Paul Conway

Polished accounts of new and enterprising repertoire at the North York Moors Festival

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom North York Moors Festival 2026 – ‘The Dividing Line’: Alena Baeva, Benjamin Baker, Alessandro Ruisi and Charlotte Scott (violins), Sascha Bota (viola), Rebecca Gilliver, Tim Posner and Jamie Walton (cellos), Will Duerden (double bass), Ben Goldscheider (horn), Nicholas Daniel (oboe), Matthew Hunt (clarinet), Jonathan Davies (bassoon). St Hedda’s Church, Egton Bridge, North Yorkshire 13.8.2026. (PC)

Violist Sascha Bota in front of Caroline Burraway’s installation during the performance of Schubert’s String Quintet in C © Matthew Johnson

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A carefully curated collection of eclectic but thematically interrelated songs from La Locura

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom ‘Invisible Threads’ – Various: La Locura: Ana Beard Fernández (soprano), Iain Hall (cello and recorders), Louise Anna Duggan (percussion), Oliver Wass (triple harp). St Clement Danes Church, London 26.7.2026. (PC)

Composer Emma-Ruth Richards (far left) and La Locura at St Clement Danes Church (courtesy of @_fotai_ )

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A post-card from Aldeburgh: a round-up of some of the excellent concerts at this year’s Festival

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Aldeburgh Festival – 12-28 June 2026

Percussionist Colin Currie with the BBC NOW conducted by Kevin John Edusei © BPA

The 77th Aldeburgh Festival offered a wide variety of repertoire, including several new and recent works of great interest. My experience of this year’s events featured memorable performances given in the Britten Studio and in the Concert Hall at Snape Maltings.     

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ASMF’s joyful celebration of the 70th birthday of Sally Beamish

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United KingdomUnited Kingdom Sally Beamish 70th Birthday Concert – Bach, Beamish, Respighi:  Chris Stout (fiddle), Catriona McKay (Scottish harp), Michael Collins (basset clarinet), Academy of St Martin-in the Fields / Benjamin Marquise Gilmore and Michael Collins.  St Martin-in-the Fields, London, 11.6.2026. (PC)

Sally Beamish © Sarah Hickson

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