Elgar Festival returns to Worcester

It takes place for a week from the end of the month

Author: Jon BurkePublished 27th May 2024

Worcester's Elgar Festival, which is the annual celebration of the life and music of Worcestershire’s most famous composer, returns this week.

The Festival, which started in 2018, was established by decree of Worcester City Council and is traditionally held on the weekend closest to Elgar’s birthday, 2 June 1857.

This year’s Festival will combine orchestral, chamber, vocal and choral concerts with exhibits and lectures to celebrate the life and music of Sir Edward Elgar at various venues across Worcestershire.

Artistic Director of The Elgar Festival, Kenneth Woods, says it's vital the city continues to celebrate it's heritage, so people can appreciate the area they live in more.

He said: “Edward Elgar is without a doubt one of the Britain's great creative figures, his music is beloved worldwide, and I think it's really important that we celebrate his life and legacy in the place where he spent most of his life.

"This is one of the world's most liveliest music cultures, and in a way, Elgar launched all of that in a similar way that Shakespeare did with literature.

"It's a great asset for Worcestershire and the surrounding area that Elgar lived here, and that we can celebrate that."

The Elgar Festival’s 2024 event will take place between Monday 27 May and Sunday 2 June.

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