fortnight, June 21 to July 6, but with events from May, will be launched in Wymondham Market Place on Saturday, May 10 at 10am, with an open-air performance from Norfolk Schools’ Brass Band, supported by South Norfolk Council.

The Festival brochure, available from May 10, features more than 70 events, with 32 during Festival Fortnight. Events are organised by both the Festival committee and other groups. Many of the events during Festival Fortnight are free in venues across the historic South Norfolk market town.

Tickets for Festival Fortnight concerts go on sale on May 10 at Puff’s Toyshop Wymondham Market Place or online here. Save £1 on Festival Fortnight tickets booked by June 14. For general enquiries t. 01953 333500, email office@wymfestival.org.uk.

Enjoy performances by national, regional and local musicians with everything from Schumann, Debussy, Beethoven and JS Bach to Americana, English folk, swing, jazz, flamenco, bluegrass, African, Balkan, Gypsy and Indian music and contemporary composers and singer-songwriters.

Festival Chairman Richard Elliott said: "Soon we shall be converting months of planning into music - it's a really exciting time for everyone. The Wymondham area will be buzzing this spring and summer. Festival Fortnight is going to be a real treat for music fans, with its superb mix of classical, folk, jazz and contemporary music. Many of the events are free, so do come along, relax and enjoy our diverse programme in this beautiful market town."

Early events include the annual Wymondham Town Busking Day on Saturday, May 24 and Raevennan Husbandes, winner of Future Radio’s Next Big Thing (2012) in the Market Place from 10am on Saturday, May 31. Then Norwich Baroque presents The Bach Family and the Baroque Cello at Wymondham Abbey at 7.30pm on May 31

Festival Fortnight kicks off at 10am on June 21 with Around the World Through Music and Dance, a new free family event in Wymondham Abbey and churchyard. Enjoy Moxy Garbanzo playing Eastern European tunes and Sokoshumba performing colourful African music on mbira, hosho and djembe. There’ll be Bollywood and Indian classical dancing and Strictly Flamenco, along with Adrian Palka’s Sound Table.

Bella Tromba at Wymondham Abbey, June 21

Other highlights at Wymondham Abbey are Bella Tromba – jazz, classical and early English music (June 21); Joy and James Lisney (June 26), cello and piano featuring Schumann, Debussy and Beethoven; Collegium (June 28), a new Baroque ensemble performing Telemann and Bach and The Goldman Ensemble (July 2) recreating their 2008 piano recital at St Martin-in-the-Fields, which they presented without their pianist who was stuck in traffic.  Enjoy an evening full of comedy, theatre and music from Bach to Joplin.

There’s also a programme of lunchtime recitals at the Abbey and a special performance by Matthew Schellhorn of Ian Wilson’s new piano masterpiece, ‘Stations’ (June 29), to celebrate the Abbey’s new icons of the Stations of the Cross.

And on July 3 at the Abbey, it’s ‘Of Night And Light And The Half Light’ with John Law piano and Iain Ballamy saxophone, exploring the ground hovering between classical and jazz using contemporary groove-based rhythms and contemplative music.

The annual Midsummer Jazz Picnic returns to Becketswell (June 23) with Simon Nelson’s Dixie Mix, fresh from supporting Rod Stewart’s UK tour and Is u Iz – Ali Huiellebecq, saxophone and Hugh Stanners, accordion.

Pasadena Roof Orchestra at Central Hall Wymondham, June 27

Central Hall has a great line up beginning with Norwich newgrass string band Feral Mouth (June 24) performing their ‘raucous irresistible bluegrass with rock n roll flair’ – Louise Rodgers, Americana UK.  Then the world famous Pasadena Roof Orchestra is in town on June 27, followed by singer-songwriter Edwina Hayes (July 4), ‘the sweetest voice in England’.  Arhai and Musica Planina (July 5) complete the Central Hall series with a lively evening of Balkan folk music.

Head to the Market Place for Brother Pit’s Acoustic Americana (June 28) and Klezmerized! playing lively danceable music with Middle Eastern, Gypsy and Balkan influences (July 5).

The annual Teddy Bears’ Picnic is at Kings Head Meadow on June 29, with gentle musical fun for the under-fives from Charlotte Arculus and Hayley Moyses. And Norwich favourites The He Hews wrap up Festival Fortnight with the Family Finale at the Baptist Church (July 6), an afternoon of ‘sophisticated silliness’ from flapper to disco with a New Orleans twist.