About the Ryedale Festival

The two-week Ryedale Festival, held in late July each year, is one of the most enterprising and attractive music festivals in England.  From its beginnings in 1981 it has gone from strength to strength, earning itself a national and even international reputation for its excellent musical and literary events held at spectacular historical venues in this beautiful area of North Yorkshire.

Spectacular venues

Each year is different with performances given at the great houses of Castle Howard, Sledmere, Duncombe Park and Hovingham Hall. Church performances include many beautiful locations in remote villages as well as at Ampleforth Abbey, Rievaulx and sometimes York Minster.

Photograph:   Sledmere House

Innovation

Over the years, our internationally known artistic directors have developed a range of musical events to suit many tastes, from baroque chamber music, eighteenth-century string quartets and opera to cutting edge compositions and improvisations inspired by Gypsy and Arabic music as well as tango and jazz. Innovations include an opera produced especially for the Festival which subsequently went to London, experimental concert formats such as the Triple Concert at Castle Howard, combined literary and musical events, and the 'Ryecrawl', a magical musical mystery tour by coach linking short concerts in special areas and venues. It is also a community festival with local artists taking part alongside professional artists, and helping to run the Festival.

Photograph:   Dame Felicity Lott at the Ryedale Festival Gala Concert. Photographer :  John Illingworth

Musical Excellence

Artists of national and international fame perform along with local artists and talented young musicians - the rising stars of tomorrow.  The Festival is highly regarded in the music world.  Each year we have been receiving increasingly enthusiastic national press. 

History

In 1981 four musician friends, Geoffrey and June Emerson and Peter and Alex White, had the idea of launching a small series of local concerts.

This first Hemsley Festival brought together more friends and other professional musicians, and made an immediate impact on the town and its surroundings. So popular did it become that after five Festivals a broader base was called for, and the Ryedale District Council stepped in with the generous support it has ever since maintained. Events now range far and wide in the area to make a true Ryedale Festival.

In 1996 Malcolm Layfield took over as Artistic Director, and led the Festival from strength to strength, in part by inspired programme planning centred on national themes:  Russia, France, America, Austria, England, Spain and the Czech Republic.  Growing commitments led him to retire in 2005 and the Festival continued to flourish under the direction of Justin Doyle, who took over for a very successful 2006 Festival.

Not only did Justin build upon the tradition for opera, with Mozart's Seraglio, Gluck's Orfeo, Handel's Orlando and Kodály's Háry János - but during his four years as Artistic Director he further developed the range and originality of the events. Sadly, he had to retire due to the pressure of growing conducting commitments.  The position  was taken over by Christopher Glynn who produced an acclaimed 2010 Festival and who is establishing himself as a very able Artistic Director.

The Festival has won itself a national and even international circle of patrons and friends. It is in part through such support that the Ryedale Festival has become firmly established as among the most enterprising and attractive in England. The future remains bright; but in difficult times such support is more vital than ever. Join us among friends for the next Festival; but do also join us as a Friend to help us maintain all that has been achieved and to develop still further.

Photograph:  Riccardo Simonetti as Háry János.  Photographer:  Ryedale Photography

Ryedale Festival Trust Limited

A Company limited by Guarantee and Registered in England and Wales Company Registration No. 5976080. Registered Charity No. 1117355 | VAT No. 50069845

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