Please open your diaries and be sure to save dates and buy tickets for events featuring in this extraordinarily far ranging 2018 Mayfield Festival of Music and the Arts which is happening at venues across Mayfield between Saturday 28th April and Sunday 13th May.

The programme this year includes events so varied that there is bound to be something which appeals to all ages and tastes. These include ‘Poems of Home and Exile’ by renowned poets Jonty Driver and Isobel Dixon, a showing of the ground breaking 1952 film Tales of Hoffman, a Bank Holiday Ceilidh with Tinkers Bubble and an Art Trail in and around the village in which 30 local artists are opening their studios. There will also be an interactive talk about site specific theatre by Stephen Israel Director of the Mayfield Community Players.

The music which lies at the heart of the Festival offers an eclectic mix performed by a wide variety of musicians and singers including current stars such as Stephen Kovacevich one of the finest concert pianists alive and James O’Donnell one of the country’s leading organists, Oz Clarke and Armonico who will be performing with the help of wine, Robert Habermann who will be bringing the songs of Frank Sinatra to life and Chamber Music performed by Levon Chilingirian and Ian Fountain both professors at the Royal Academy of Music. We are also lucky to have the Onyx Noir a brass ensemble who will be playing a rousing fusion of jazz and classical music.The Oxford Camerata, The Mayfield Festival Choir, St Dunstan’s Parish Choir, The Mayfield Consort and music and choral scholars from Mayfield School will be performing some sublime choral works in St Dunstan’s Parish Church, St Thomas of Canterbury Church and Mayfield School Chapel.

Young people have not been forgotten and Kidenza a full 14-piece orchestra will be putting on concerts and running a workshop for children aged 6 and above. The festival is also hosting, for the second time, the Tunbridge Wells International Music Competition which features outstanding young concert artists many of whom will be the stars of the future.
So how can you resist this musical and artistic feast?

Brochures which include the full programme and ticket information will be available at local shops and venues from Friday 16th February. Tickets on sale from Monday 19th February.

Barbara Murray