Two Moors Festival

The Two Moors Festival is an annual classical music festival based in Devon and Somerset, England.

The festival covers the largest geographic area of any United Kingdom festival, being based in the towns and villages of Dartmoor and Exmoor.

History

The festival was started in 2001 after the UK critical outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease closed access to large part of the English countryside. The festival was held to bring some light relief and encourage people to return to the rural areas in Devon.

It has become an annual event, with a diverse range of concerts being staged at venues across Dartmoor and Exmoor, and covers a larger geographic area than any other UK based festival.cite web | url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/culture/2004/two_moors_festival.shtml | title= Two Moors Festival 2004 | work= BBC | accessdate= 2007-12-19]

Format

The concerts are held at eleven rural towns and villages across Dartmoor and Exmoor, and at various times of the day. They feature a variety of both established global performers as well as young, local musicians. There is also competition in the form of the festival's Young Musician's Platform.

There are also workshops to give local schoolchildren the chance to learn a classical musical instrument. Many of the local schools are unable to offer such lessons, and workshops reach 700 youngsters who would otherwise miss out.

During the preparations for the 2007 festival, on 10 April 2007 a £45,000 Bösendorfer piano being delivered to the home of John and Penny Adie, the organisers of the festival, was dropped by delivery company G&R. [cite web | url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/6541457.stm | title= Grand piano damaged in lorry fall | date= 10 April 2007 | work= BBC News | accessdate= 2007-12-19] [cite web | url= http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/a45067/festival-chiefs-smash-gbp45000-piano.html | work= Digital Spy | title= Festival chiefs smash £45,000 piano| date= 10 April 2007 | accessdate= 2007-12-19]

Previous performers

*Julian Lloyd Webber (cello)
*Geraldine McGreevey (soprano)
*Mark Padmore (tenor)
*Sarah Williamson (clarinet)
*Tamsin Waley-Cohen (strings)
*Sir Thomas Allen (baritone)
*Dame Felicity Lott (soprano)
*New London Chamber Ensemble (wind quintet)

Organisation

*Patron: HRH Sophie, The Countess of Wessex
*Trustees: Lady Acland, JP; Des Belam; Dr Stephen Head; Anthony Sampson; Malcolm Smith; Anthony Warren
*Artistic Director: Penny Adie
*Project Director: John Adie
*Festival Advisors: Bishop of Exeter; Lady Elizabeth Kitson, DL; Rowan Peto; Sir Stephen Waley-Cohen, Bt.; Julian Lloyd Webber

The Two Moors Festival is controlled by Two Moors Festival Limited which has charitable status.

References

External links

* [http://www.thetwomoorsfestival.com Two Moors Festival official website]