Thame festival to welcome world-class classical performers

THAME Town Music Festival will this year include a very special evening of Classical Music on the Friday, July 13 in St Mary’s Church, Thame as part of the musical celebrations.

This real treat of a musical programme will journey from Bach to Broadway via Chopin, Rachmaninov, Mozart, Puccini to Gershwin, Cole Porter and more.

Johnnie Littler, Director of the Thame Town Music Festival said: “We are delighted to have secured the internationally renowned soprano Anne Mackay and world class pianist Jack Gibbons, who is flying in from the US to play. This is the highest level of classical musical talent and a brilliant way to start this year’s Music Festival.”

Ann Mackay trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. She has appeared with the Royal Philharmonic, London Symphony, BBC Symphony, BBC Scottish Symphony, Bournemouth Symphony, English Chamber Orchestra, London Mozart Players, City of London Symphony, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Academy of St Martin’s in the Field, and the BBC Concert Orchestra.

As for Jack, here’s what Humphrey Burton, former Head of Music and Arts, at the BBC said: “Jack Gibbons is a unique phenomenon in the musical world of today. Thanks to his virtuosic skills Gibbons can hold an audience in thrall. His concert-giving style is equally attractive: before his performances he talks unassumingly but with great authority from the platform, drawing the listeners into a special relationship.”

The Classical Concert is a new addition to the very successful Thame Town Music Festival which this year features Dr Feelgood. The 2018 Festival also introduces a prestigious Song Writing Competition and a unique Music Convention in the Barns Centre hosted by BBC Radio 6 Music’s Tom Robinson and sponsored by Christopher Ward watches.

The festival is free entry and tickets for the concert, convention and song-writers’ competition final are available at the Town Hall, Thame Barns Centre, Vintage and Modern Guitars and The Book House or on line at http://www.wegottickets.com

Thame Town Music Festival CIC is a Community Interest Company run not for profit by unpaid volunteers.