INTERNATIONAL musicians will be bringing their talents to the 27th Cerne Abbas Music Festival, which begins on Thursday (8).

The Gaudier Ensemble, an international group of soloists, chamber musicians and orchestral principals from across Europe, will be at the four day festival.

They will be resident in Cerne Abbas for the festival week, performing concerts and giving open rehearsals in the beautiful St Mary’s Church.

Thursday is devoted to the relationship between folk and classical music with three performances that day.

It starts with a talk in the afternoon by Bob Philips, followed in the early evening with works by Haydn Schuman, Grainger, Berio and Dvo?ák, during which the Gaudier will be joined by the mezzo- soprano Victoria Simmonds.

A late night concert From Brig Fair to Strawberry Fair, featuring Tim Haycock and Colin Thompson, will round off the day.

The Friday evening concert has characterful folk music from Bartók, complementing Vaughan Williams’s romantic early quintet and Spohr’s joyful nonet.

There will be a coffee concert on Saturday morning which is suitable for all ages from 7 to 107 and will feature lively works by Gershwin, Saint-Saëns and Dvo?ák.

The festival concludes with two concerts on Sunday. At noon the Gaudier will be joined by students from the Royal College of Music with two masterpieces for winds by Janá?ek and Dvo?ák.

At 6pm the evening concerts have works by Berwald and Mozart and end with Dvo?ák’s piano quintet number 2 in A Major.

*Cerne Abbas Music Festival, June 8 to 11. See cerneabbasmusicfestival.co.uk For further details and booking arrangement, see cerneabbasmusicfestival.co.uk, visit Dorchester TIC or contact the Festival Office at 7 Barton Farm, Cerne Abbas, DT 2 7LF or call 07527 528673.

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