27:
590:
From 1997–2007 the events in
Lichfield were augmented by concerts in churches around Staffordshire, with the aim to provide exposure to the arts for as wide an audience as possible under the Lichfield Festival banner. It was then and remains policy to avoid, as much as possible, repetition of venues,
481:
and his band the Giants. The
Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain returned with their 'Ukulelescope' project in conjunction with the BFI, where the group performed specially composed music in accompaniment to a series of films from the BFI archives. The extraordinary vocal sounds of the Great Voices of
494:
Fellowship following 2009's
Lichfield Literature. He was succeeded by Fiona Stuart, previously artistic director of the Chorlton Arts Festival in Manchester and the first female director in the Festival's near 30-year history. The 2010 Festival saw the introduction of several new programming stands.
553:
and Robert
Hutchinson took place in the city's George Hotel. The Literature Weekend was soon established as an annual fixture in the city's calendar. A minor re-branding exercise saw the event renamed simply Lichfield Literature in 2009. A change motivated in no small part by the expansion in scope
641:
Since its inception the
Festival has been closed with a firework display, attracting up to 10,000 attendees. For the first two decades or so these were held with the spectators arrayed around Stowe Pool. Health and Safety concerns from nearby residents forced a switch to Beacon Park in the early
383:
Town Hall during the festivals of 2002/2003, while film screenings were moved to the theatre at the Friary School in
Lichfield. In 2003 the Lichfield Garrick theatre, which had arisen quite literally from the ashes of the Civic Hall, was opened on the same night as that year's Festival, with a
220:
were artists in residence and returned many times in subsequent years. There were also international contributions from the
Japanese Suzuki Tour Company, the French Rouen Officium Pastorum and the German Antiqua Cologne. As Lang said, all were 'a foretaste of what was to become normal festival
607:
In 1995 the
Festival organised the first Medieval Market, taking place in the Cathedral Close. Conceived originally as a one-off which coincided with the wider celebrations of the Cathedral's 800th anniversary, it proved successful – attracting up to 30,000 visitors – that it became an annual
282:, the longest serving Artistic Director to date. Spicer sought to 'cater for all tastes and provide something for everyone'. Different thematic strands were brought into the programme to encourage what Spicer called 'cohesion and unity'. The first of these were the music of
191:
processing from the market square in
Lichfield to the west door of the Cathedral, which John Lang described as 'a kind of trumpet call to the City to be aware of our plans for pleasures to come'. Further highlights of the opening year included performances by the
407:, who was an artist-in-residence in the same year. Simcock's 2006 residency also included the first ever non-London performance of the Gwilym Simcock Big Band and a major big band commission entitled The Lichfield Suite, which was subsequently programmed by the
498:
Other additions included a late-night Jazz series held at a new
Festival venue, the George IV pub in the town centre. An eclectic mix of bands formed from Birmingham's cobweb collective played to sell-out houses on seven of the ten nights of the Festival.
378:
A new logo, typeface and corporate structure were introduced following Bowen's arrival, signalling a gentle loosening of the link between the Festival and the Cathedral. The closure of Lichfield Civic Hall in 2001 led to the use of venues including
594:
From 2008 the country church series was relabelled as FEAST (Festival Events Around Staffordshire), with the scope for venues, beyond churches and beyond the traditional understanding of what a venue can be, to be brought into the Festival fold.
392:
After a short three-year stint at Lichfield, Bowen left to take up a position with Aldeburgh Productions, and was succeeded in Lichfield by Richard Hawley, previously orchestra manager with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO).
184:(the two jobs continued to be under the aegis of a single person until 2009); and the founding team was completed by Financial Director John Round and Patrick Lichfield, then Earl of Lichfield, who was one of the first financial contributors.
414:
The 2007 Lichfield Festival was on a shortlist of 3 for a prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society 'concert series and Festivals' award. Alongside Philip Glass's recital was a unique collaborative performance between Tunisian Oud player
598:
Other events take place annually at Swinfen Hall Hotel, and within the city St Michael's church and St Chad's church are now regular venues. These events have tended to have a healthy bias towards chamber music and smaller recitals.
586:
The first instance of a local church being used as a concert venue for the Lichfield Festival occurred in 1992, when St. John's Hospital Chapel in Lichfield and St. Matthew's Hospital Chapel in Burntwood were added to the roster.
482:
Bulgaria filled the Cathedral, as did Fyfe Hutchens – otherwise known as Fyfe Dangerfield – who performed the only late-night concert of that year, improvising on the Lady Chapel piano for exactly 60 minutes, uninterrupted.
536:
Highlights of the programme in the Nave included a performance of Vivaldi's four-seasons by former Young Musician of the Year Nicola Benedetti; The three-year-old Festival Chorus performed an evening of a cappella music.
