It gives me huge pleasure to present the programme for our 19th festival. With 2020 being the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, we clearly had to acknowledge that important musical landmark. It is never easy to strike a balance with such anniversaries but I hope you will agree that we have programmed some of his most important works whilst still presenting a two-week festival that has enough variety to suit the majority of tastes.We have more festival debut appearances than usual this year. In week one the brilliant harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani plays the Goldberg variations, and on the same evening Mary Bevan, Elizabeth Kenny, and Joseph Crouch complement that with a beautiful second half programme. The outstanding clarinetist Julian Bliss makes his debut with his ensemble, the Bliss Wind soloists, and on the middle Saturday I’m delighted to welcome the marvellous La Serenissima here for the first time. In week two Camerata RCO make their debut, an ensemble comprised of members of the legendary Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. The opening concert marks the second appearance here of the great Jerusalem quartet and, midway through, the Endellion quartet also make their second festival visit. At the end of week two Dame Sarah Connolly returns, this time in recital with Joseph Middleton. Alongside that wonderful line up are the magnificent festival regulars, Paul Lewis, Steven Isserlis, Richard Goode, and Vox Luminis. The Paul Lewis masterclass last year was so popular that we are repeating the idea, this time with Richard Goode as tutor. Richard gives us a direct link, through his studies with him, to the piano legend Rudolf Serkin, and Richard currently holds the position of International Chair of Piano Studies at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Visiting Professor at the Royal Academy of Music, and frequently leads masterclasses at some of the world’s most prestigious institutions including Verbier Festival Academy, and the Wigmore Hall.I look forward to seeing many of you next May.

Charlie Bennett October 2019