59th King's Lynn Festival
12-25 July 2009

The 59th King’s Lynn Festival really does offer ”something for everyone” with favourites from the classical music world, jazz, folk and top-name writers. In continuing to widen the appeal of the Festival we are not compromising our high standards but are maintaining the tradition of excellence that is acclaimed nationally and internationally.

Classical music provides the heart of the programme. The Berlin Symphoniker makes its first appearance at Lynn to present a stirring all-Beethoven programme with the great Emperor concerto and the Pastoral Symphony. Keeping the town’s international links, the European Union Chamber Orchestra will join King’s Lynn Festival Chorus for the opening concert in the beautiful St Nicholas’ Chapel with its fine acoustic and two days later Festival vice-president, pianist Freddy Kempf will be soloist with EUCO. Clarinettist Emma Johnson returns, as does the Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble, and the highly popular coffee concerts will feature rising stars of the classical music world.

The Festival’s Hanseatic overtones marking the historic trading links between Lynn and ports across the North Sea and the Baltic, will be reflected not only by the Berlin Symphoniker and the EUCO visits but also on the  Early Music Day which features the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment performing a works by the vivacious Venetian, Vivaldi. There was a trading post in Venice used by Hanseatic and other North European merchants and the state was one of the most powerful trading nations of the Mediterranean. The late night early music concert will feature music from the Rhineland, an artery of Hanseatic trade.

The Festival programme will be given even greater breadth by the phenomenal Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, 2008 Classical BRIT award winners Blake, the Mike Piggott Hot Club Trio and folk stars Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick. Speakers include historian and Festival vice-president David Starkey, former director general of MI5 Dame Stella Rimington, writer and critic A N Wilson and politician the Rt Hon Shirley Williams.

The Festival exhibition features paintings by Lynn born artist Robert Whitmore (1908-1993), including many from private collections that are rarely on public show.

As always many West Norfolk organisations stage their own events during the Festival, adding to the variety of attractions. I hope you will find the 2009 Festival an enjoyable experience.

Ambrose Miller
Artistic Director
 

ONLINE PROGRAMME AND BOOKING
For more details of the full programme and to book tickets online, please visit the programme page here!

Dame Stella Rimington

A.N. Wilson

David Starkey

Mike Piggott Hot Club Trio

Rt Hon Shirley Williams

Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain