World Renowned Violinist Features in Harrogate Sunday Series

Nicola Benedetti, described by Classic FM as one of the ‘world’s finest and most in-demand young musicians’, features at Harrogate International Festivals’ Sunday Series.

The Sunday Series, now in its 25th year, has built an astounding legacy for bringing the finest classical musical talent from around the world to Harrogate.

Priority booking opened for Friends of the Festival on October 10. Memberships for the Friends’ scheme start from just £30 annually and Friends of the Festival get exclusive access to a wide range of benefits, including priority booking for the Sunday Series. Further information can be obtained online or by contacting the Festival directly.

General bookings open on October 24.

The series begins on January 21 with the multiple award-winning German cellist Benedict Kloeckner and Japanese pianist Momo Kodama. The recital features a rare combination of these two world-class musicians playing Schumann and Chopin.

Pianist Steven Osborne performs Prokofiev, Ravel and Debussy on February 18. Winner of two Gramophone Awards, and a regular guest with the BBC Symphony and London Philharmonic Orchestra, he’s made 14 appearances at the BBC Proms.

On March 4, alongside classics by Bach, Nicola Benedetti will perform a new work for violin written for her by jazz legend Wynton Marsalis, in a rare and intimate solo recital. Winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition at the age of 16, Benedetti is one of the most sought-after violinists of her generation, with numerous awards including a Classical Brit Award; she was awarded the Queen’s Medal for Music in 2017.

The Albion Quartet perform on March 18 with a programme featuring Dvořák. The string quartet’s debut recordings of the Dvořák’s Quartets will also be released in 2018 on Signum Records.

The series finale on April 15 features pianist Martin James Bartlett, playing Rachmaninoff and Beethoven. The BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2014 has been described as ‘not only a prodigy of the piano but an accomplished artist who counts among the greats of his generation’. At just 21, Martin has performed with the BBC Symphony and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras. He first performed with Harrogate Festival in 2015 and made his BBC Proms debut in the same year.

Brian O’ Regan, Music Festivals Manager at Harrogate International Festivals, said: “We’re incredibly proud to mark 25 years of the Sunday Series with this world-class line-up of talent that continues our legacy of delivering the international standard audiences have come to expect. It is remarkable to have such internationally renowned musicians on our doorstep, and I urge audiences to book early to avoid disappointment.”

All concerts will be performed on Sundays at 11am at the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate.

Book online or call 01423 562 303.

To become a Friend of the Festival please contact Lizzie@harrogate-festival.org.uk or call the Festival office on 01423 562303