150:
and the 21st century Lichfield Garrick theatre, alongside non-traditional venues across the County. The Festival also incorporates free community events such as the Festival Market and the Festival Fireworks.
632:
Beyond a small core team the Festival is staffed almost entirely by volunteers. In 2010 the age range of the volunteers was from 15 to 82. T-shirts became the standard uniform for all volunteers from 2009.
620:
Each year Lichfield schools participate in education projects, culminating in a performance in Lichfield Cathedral. Previous projects have included a Gamelan orchestra; cellist Matthew Barley's
298:. The Festival acquired a logo – a stylised cello headstock with 'The Lichfield Festival' encircling it – and a Fringe, with events taking place in sixteen venues around the city, in 1994.
533:
by candlelight. The venue also housed the return to prominence in the Festival of Lichfield Cathedral's musicians, in the form of the Cathedral Choir and the Cathedral Chamber Choir.
466:
Archives and a new score was commissioned and performed live by the Sabri Ensemble. The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain performed to an audience of 900 at Lichfield Cathedral, and
360:. Bowen had come from a job in Australia, and his first festival, in 2002, showed an increased antipodean influence which would point the way towards a general expansion of scope.
744:
554:
which saw events held at multiple venues around the city and running for four days. The 2010 event encompassed a week for the first time and included talks from comedian
790:
495:
One of the most popular was a 'Young Artist' series held at lunchtimes in St Chad's church and featuring performers from all the Royal Colleges of Music.
841:
918:
236:
in 1984 – a year which also saw the Festival's one and only foray into musical theatre, with the Lichfield Cathedral School's production of
238:
873:
776:
684:
545:
October 2006 saw the First Lichfield Literature Weekend, a spin-off from the summer Festival. 3 days of talks from authors including
91:
63:
44:
751:
70:
898:
337:
816:
923:
903:
608:
fixture. In 2009 the Market took on a Georgian theme, in recognition of the tercentenary of the birth of Lichfield-born
77:
913:
110:
294:
in 1991. The bi-centenary of Mozart's death in this year also saw the Festival's first opera – a full production of
612:. 2010 saw the launch of the first, theme-free 'Festival Market', a showcase of arts and crafts across the region.
59:
794:
624:; Numerous workshops on everything from drama to close-harmony singing, amongst a huge range of other projects.
278:
Gordon Clark's tenure as Artistic Director ended with his untimely death in August 1989. Clark was succeeded by
435:
48:
333:
403:
made an extremely rare visit to England to perform at Lichfield in 2006, alongside rising British jazz star
908:
197:
301:
Spicer also introduced the concept of having a composer-in-residence to Lichfield, the first of whom was
165:
712:
511:
364:
848:
84:
408:
591:
and performances have taken place in Yoxall, Alrewas, Hawksyard, Hoar Cross, amongst many others.
477:
The 2009 Festival opened – unusually – in the Lichfield Garrick, with a performance by 'Chairman'
254:
event in 1989, which managed a reprise in 1990 but hasn't been heard of since. In 1985, conductor
659:
283:
250:
came along with his dancing sunshine band in 1987. The Festival also experimented with a two-day
37:
463:
295:
279:
514:
was called into use as a replacement performance space. Notable performances there came from
201:
8:
689:
546:
530:
503:
443:
439:
321:
147:
400:
893:
325:
177:
173:
867:
770:
571:
329:
217:
181:
575:
455:
424:
380:
372:
345:
169:
317:
518:
471:
310:
302:
609:
563:
467:
420:
416:
411:, broadcast on BBC Radio 3, and shortlisted for a 2007 British Composer Award.
404:
399:
performed a rare solo piano recital in 2007, while virtuoso double bass player
263:
255:
247:
243:
130:, Staffordshire, England. Performances include drama, dance, film, literature,
887:
550:
515:
447:
442:
performed at the Lichfield Garrick, along with jazz vocal group The Passion,
306:
287:
259:
213:
188:
224:
Highlights from the rest of the eighties included the visit of sitar legend
180:. Clark, while continuing his work at Abbotsholme, was the Festival's first
522:
396:
357:
251:
225:
313:
was not a composer-in-residence, but did send in his best wishes in 1992.
193:
507:
431:
341:
291:
267:
209:
205:
143:
131:
478:
451:
368:
233:
139:
567:
559:
127:
26:
555:
187:
The inaugural Festival opened on 3 July 1982 with the Band of the
502:
Owing to works being carried out on the masonry and windows of
491:
470:
returned as part of Acoustic Triangle, who together with the
229:
817:"Birmingham Post: Business news, local news, expert opinion"
642:
2000s, but the fireworks display was discontinued in 2012.
526:
135:
270:
all received their UK debuts at the Lichfield Festival.
375:'s Requiem for mixed chorus, didgeridoo and orchestra.
