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Worcester’s glorious cathedral on the banks of the River Severn is the venue for the 2020 Three Choirs Festival, the first under the direction of Samuel Hudson who came to Worcester in 2018 from Blackburn Cathedral. The 2020 Festival marks the 400th anniversary of the departure of The Mayflower from Plymouth, by featuring works by a number of American composers. The festival will also add musical adventures and discoveries of its own, in keeping with the spirit of the hundred-plus pilgrims who made that momentous journey four hundred years ago.
You can choose one of the four night holidays, or stay for the whole festival for eight nights. We stay at Fownes Hotel in the centre of Worcester, within walking distance of the cathedral.
The itinerary for the 24 July departure will include a visit to Hanbury Hall, an imposing Queen Anne house in the care of The National Trust. We will also visit The Firs in Broadheath where Elgar was born in 1857. In addition we will tour the Museum of Royal Worcester, whose matchless collection is now displayed in a renovated gallery.
The tour departing on 29 July includes a visit to the glorious country house and garden at Madresfield Court, still the home of the Lygon family after 900 years. In Little Malvern we will visit Little Malvern Court, a 14th century house with superb gardens and a view across the Severn valley. At St Wulstan’s church we will see the grave of Elgar, who died in 1934. Another English composer, Dorothy Howell (1898-1982), used to tend Elgar’s grave and is herself buried here. There will also be a visit to Greyfriars House and garden. The house dates from the late 15th century.
...when you travel with Kirker
You may choose one of two four night holidays beginning on 25 or 29 July or stay for the whole festival (eight nights). The 8 night price is £2,398 per person (single supplement £560), if you would like to reserve a place for all eight nights please call us.
Our prices are per person, based on two people sharing a double/twin room. Supplement for single occupancy as shown.
Andrew Biggs read Music and the History of Art at Leeds University. He has led cultural tours throughout the world for over twenty years.
Recent tours include The Metropolitan Opera & the Art Galleries of New York as well as tours to many summer music festivals in the UK including Cheltenham and Buxton Festivals. A teacher and performer, Andrew is currently Head of Prep Music at Berkhamsted School.
All evening concerts at Worcester Cathedral; venues for morning and afternoon concerts are to be confirmed.All evening concerts at Worcester Cathedral; venues for morning and afternoon concerts are to be confirmed.NB. Clients on the eight-night holiday will attend the morning concert on 29 July. The English Symphony Orchestra will play Beethoven’s Symphony No.7, and the world premiere of a symphony by James Francis Brown (born 1969).
25 July, 7.45pm:
Philharmonia Orchestra; conductor Geraint Bowen; Marta Fontanals-Simmons, soprano
Copland (b.New York City 1900, d.there 1990): Fanfare for the Common Man
Stephen Paulus (b.New Jersey 1949, d.Minnesota 2014): Sea Portraits
Elgar: The Music Makers
26 July, 7.45pm:
Philharmonia Orchestra; Geraint Bowen, conductor; Anita Watson, soprano; Catherine Carby, mezzo-soprano; Ed Lyon, tenor; David Stout, baritone
Elgar: Enigma Variations
Horatio Parker (b.Massachusetts 1863, d.Long Island 1919): Hora Novissima
27 July, 3pm:
The Elias Quartet; Robert Plane, clarinet
Howells: Rhapsodic Quintet
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 11 ‘Serioso’
Bliss: Clarinet Quintet
27 July, 7.45pm:
Gabrieli Consort; conductor Paul McCreesh
Purcell: King Arthur
28 July, 11am:
Philharmonia Chamber Players; Adrian Partington, conductor; Roderick Williams, baritone
Colin Matthews: The Great Journey
28 July, 7.45pm:
Philharmonia Orchestra; Geraint Bowen, conductor; Joshua Ellicott, tenor
Dobrinka Tabakova: Centuries of Meditations
John Rutter: Visions
Britten: Saint Nicolas Op.42
29 July, 7.45pm:
Philharmonia Orchestra; Adrian Partington, conductor; Ruby Hughes, soprano; Njabulo Madlala, baritone
Mendelssohn: The Hebrides Overture
Copland: Appalachian Spring
Armstrong Gibbs: Choral Symphony ‘Odysseus’
30 July, 3pm:
The Marian Consort
Scarlatti: Stabat Mater
Gabriel Jackson: Stabat Mater
Dani Howard: New work
30 July, 7.45pm:
Philarmonia Orchestra; Anna-Maria Helsing, conductor; Guy Johnston, cello
Beethoven: Egmont Overture
Howells: Cello Concerto
Elgar: Symphony No. 3
31 July, 3pm:
The Three Cathedral Choirs
Bach: MagnificatBuxtehude: Membra Jesu Nostri
31 July, 7.45pm:
Philharmonia Orchestra; David Hill, conductor
John Adams (b.Massachusetts 1947): A Short Ride in a Fast Machine
Eriks Esenvalds: The Pleiades
1 August, 11am:
National Youth Choir of Great Britain
The programme includes works by Roxana Panufnik, James MacMillan, Tallis, Eriks Esenvalds and others
1 August, 7.45pm:
Philharmonia Orchestra; Samuel Hudson, composer; Bozidar Smiljanic, bass-baritone
Beethoven: Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage
Vaughan Williams: Songs of Travel
Walton: Belshazzar’s Feast
Tour leader
Andrew Biggs read Music and the History of Art at Leeds University. He has led cultural tours throughout the world for over twenty years.
Recent tours include The Metropolitan Opera & the Art Galleries of New York as well as tours to many summer music festivals in the UK including Cheltenham and Buxton Festivals. A teacher and performer, Andrew is currently Head of Prep Music at Berkhamsted School.
Our expert reservations team regularly travel to a wide range of destinations to explore new cities, visit hotels and to research museums, galleries and restaurants so that we can offer the most up-to-date advice and recommendations.
