RENOWNED performers from across Europe arrive in Cumbria this June for the 14th Ulverston International Music Festival.

The 11-day festival gets under way on Wednesday 7 with a visit from the English Touring Opera, and will see highly-regarded musicians such as Michael Collins, Remi Harris, and O Duo appear, before the event concludes on Saturday 17 with an appearance from the multi-national Paprika.

Festival founder and pianist Anthony Hewitt is excited to bring yet another diverse programme to the town once more. He says: "We just try to bring in as many formats and styles as possible, to keep it fresh, though classical music still forms the main part of the programme.

"We're yet to include pop music, but who knows, it may make its way into the festival eventually."

The event is the culmination of a year's work, pulling together a list of previous guests and new additions. As in previous years, Anthony will split his time between playing and organising - as well as attending every concert that he can physically get to.

"I love it, and I get to enjoy it a bit more," he says.

"This year I've managed to find a balance between playing at the festival and my organisational duties, and I do get to see almost all the concerts.

"I still enjoy putting together the programme, and as much as I like to try new things, it's important to keep that continuity. Of course we have Jess Gillam, who keeps going on to do bigger and better things, and the English Touring Opera will be a great way to start the festival again, and I think it gives us that little bit of pizzazz that you get from such a big production.

"Alistair McGowan will be appearing, this time with Lucy Parham, looking at Rachmaninoff - he absolutely loved his visit last year, and I think it has inspired him to do greater things on the piano.

"I actually live close to Alistair in London, so I have been teaching him for the past year.

"For me, I think O Duo are absolutely fantastic, and I find it really exciting what they can do with percussion. They do all kinds of things, but it's also a lot of fun and it's educational too."

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<font size=+1>Wednesday June 7</font>

English Touring Opera (Coronation Hall, 7.30pm) - the Olivier Award-winning company returns to the festival, bringing a complete opera experience with large cast and 25-piece live orchestra for their latest production, Tosca.

<font size=+1>Thursday June 8</font>

Choral Concert (Ulverston Parish Church, 7.30pm) - Ulverston Festival Chorus, directed by John Powell, present a powerful evening of choral favourites alongside organist Adrian Self, Anthony Hewitt, and selected soloists from English Touring Opera.

<font size=+1>Friday 9</font>

Passacaglia (Ulverston Parish Church, 1pm) - in Telemann’s 250th anniversary year, Passacaglia celebrate this charismatic and well-travelled composer who made a life’s work from publishing and transmitting music for the ‘pleasure of the people’.

Michael Collins & Anthony Hewitt (Coronation Hall, 7.30pm) - the celebrity recital this year sees clarinettist Collins showcase his dazzling virtuosity in a varied programme that encompasses a wide repertoire, from Brahms to Lutoslawski.

<font size=+1>Saturday 10</font>

Remi Harris Trio (Coronation Hall, 7.30pm) - the trio take gypsy swing characteristics and infuse them with influences from jazz, blues, rock'n'roll, funk, world music and more, playing an eclectic mix of original compositions, jazz standards and new arrangements of music from Django Reinhardt, Jimi Hendrix, Wes Montgomery, Charlie Parker, Peter Green, The Beatles and more.

<font size=+1>Sunday 11</font>


Jess Gillam (Coronation Hall, 7.30pm) - the hometown star presents a programme of varied repertoire ranging from classical arrangements to jazz-favourites, alongside Anthony Hewitt and a string quartet from the Royal Northern College of Music.

<font size=+1>Monday 12</font>

Jess Gillam Children's Concert (Coronation Hall, 1.30pm) - the saxophonist will be back again with a concert designed especially for the younger audience, introducing us to the vibrant world of the saxophone with some funky pieces, chat about her experiences performing on television, and show a few video clips.

Castalian String Quartet (Swarthmoor Hall, 8pm) - this intimate evening at Swarthmoor Hall offers a programme of Brahms and Bartok, two of the most innovative composers of their respective generations.

*the concert also returns the following day at 6pm

<font size=+1>Tuesday 13</font>

Brief Encounter (Roxy Cinema, 4pm) - with Rachmaninoff’s Concerto No.2 a prominent feature of the soundtrack, this showing of Brief Encounter, Noel Coward’s romantic classic of 1945, also sets the scene for the subsequent evening concert

Elégie: Rachmaninoff - A Heart In Exile (Coronation Hall, 8pm) - actor Alistair McGowan joins pianist Lucy Parham in her latest composer portrait, chronicling Sergei Rachmaninoff’s youth in Russia, subsequent self-imposed exile, and final emigration to the USA.

<font size=+1>Wednesday 14</font>

Dominic Degavino (Ulverston Parish Church, 1pm) - the Rising Star piano recital will see accomplished young pianist and passionate performer Degavino presenting an eclectic mix of different 20th century works preceded by Bach’s solemn and expressive C Sharp Minor Prelude and Fugue.

Chamber Music Greats (Coronation Hall, 7.30pm) - Anthony Hewitt joins the Castalian String Quartet for this performance of Shostakovich’s Piano Quintet in G minor - one of his most popular works.

<font size=+1>Thursday 15</font>


Margarita Wood (Ulverston Parish Church, 1pm) - soprano Margarita Wood and pianist Benedict Kearns feature in the Rising Star song recital, in a beautiful mix of short songs spanning a broad spectrum of styles and moods.

Family Concert (Coronation Hall, 5.30pm) - having inspired and engaged Ulverston audiences in 2014, O Duo make a welcome return to the festival for a dynamic Family Concert with local schools helping them out with some rhythmic fun.

O Duo (Coronation Hall, 8pm) - percussion pair O Duo will be playing their mixture of popular classics arranged for tuned percussion, vibrant drumming from across the globe, and accessible contemporary works, all presented with a relaxed and informative chat.

<font size=+1>Friday 16</font>

Timothy Ridout (Ulverston Parish Church, 1pm) - the first ever British winner of the International Tertis Competition is joined by Anthony Hewitt for this vibrant lunchtime recital, taking in both of York Bowen's sonatas.

Royal Northern Sinfonia (Coronation Hall, 7.30pm) - Anthony Hewitt joins the Royal Northern Sinfonia as soloist for Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A Minor; one of the most well-known works for solo piano & orchestra and Grieg’s only Piano Concerto.

<font size=+1>Saturday 17</font>

Paprika (Coronation Hall, 7.30pm) - combining violin, accordion, guitar, bass, and percussion, Paprika offer an energetic evening of toe-tapping music exploring a variety of performance traditions.

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Ulverston International Music Festival runs from Wednesday June 7 to Saturday 17. Programmes are available from the Coronation Hall, or can be viewed online at www.ulverstonmusicfestival.co.uk