164:
The Lichfield Festival was founded in 1981 by the then
570:
and the team behind the BBC's smash-hit adaptation of
146:. Performances take place principally in the medieval
434:'s final performance as principal conductor of the
51:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
474:performed specially composed music in the round.
885:
371:player, who performed a European premiere of
204:Revue, featuring the then relatively unknown
172:; and Gordon Clark, who was head of music at
126:is an annual multi-art-form festival held in
791:"British Composer Awards 2007 - Nominations"
239:Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
384:performance by the Jazz Jamaica All-Stars.
111:Learn how and when to remove this message
713:"BBC Staffordshire – Lichfield Festival"
540:
886:
872:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
775:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
739:
737:
735:
733:
581:
338:City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
919:Recurring events established in 1981
49:adding citations to reliable sources
20:
730:
13:
602:
14:
935:
490:Richard Hawley left to take up a
363:Some of the highlights included
25:
36:needs additional citations for
834:
809:
783:
705:
677:
652:
485:
436:Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
1:
645:
627:
446:, the Bryan Corbett Quartet,
334:National Youth Jazz Orchestra
198:Royal Philharmonic Orchestras
176:and Artistic Director of the
899:Theatre festivals in England
636:
615:
387:
356:Paul Spicer was followed by
351:
273:
246:in 1985, and skiffle Legend
159:
7:
419:, Norwegian jazz Trumpeter
166:Dean of Lichfield Cathedral
10:
940:
924:Music festivals in England
904:Festivals in Staffordshire
458:. 1928 Indian Silent film
430:Festival 2008 opened with
423:and Armenian Duduk player
154:
660:"Lichfield Fuse Festival"
914:Annual events in England
821:Blogs.birminghampost.net
685:"The Very Rev John Lang"
409:Cheltenham Jazz Festival
178:Abbotsholme Arts Society
60:"The Lichfield Festival"
462:was brought out of the
305:, who was succeeded by
464:British Film Institute
296:The Marriage of Figaro
124:The Lichfield Festival
558:, Labour politicians
541:Lichfield Literature
521:, and Welsh harpist
202:Cambridge Footlights
45:improve this article
16:English art festival
909:Lichfield Cathedral
757:on 5 September 2008
531:Goldberg Variations
504:Lichfield Cathedral
444:The Puppini Sisters
322:Julian Lloyd Webber
316:Returning artists:
148:Lichfield Cathedral
664:Lichfielddarts.org
582:Out-of-Town events
438:. Mexican rockers
326:Humphrey Lyttelton
174:Abbotsholme School
622:Between the Notes
572:Elizabeth Gaskell
330:Endellion Quartet
262:, and violinists
218:Endellion Quartet
182:Artistic Director
121:
120:
113:
95:
931:
878:
877:
871:
863:
861:
859:
853:
847:. Archived from
846:
838:
832:
831:
829:
827:
813:
807:
806:
804:
802:
793:. Archived from
787:
781:
780:
774:
766:
764:
762:
756:
750:. Archived from
749:
741:
728:
727:
725:
723:
709:
703:
702:
700:
698:
681:
675:
674:
672:
670:
656:
510:, the Cathedral
456:The Hairy Bikers
425:Djivan Gasparyan
401:François Rabbath
381:Sutton Coldfield
373:Peter Sculthorpe
367:, an aboriginal
346:BBC Philharmonic
142:, classical and
116:
109:
105:
102:
96:
94:
53:
29:
21:
939:
938:
934:
933:
932:
930:
929:
928:
884:
883:
882:
881:
865:
864:
857:
855:
851:
844:
842:"Archived copy"
840:
839:
835:
825:
823:
815:
814:
810:
800:
798:
789:
788:
784:
768:
767:
760:
758:
754:
747:
745:"Archived copy"
743:
742:
731:
721:
719:
711:
710:
706:
696:
694:
683:
682:
678:
668:
666:
658:
657:
653:
648:
639:
630:
618:
605:
603:Festival market
584:
543:
519:Carol Ann Duffy
488:
472:Sacconi Quartet
390:
354:
311:Michael Tippett
303:William Mathias
276:
242:– a visit from
