Whittington International Chamber Music Festival - concert 4

After two highly successful Festivals in 2013 and 2014, which focused exclusively on the music of Brahms and Schubert respectively, the third Whittington International Chamber Music Festival will provide an 'immersion experience' in the wonderful music of Felix Mendelssohn. From 12 - 17 May, the Werther Ensemble and friends will play six concerts in this delightful Shropshire village. The church has a perfect accoustic and a good view from all pews -uninterrupted by pillars. The Werther Ensemble are again our resident musicians - Jamie Campbell (violin), James Barralet (cello - and also our Artistic Director) and Simon Callaghan (piano). This year they will be joined by seven other musicians, all of the same international calibre. Between them all, they represent six nationalities.

Concert 5 will include the marvellous Piano Trio in D minor by Felix's sister, Fanny, to whom he was very close. It is considered that she would have been as talented and prolific a composer as Felix, had she had the opportunity to continue with her music.

The great great great great niece of Mendelssohn, a BBC documentary maker, will be giving a lecture on Fanny Mendelssohn on Thursday 14 May at 7.30pm and will show her film 'Mendelssohn, the Nazis and Me' at 1pm on Friday 15 May at Oswestry's Kinoculture cinema. Stephen Carpenter, till recently Chief Executive of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, will offer an illustrated reflection on Mendelssohn’s memorable 1829 visit to Scotland during the Festival Service on Sunday May 17 at 10.30am.