Taking audiences on a journey through music and time, the annual festival Music@Malling is back this weekend.
From thousands of local schoolchildren, to world famous musicians and actors - everyone gets to play their part.

Back for its eighth year from Sunday, September 16 to Saturday, September 29, it is set to be its biggest yet with 28 events being staged over 14 days.

Founded by West Malling local Thomas Kemp, it puts contemporary composers alongside classical, jazz, vocal, world and film music in historic venues and landscapes around the town.

And more than 1,000 children from 20 local primary schools will be among the stars, taking part in The Great Enormo - a 21st Century Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, written by Michael Rosen and set to music by James Morgan and Juliette Pochin.

A century since the end of the First World War, the programme explores the music, literature and characters of the time, with events including actor Charles Dance narrating readings from Siegfried Sassoon and his rediscovered correspondence.

He will join conductor Thomas Kemp and Chamber Domaine for the Commemorating the Armistice evening at St Mary’s Church in West Malling, on Saturday, September 22.

One of the world’s leading choirs, Tenebrae, will give a concert marking the anniversary the next day on Sunday, September 23, performing works by Elgar, Stanford, Parry and Taverner.

The music of composer Debussy will feature in four concerts including Chamber Domaine at Pilsdon Barn, with three sonatas written at the end of the First World War dedicated to those fighting at the front and young pianist Vanessa Benelli Mossel will perform Debussy Préludes and Suite Bergamasques. Violinist and vocalist Lizzie Ball and guitarist Morgan Szymanksi will preview works from Corrido – A Ballad for The Brave, taking inspiration from the cultural landscape of Frida’s time in All Saint’s Church, Tudeley with its famous Marc Chagall windows.

There will be a recital at St Peter & St Paul Church, Trottiscliffe, of rarely heard works plus recital by Richard Harwood and Chamber Domaine in the Control Tower in King’s Hill.

Thomas, who learnt the violin at West Malling Primary School, said: “Music@Malling 2018 promises to be our biggest yet. One hundred years since the First World War, the resonances are still being felt and many of our concerts explore the music, literature and characters of that time.

“I am delighted to have side-by-side events, a jamming session with James Pearson and Go Compose! - to inspire Kent’s young musicians. I know that I would have been thrilled to have had such an opportunity.”

HIGHLIGHTS

On the festival’s first day, Sunday, September 16, there will be a Go Compose! study event at St Benedict’s Centre in Swan Street, when 15 young composers will create a piece in a day, which will be performed by Chamber Domaine, led by Simon Speare from the Royal College of Music.
The artistic director of Ronnie Scott’s, James Pearson, will stage a solo recital performing his jazz reworking of Bach – Two and Three Part Inventions and re-interpretations of music by Debussy, one of the first classical composers to be inspired by jazz. The concert will be on Thursday, September 27 in St Mary’s Church, West Malling.
On the last day of the festival one of the world’s finest guitarists, Craig Ogden, will perform a Bach Pilgrimage in Malling Abbey in Swan Street, West Malling.

DETAILS

Music@Malling runs from Sunday, September 16 to Saturday, September 29. To see the full programme and book tickets, visit musicatmalling.com or you can pop in to Down Swan Street in West Malling High Street.