THIS coming Sunday will see the inaugural concert of the Cotswold Festival of Music (June 4) with Dame Emma Kirkby at the Church of St Peter & St Paul, Northleach.

The Cotswold Festival of Music aims to present the best music in the most lovely churches and halls in this area of outstanding natural beauty, and it starts with a concert by one of the most loved English voices of the last thirty years.

Dame Emma Kirkby’s uniquely pure, yet expressive voice has defined the sound of Dowland, Purcell & Handel for a generation of music lovers.

Her partnerships with Anthony Rooley, Jakob Lindberg & Christopher Hogwood stretch back into the early days of the recording of music from the centuries before Mozart with instruments their composers would have recognised; and her voice is the perfect match to those instruments.

Her programme on Sunday sums ups this extraordinary career with music by the composers with whom she was initially most identified: John Dowland & Henry Purcell.

Audiences will also hear some the highly expressive songs of Henry Lawes and lyra viol music by his brother William, who was shot and killed at the Siege of Chester in 1645.

Dame Emma is accompanied by a star team including Jakob Lindberg, Steven Devine and Richard Boothby, each of whom provide instrumental solos to vary the programme.

Next year, during the first weekend in June, the Festival plans to offer several concerts with various soloists and ensembles.

  • 4pm.Tickets are on sale now priced £15 each. Available at the Post Office in Northleach until Saturday, June 3. 
  • Visit cotswoldfestivalofmusic.co.uk for more details.