The 30th festival, which ended on Saturday 22 June, feels an age away now – walking through Aldborough on a quiet July day it is hard to imagine that just a month ago it was filled with the sounds of orchestras, chamber groups, singers and rock bands!
Before we begin the work to put together the 2025 programme, let us revisit that happy fortnight in June…
Thursday 13 June
The programme began with an emotionally charged performance of Chopin’s 1st Piano Concerto, the young string players of Fantasia Orchestra supporting the spellbinding tones of Alim Beisembayev on the Fazioli concert grand piano. The rehearsal was featured on BBC Look North in the evening bulletins, and in reporter Cathy Killick’s words, “Aldborough is the place to spot stars of the future, as well as established musicians of the highest calibre. We’re lucky to have it.”
After the concert, the musicians raced back to London, just avoiding the post-midnight curfew which would have meant a large expenses bill, and the audience headed to the SHED for the first of four post-concert parties.
Friday 14 June
The following morning we headed to the Georgian jewel of Brockfield Hall outside York, where we witnessed a wonderful marriage of performer and venue, with classical guitarist Jack Hancher conjuring beautiful, delicate sounds in the intimate acoustic of the drawing room. After the concert, the owner of Brockfield Hall, Charlie Woods, gave a guided tour of the house, which contains the largest private collection of paintings by the Staithes Group of artists.
That evening, The Old Hall in North Deighton saw the first appearance of a stand-up comedian at the Northern Aldborough Festival, and Amy Webber, with her operatically trained background, was uniquely suited to the occasion! Her riotous comedy, catchy songs on the most unlikely of subjects and her tales of job-seeking won over the audience.
Saturday 15 June
Back in St Andrew’s Church on the morning of Saturday 15th, we welcomed the young pan-flautist Adriana Babin, who had travelled all the way from Moldova the previous evening, arriving in Aldborough at 2am, to perform with us. Her virtuosity was extraordinary, and in a programme of popular classical, tango and jazz repertoire she produced the most bewitching of sounds, almost vocal in character, from her instrument. She evidently enjoyed the experience hugely, writing that she had ‘wonderful memories of my experience at the Northern Aldborough Festival. I would love to share a bottle of Moldovan wine with all the festival team!‘
Julian Joseph, arguably the UK’s leading jazz pianist, brought the house down with his trio on Saturday night. The church’s acoustic, not a typical jazz one, was nonetheless able to showcase the most hushed sounds as well as an aural barrage when all three virtuosi were playing at full tilt. It all felt a very special evening, and the band joined us in the SHED afterwards for refreshments and live piano by the young pianist (and one of our festival technical team) Luca Trentini-Dowell.
Sunday 16 June
Staying with young artists, one of the festival’s founding missions is to offer performing opportunities to young and emergent talent, and the annual Young Artist Showcase presents teenaged performers from Yorkshire with one such opportunity. Clarinettist Blessing Clarkson, pianist Hannah Dormer, cellist Imogen Harpin and soprano Anna Jackson all acquitted themselves brilliantly, and special thanks must go to pianist William Dore, who accompanied three of the four young performers.
Monday 17 & Tuesday 18 June
The central event of the festival was the second year of the New Voices Singing Competition, and for two days the church and the SHED resonated to the sounds of singers and pianists rehearsing. An outstanding panel of judges including bass Sir John Tomlinson, conductor Edward Gardner and pianist Sholto Kynoch could not have been more supportive of or enthusiastic about the young performers, and the final produced a worthy winner in mezzo-soprano Judith Le Breuilly, who was a late call-up, replacing another semi-finalist with just 24 hours’ notice! She was awarded her prize by Laura Canning, the General Director of Opera North. Second prize, the Yorkshire Future Music Fund Prize, went to coloratura soprano Clara Orif and her pianist Jack Redman.
Last year’s returning winner, Lea Shaw, gave a stunning recital on the themes of travel and transition with her pianist Kristina Yorgova. This extraordinary competition, now the most notable singing competition north of London, would not be possible without the support of principal sponsor The Seastock Trust. The judges, finalists and even most of the semi-finalists that did not make the final mingled in the SHED after the awards.
L-R: Sir Andrew Lawson-Tancred, Robert Ogden, Edward Gardner OBE, Sholto Kynoch, Judith Le Breuilly, George Ireland, Sir John Tomlinson, Clara Orif, Jack Redman
Wednesday 19 June
Wednesday saw the return visit of one of the world’s great violinists, Viktoria Mullova, whose innate musicality, plangent tone and virtuosity were all on display in the performance of two Beethoven sonatas and Schubert’s extrovert Rondo in B minor. Her alert and responsive accompanist Alasdair Beatson was also truly outstanding.
Thursday 20 June
Rudding Park is one of the finest hotels in the area, but also a Grade I listed building with its own Puginesque chapel. The wonderful acoustic was excited by the unusual combination of saxophone and accordion in the recital by the Mikeleiz-Succhi Duo. The Festival Team always enjoys its trips to Rudding Park, as there is often time to take in a Full English breakfast in the Clocktower Restaurant during the rehearsal!
The Festival often coincides with a major sporting event. This time it was the Euro 2024 football championships, and a game between England and Denmark at 5pm, just before the appearance of the great Sir Tony Robinson. No matter – Sir Tony joined the festival team in the festival office to watch the match before going on stage. We heard about his early work as a child actor, even appearing in the first production of Lionel Bart’s Oliver with Steve Marriott, later the lead singer of the Small Faces. He also discussed his big break with Blackadder and his almost accidental move into the TV archaeological series ‘Time Team’. In the SHED afterwards, close-up magician Oliver Parker bamboozled all the guests, including Sir Tony, with his ability to move cards and coins through thin air, sometimes into people’s wallets and inside pockets. Fortunately not out of them!
Friday 21 June
The final performance in St Andrew’s Church was the visit of the Armonico Consort for a performance of Purcell’s ‘opera’ The Fairy Queen, in a riotous edition by countertenor William Towers. The sonority of the strings, brass, timpani and voices in the church was spine-tingling, and wine critic and former actor/singer Oz Clarke was a brilliant and resonant narrator. The performers’ thirst was slaked after the concert in the newly re-opened Ship Inn (Oz is of course as much a beer connoisseur as he is a wine one) while the team took down the stage and technical equipment in the church.
Saturday 22 June
The final day, Saturday 22 June, the team were in the grounds of Aldborough Manor, preparing for a crowd of over a thousand people for Majesty – a tribute to Queen. Signage, safety fences and of course the stage and lighting were all installed before a final team lunch in The Ship Inn. Any nerves about the weather (the Last Night is all outdoors) were allayed when the sun broke through just after lunch, and Majesty and the warm-up Reef Hound kept everyone on the dance floor until the fireworks took over.
Next year’s festival takes place between 12 and 21 June 2025. We look forward to seeing you there!