MUSIC lovers are set to enjoy a feast of orchestras, choirs and jazz as the "biggest and most ambitious" Maldon arts festival kicks off in just over a week's time.
The festival, which begins on Saturday next week and runs until Saturday, July 5, will also host a cappella singing groups, chamber music, and opera, along with talks and workshops.
Now in its seventh year, the festival has adopted a war and peace theme to fall in line with the anniversaries of the First World War and D-Day.
Colin Baldy, 56, from Maldon, founded the festival and is confident that this will be the best year yet, after attracting musicians from around the world, including Italy and the United States.
"This is our biggest programme by a long way, and the one that I'm most pleased with, we have had a growth in interest. This is the biggest and most ambitious to date," he said.
"We have a great combination of really high-class professional musicians and events taking place in truly stunning locations.
"The war and peace theme seemed to make sense this year and it runs right the way through the selections we have made."
Venues for the 15 events include the All Saints and St Mary's churches in Maldon, the town's Blue Boar Hotel, the Quaker Meeting House in Butt Lane and St Mary's Church in Mundon.
Along with selling more tickets than ever before, the festival has attracted three new sponsors, including supermarket giant Lidl, Tiptree jam makers Wilkin & Sons and sausage-makers debbie&andrew's.
Mr Baldy added: "We want this to be Essex's answer to the Aldeburgh festival."
In keeping with the war and peace theme, the festival kicks off with Hadyn's Nelson Mass on Saturday next week which was composed during the Napoleonic Wars and originally entitled Mass in time of War.
And on the same night Duruflé's famous Requiem Mass will be played.
The Requiem was commissioned as an act of remembrance for the First World War by the government of Vichy France.
Another highlight is an organ recital by the celebrated organist, John Scott, formerly of St Paul's Cathedral and now of St Thomas' Church Fifth Avenue, New York.
The festival is organised by Colin Baldy and Kieran Sampson but also relies on volunteers who give up their spare time to ensure the smooth running of the events.
One of those volunteers is Katie Gowler, 24, from Maldon who has been helping out since its inception.
"I think the festival is a fantastic opportunity for Maldon. It's the sort of standard that you might expect in London," said Miss Gowler who is singing in the opening ceremony.
She added: "The festival is really well received and held in some of the most historic and wonderful places.
"I'm very excited for it to start and I'm very happy to give up my spare time to help the festival's progression."
For more information on the events during the festival please go to www.maldonarts.org.uk
