PRESS RELEASE
www.kingslynnfestival.org.uk/press
April 23 2012
King’s Lynn Festival programme 2012
A celebratory feast of music and the arts featuring top-class international names has
been lined up for this summer’s King’s Lynn Festival to mark the Queen’s Diamond
Jubilee and the Olympics.
The 62nd Festival, being staged from July 15-28, will be launched by Grimethorpe Colliery
Band whose programme will include William Walton’s stirring Crown Imperial which was
played at the Queen’s Coronation. The band have won many championship titles and
gained international fame through the 1995 film Brassed Off!
The Philharmonia Orchestra, the King’s Singers, pianist Freddy Kempf, the Endellion
String Quartet and BBC Young Musician Lara Melda and are among the cream of the
classical music world taking part.
Artistic adviser Ambrose Miller said: “It will be a celebratory festival to mark two very
special events. The top class programme will maintain the festival’s tradition of
excellence and have broad appeal.
“Audiences will be able to enjoy the music in some of Lynn’s most historic buildings
including St George’s Guildhall, St Nicholas’ Chapel, St Margaret’s Church and the Town
Hall Assembly Rooms,” Mr Miller said.
Other famous names taking part include leading jazz singer Jacqui Dankworth who will be
demonstrating her own distinctive style alongside her trio of musicians, and well-loved
film reviewer Barry Norman who will be talking about his favourite films and telling
fascinating anecdotes about the movie industry.
Australian-born guitarist Craig Ogden, described as one of the most exciting artists of his
generation, will perform popular works from the guitar repertoire.
This year’s Festival Exhibition will feature etchings and paintings by members of the 19th
century Norwich School including Cotman, Bright and Colkett alongside works by 21st
century artists who draw their inspiration from the East Anglia terrain.
continued ....../
King’s Lynn Festival Ltd 5 Thoresby College Queen Street King’s Lynn Norfolk PE30 1HX
Registered office: 11 New Conduit Street King’s Lynn Norfolk PE30 1DG Registered in England No. 3468735 Registered Charity No. 1066819
PRESS RELEASE
www.kingslynnfestival.org.uk/press
The exhibition is being staged by the Festival in partnership with Sherie Naidoo who runs
Artlands, an East Anglian-based art dealership, and will be held in the Fermoy Art Gallery
at Lynn Arts Centre from July 16-28. There will be three guided tours of the exhibition
with Sherie Naidoo and Lynn historian Dr Paul Richards.
The Philharmonia Orchestra, one of the most popular orchestras to perform at Lynn, last
visited five years ago. They will again give the final concert with a programme including
Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture, Fingal’s Cave, Beethoven Eroica symphony and
Bruch’s violin concerto featuring 21-year-old Belgian violinist Yossif Ivanov who won the
Montreal International Music Competition when he was only 16.
It is about 30 years since The King’s Singers, one of the world’s most celebrated
ensembles, appeared at Lynn. The six singers maintaining the group’s great reputation
will make a welcome return to the renowned acoustic of St Nicholas’ Chapel on July 17.
Their specially-devised programme, Royal Rhymes and Rounds – music from Medieval
times to the present day – will celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
King’s Lynn Festival Chorus will perform a concert version of George Gershwin’s opera
Porgy and Bess on July 22. Chorus chairman Nick Balaam said: “Porgy and Bess is a great
piece of music which many people are familiar with. We are very excited to be asked to
perform it with the spirituals from Sir Michael Tippett’s A Child of Our Time including the
well-known Steal Away to Jesus.
“They will give us the opportunity to show regular festival-goers the breadth of our range
and also to attract new audiences. People will leave the concert humming and singing
some wonderful tunes,” he said.
Pianist Freddy Kempf, a Festival vice-president, is also returning to give a recital of music
by Beethoven, Chopin and Schumann on July 26. The 2010 BBC Young Musician, pianist
Lara Melda who was 16 when she won the title, will give one of the series of five very
popular morning coffee concerts in Lynn Town Hall on July 23-27.
One of the award-winning young ensembles performing at the coffee concerts will be the
Cavaleri Quartet who will also stage a Sunday afternoon concert at Park House,
Sandringham, childhood home of Diana, Princess of Wales.
The quartet’s programme will include Three Divertimenti by Benjamin Britten to mark the
centenary of the East Anglian-born composer.
continued ....../
King’s Lynn Festival Ltd 5 Thoresby College Queen Street King’s Lynn Norfolk PE30 1HX
Registered office: 11 New Conduit Street King’s Lynn Norfolk PE30 1DG Registered in England No. 3468735 Registered Charity No. 1066819
PRESS RELEASE
www.kingslynnfestival.org.uk/press
Early Music Day on July 21 will feature The Parley of Instruments in St Margaret’s Church
playing music by Handel, Albinoni and Capel Bond, and a late night programme, The
Queenes good Night, presented by Susanne Heinrich (treble and bass viols) and Lynda
Sayce (lute).
Well-loved and respected film reviewer, Barry Norman, will be sharing his favourite
movie moments and providing an insight into films and their stars with some fascinating
film clips and anecdotes at an event entitled Barry Norman’s Favourite Films on July 18.
Instant Sunshine will stage Going for Gold! - an antidote to the Olympics - on the day the
games open. The early Olympics and Ancient Greece will be covered in an illustrated talk
by historian Dr Michael Scott on July 16.
Adding to the variety will be a literary dinner on July 20 at which the speakers will include
thriller writer Philip Kerr, a Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) lecture by explorer
Hugh Thomson on July 23, and a visit by Contemporary Consort on July 16.
King’s Lynn Town Guides will be offering a variety of walks celebrating Lynn’s rich history
during the Festival Fortnight. It is a time when many other West Norfolk organisations
also hold Fringe events which provide a wealth of interest and opportunities for both
visitors and local people.
King’s Lynn Festival Ltd 5 Thoresby College Queen Street King’s Lynn Norfolk PE30 1HX
Registered office: 11 New Conduit Street King’s Lynn Norfolk PE30 1DG Registered in England No. 3468735 Registered Charity No. 1066819