162:
157:
117:
106:
100:
97:
54:
52:
42:
30:
17:
12:
11:
5:
937:
927:
926:
921:
916:
911:
906:
901:
896:
880:
879:
833:
808:
797:on 13 May 2008
782:
729:
704:
693:. 11 June 2012
676:
650:
649:
647:
644:
638:
635:
629:
626:
617:
614:
610:Samuel Johnson
604:
601:
583:
580:
564:Roy Hattersley
542:
539:
487:
484:
468:Gwilym Simcock
421:Arve Henriksen
417:Dhafer Youssef
405:Gwilym Simcock
389:
386:
365:William Barton
353:
350:
275:
272:
264:Maxim Vengerov
256:Valery Gergiev
248:Lonnie Donegan
244:Oscar Peterson
228:together with
161:
158:
156:
153:
119:
118:
33:
31:
24:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
936:
925:
922:
920:
917:
915:
912:
910:
907:
905:
902:
900:
897:
895:
892:
891:
889:
875:
869:
854:on 8 May 2007
850:
843:
837:
822:
818:
812:
796:
792:
786:
778:
772:
753:
746:
740:
738:
736:
734:
718:
714:
708:
692:
691:
690:The Telegraph
686:
680:
665:
661:
655:
651:
643:
634:
625:
623:
613:
611:
600:
596:
592:
588:
579:
577:
573:
569:
565:
561:
557:
552:
551:David Crystal
548:
538:
534:
532:
528:
524:
520:
517:
516:Poet Laureate
513:
509:
505:
500:
496:
493:
483:
480:
475:
473:
469:
465:
461:
457:
453:
449:
448:Rainer Hersch
445:
441:
437:
433:
428:
426:
422:
418:
412:
410:
406:
402:
398:
394:
385:
382:
376:
374:
370:
366:
361:
359:
349:
347:
343:
339:
335:
331:
327:
323:
319:
318:András Schiff
314:
312:
308:
307:Robert Saxton
304:
299:
297:
293:
289:
288:Samuel Barber
285:
281:
271:
269:
265:
261:
260:Evgeny Kissin
257:
253:
249:
245:
241:
240:
235:
231:
227:
222:
219:
215:
214:Emma Thompson
211:
207:
203:
199:
195:
190:
189:Royal Marines
185:
183:
179:
175:
171:
167:
152:
149:
145:
141:
137:
133:
129:
125:
115:
112:
104:
93:
90:
86:
83:
79:
76:
72:
69:
65:
62: –
61:
57:
56:Find sources:
50:
46:
40:
39:
34:This article
32:
28:
23:
22:
19:
856:. Retrieved
849:the original
836:
824:. Retrieved
820:
811:
799:. Retrieved
795:the original
785:
759:. Retrieved
752:the original
720:. Retrieved
716:
707:
695:. Retrieved
688:
679:
667:. Retrieved
663:
654:
640:
631:
621:
619:
606:
597:
593:
589:
585:
544:
535:
523:Catrin Finch
501:
497:
489:
476:
459:
440:Los de Abajo
429:
413:
397:Philip Glass
395:
391:
377:
362:
358:Meurig Bowen
355:
315:
300:
277:
252:show-jumping
237:
226:Ravi Shankar
223:
186:
163:
123:
122:
107:
98:
88:
81:
74:
67:
55:
43:Please help
38:verification
35:
18:
697:23 December
525:performing
508:Lady Chapel
486:Present day
432:Marin Alsop
342:Ex Cathedra
292:Cole Porter
280:Paul Spicer
268:Vadim Repin
210:Hugh Laurie
206:Stephen Fry
144:world music
132:visual arts
888:Categories
646:References
628:Volunteers
547:John Carey
512:presbytery
479:Ray Gelato
452:Roy Strong
369:didgeridoo
258:, pianist
234:Alla Rakha
200:; and the
71:newspapers
894:Lichfield
717:Bbc.co.uk
637:Fireworks
616:Education
568:Ron Moody
560:Tony Benn
388:2005–2009
352:2002–2004
274:1990–2001
232:virtuoso
170:John Lang
160:1981–1989
128:Lichfield
101:June 2016
868:cite web
858:18 March
771:cite web
578:Novels.
576:Cranford
566:, actor
556:Jo Brand
221:fayre'.
155:History
85:scholar
826:8 June
801:13 May
761:25 May
722:8 June
669:8 June
460:Shiraz
450:, Sir
309:. Sir
290:, and
284:Mozart
216:. The
212:, and
87:
80:
73:
66:
58:
852:(PDF)
845:(PDF)
755:(PDF)
748:(PDF)
492:Clore
230:tabla
194:Hallé
92:JSTOR
78:books
874:link
860:2008
828:2016
803:2008
777:link
763:2008
724:2016
699:2015
671:2016
562:and
527:Bach
454:and
266:and
196:and
140:folk
136:jazz
64:news
574:'s
529:'s
506:'s
47:by
890::
870:}}
866:{{
819:.
773:}}
769:{{
732:^
715:.
687:.
662:.
549:,
427:.
348:.
344:,
340:,
336:,
332:,
328:,
324:,
320:,
286:,
208:,
168:,
138:,
134:,
876:)
862:.
830:.
805:.
779:)
765:.
726:.
701:.
673:.
114:)
108:(
103:)
99:(
89:·
82:·
75:·
68:·
41:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
