Beaminster Festival comes to end following three-year break

Beaminster Festival, a celebration of art, music, theatre and literature, welcomed a host of performers to to the town.

Artistic director Lois Pearson said: ‘It was so wonderful to once again bring a feast of live music to the people of Beaminster after two years of cultural famine . Many people regained the confidence to go to events and remembered how vital it is to feed the soul."

Louis says this year's classical concerts were of the 'utmost quality,' with the bar set high with a cello recital by Raphael Wallfisch and John York.

The Dominic Alldis Trio brought an evening of cool jazz in the style of Jacques Loussier. The quality of performance remained first class throughout with Alim Beisembayev, winner of the Leeds Piano Competition, giving an amazing recital, with the Carducci Quartet and Emma Johnson closing with the sublime Brahms and Mozart clarinet quintets.

The festival has the tradition of inviting local schools or amateur musicians to take the stage in the pre-coffee concerts and the South Perrot Steel Band set a delightfully sunny mood from the start. Perrott Hill musicians had the chance to perform, then watch pupils from the Yehudi Menuhin school segueing into a great Q&A with them, and Mountjoy pupils, having performed with their Handbells Team and Sing and Sign Choir, then got a chance to hear what fun you can have on a huge church organ, twinkly bells included.

The church looked other worldly with amazing lighting especially for the Opera Gala, and it was decorated with gorgeous country style flowers.

A weekend of folk included the brilliant Roving Crows who had people up and dancing from the start, and everyone had the chance to dance at the Ceilidh on Sunday which brought the whole Festival to a close.

Louis added: "Thanks to the sponsors, the committee and all the volunteers who helped with stewarding, driving, hosting, catering, flowers, page-turning, and a myriad of other things. And now, for 2023!"