Bury Festival First

To mark the beginning of the Bury St Edmunds Festival, there will be a Festival Eucharist on Sunday 16 May at 10.00 a.m. at St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Bury St Edmunds.

 

The service will be led by the Cathedral choir accompanied by a chamber orchestra, Humphrey Burton CBE will give the address, and a new commission for piano and strings by Suffolk composer Nathan Williamson will be premiered.

Humphrey Burton was the BBC's first Head of Music and Arts and co-founded London Weekend Television.

Nathan Williamson is an up and coming composer based in Southwold who teaches at the Yehudi Menuhin School. His composition, A Call to Prayer, will be performed on the Cathedral's Steinway D concert piano accompanied by a chamber orchestra.

In addition the lesson will be read by Festival Manager, Nick Wells. 'We are delighted to play our part in the opening of this year's Bury St Edmunds Festival,' comments James Thomas, Director of Music at the Cathedral. 'It promises to be a very special act of worship with a particularly rich musical setting.'

Members of the public are welcome to attend the service.

The Cathedral is pleased to be a key venue for many events throughout the Bury St Edmunds Festival.