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Welcome from Andrew Cornall

Our 2009 Festival celebrates the voice and music written for the voice. Throughout the festival programme we have major choral concerts - the last of these being with our own Chester Festival Chorus - and we have outstanding vocalists performing a whole range of music.

Evening and lunchtime concerts, workshops, participation and family events all have a part in this year’s festival; in addition several concerts are designed to feast the eye as well as the ear.

The mix of music is eclectic, surprising, entertaining and challenging and always distinctive, with links between many of the concerts through the music or the artists that perform it. There are concerts that will tempt the curious, and those that take a look outside the familiar will not be disappointed.

This year we have composer and performer Graham Fitkin as Artist in Residence; Graham is an inspiring, multifaceted and thoroughly engaging artist whose work will thread itself through the festival.

We also celebrate some notable composer anniversaries this year; Purcell, Handel and Mendelssohn. Their music, and compositions inspired by their music (sometimes in startling ways) will be heard throughout the festival.

In short there are great summer days of entertainment awaiting - a true summer festival, bursting with life and very much at the heart of the city that is its home.

Andrew Cornall

Artistic Director