Thurs 25th September - Sat 4th October

For the Hexham Abbey Festival programme for 2008, we have a vibrant, exciting line up of outstanding artists to match last year. All the innovations made in 2007 met with great approval from our audiences, particularly our Young Artist Platform, and the comments about the outstanding quality and range of the programme and artists have encouraged us to give you more in 2008 – ten days of music, from classical to folk to jazz and more. We have film, poetry, our growing schools & community events, street theatre, and of course our own Festival Chorus!

We welcome back ACOUSTIC TRIANGLE who have been very successful here in the past to open the Festival. This time they are joined by the Sacconi strings. This 9 piece ensemble is currently enjoying great success on their “3 Dimensions” national tour of great cathedrals and abbeys. They will make full use of Hexham Abbey’s magical spaces and acoustics, as their sounds emerge, echo, develop, melt and, re-emerge in a feast of real acoustic music – a surprising and unforgettable experience!

There are firsts in the whole Festival line-up: Leeds Baroque Orchestra, directed by Peter Holman play a Grand Tour of concertos by Vivaldi, Corelli, Handel, Lalande, Boyce, Telemann and Purcell; FRIBO is a unique collaboration between three musicians from Norway, Scotland and England, a 3-piece band of voice, Hardanger fiddle and guitar who have gained acclaim since appearing at the Orkney Folk Festival; groundbreaking instrumental duo HORSES BRAWL are Laura Cannell (recorders, fiddle and crumhorns) & Adrian Lever (guitar/bowed and prepared guitar) presenting an innovative blend of early music, with roots in renaissance, medieval, baroque and contemporary folk traditions. Part Folk – part Early – part trained precision – part wild abandon!
There’s plenty more. The best way to keep in touch would be to ensure you are on our mailing list so you receive your own copy of out brochure (published in early June). Better still get involved! Join our re-vitalised Friends membership scheme, which offers priority booking, discounts and other offers – see the Support page.
 

Graham Coatman
Artistic Director