Festival finishes with a flourish (From Stroud News and Journal)

Festival finishes with a flourish

THE Stroud and District Arts Festival closes this weekend with a series of concerts, ranging from sublime classical music to hot-stepping jazz.

On the classical front, the much-loved Vivaldi Camerata return to Stroud's St Laurence's Parish Church on Friday, May 13 at 7.30pm, playing a programme including Handel, Bach and Haydn.

At the same venue on Saturday, May 14 at 7.30pm are the renowned Norwegian sacred music group, Trio Mediaeval.

Formed in 1997, they have been much in demand over the last few years. Their most recent local concert was an ecstatically received performance at Tewkesbury abbey as part of last year's Cheltenham International Festival of Music.

In performance the trio project an unearthly quality of vocal perfection, deeply rooted in academic discipline.

They have three distinct strings to their repertoire: polyphonic mediaeval music from England and France, Norwegian mediaeval ballads and songs and contemporary works.

The Stroud and District Arts Festival concert will include a piece, written specially for the trio, by Gavin Bryars.

The closing concert of the festival is by juiced-up vintage jazz band, The Charleston Chasers, who will be swinging the Subscription Rooms on Sunday, May 15 at 7.30pm.

Their repertoire includes numbers by Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Gershwin, Irving Berlin and other numbers by great dance bands of the early 20th century.

Lead by cornettist Sean Bolan, the Chasers play uncompromising arrangements with an abundance of good humour. Their recordings appear regularly on BBC Radio 2 and they are in demand live throughout Europe.

Tickets for all Stroud and District Arts Festival events are available from the tourist information office at the Subscription Rooms and more information can be found by visiting www.stroudartsfestival.org

Events at St Laurence's Church may be moved to the Church Hall next door if the clean up operation after the recent fire is delayed.