The historic and naturally beautiful Ryedale in North Yorkshire is brought to life with a rich array of music and poetry

The Ryedale Festival returns in the middle of July with a brilliant range of concerts in stunning venues across North Yorkshire.

The festival takes place in over 30 venues, from spectacular Castle Howard to a remote moorland chapel, ranging widely between York and Scarborough across some of Yorkshire’s most scenic countryside.

It was recently runner-up in the Best UK Concert Series category at the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards 2023 with the citation: ‘Yorkshire’s Ryedale Festival always wraps its arms around its community. Local people don’t just watch the star visitors; they come in droves to get equally involved.’

The medieval churches of the Ryedale area take centre stage, hosting the majority of the concerts across the festival. The ‘first great English opera’ Venus and Adonis is performed by the Ryedale Festival Opera in a three-concert pop-up production series, spotlighting Ryedale’s most ancient and atmospheric churches in Kirkbymoorside, Helmsley, and Malton.

The festival also brings several world premieres to these magnificent churches. Accompanied by young Brazilian guitarist Plínio Fernandes, violinist Roberts Balanas performs his Blurred Paths, a Ryedale Festival-commissioned soundscape set to bring the Holly Cross Church in Gilling East to life. Kirkbymoorside’s All Saints’ Church plays host to the premiere of Myrtles, an English translation of Robert Schumman’s song-cycle Myrthen alongside new poems by Kate Wakeling. Finally, the ensemble led by exciting saxophonist Jess Gillam performs an eclectic program in Norton’s St. Peter’s Church, including another Festival-commissioned piece from Pickering-born composer Joseph Howard.

Grand stately homes are also on the must-see list at the Festival. Sledmere House and Birdsall House host concerts from artists-in-residence Anna Lapwood and the Dudok Quartet respectively, and the Royal Northern Sinfonia draw the festival to a close at Hovingham Hall. The centrepiece of the festival is undoubtedly the Triple Concert at Castle Howard, where attendees can experience three separate concerts in the Long Gallery, Chapel, and Great Hall of the 18th-century home with one ticket.

Whether in church, home, or hall, the spectacular Ryedale backdrop is ever present throughout the festival. The villages and market towns of the region that play host to the events contain an untouched charm, and while traveling between them the wooded River Rye valley, the rolling Howardian Hills, and the North York Moors provide a picturesque landscape for musicians and concertgoers alike.

Attendees can become part of the music as well. Artists-in-residence Anna Lapwood and Nicky Spence along with Nigerian-Scottish trumpeter Aaron Akugbo host free-of-charge masterclasses in their respective instruments for all to learn and enjoy. Lapwood also hosts a ‘Come and Sing’ event, where ticket-holders can learn and perform Vivaldi’s Gloria accompanied by a professional orchestra and the famous choir Pembroke College, Cambridge.

There’s something for everyone at the festival. Young audiences can enjoy a vibrant reimaging of Mixed by Arree Chung with narrator Polly Ives and harpist Louise Thomson in Concerteenies, while babies and their grown-ups are invited to a magical musical experience across classical, folk, world and popular music.

The Ryedale Primary Choir is a new initiative for children aged 7-11, run by Caius Lee and launched this year in collaboration with the Richard Shephard Music Foundation. Children are having fun attending free music sessions in school holidays, where they meet and sing with professional musicians, especially Ryedale Festival Young Artists. The choir will make its festival debut by appearing on stage with The King’s Singers, having earlier worked with them in a masterclass.

Christopher Glynn, Artistic Director of the Ryedale Festival said: “This year’s programme brings together great performer-communicators like Anna Lapwood and Nicky Spence, with exciting talents such as superstar violinist Bomsori Kim and pianist Mishka Rushdie Momen. Trailblazers like Jess Gillam and the Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective mingle with world-famous artists like the King’s Singers and stars of the new generation. We celebrate the anniversaries of composers William Byrd and Sergei Rachmaninov but also break new ground with five World Premieres, including a co-created Community Song Cycle. The festival is all about quality, innovation and enjoyability – about sharing great music with more people every year. I look forward to welcoming audiences to be part of this year’s adventure.’’

From the Festival’s artists in residence:

Bomsori Kim said: “I am absolutely thrilled to be chosen as an artist in residence at the Ryedale Festival this year. This is an incredible opportunity for me to connect with audiences in the UK and share my love and passion for music. 
I am particularly excited to perform Brahms Violin Concerto and Beethoven’s Violin Sonatas, as these are true masterpieces that have always inspired me.
I cannot wait to communicate with the festival audiences through the universal language of music, and I hope to create a truly meaningful and unforgettable experience for everyone who joins me on this wonderful journey of discovery. 
Thank you so much for having me, and I cannot wait to see you all at the Ryedale Festival!”

Anna Lapwood said: “My first performance after lockdown was filming a performance for Ryedale Festival after the in-person festival had to be cancelled. It feels really special to be returning to the festival now and to have the chance to perform to a real audience, both on some of the amazing organs in the area and conducting the Pembroke College Chapel Choir.”

Mishka Rushie Momen said: “I’m delighted to be returning to the Ryedale Festival this summer for a residency at the end of July. The three concerts encompass wonderful works by Byrd, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn and Smetana, in solo, duo, and trio programmes. I’m really looking forward to reconnecting with the fantastic festival audience and sharing this great music together.”

Nicky Spence said: “It’s a privilege to bring such a varied offering to the Ryedale Festival this year. What could be better than making music with longtime collaborators in the beautiful surroundings of North Yorkshire? Having so enjoyed the audience’s response when I featured in the festival in some bleeding chunks of Wagner’s Parsifal a few years ago, I look forward to buttering many a crumpet with new friends and music lovers alike.”

Tickets and more information can be found at https://ryedalefestival.com/. Tickets for the summer Festival are on sale now.