The Festival opened on Friday, 11th July with a superb concert given by Hartland Town Band conducted by Christopher Taylor. The Band presented a programme varied in style and performed with panache - with a good blend, balance and well tuned and was an outstanding opening to the Festival.
On Saturday evening Hartland Chamber Orchestra performed Colin Hodgetts' Concerti for Flute and Viola, more than ably performed by Maggie Strange and Tina Bennett, and in the second half of the programme we had a performance of Brahms' delightful Serenade No. 1 in D major.
On Monday Hartland's schools presented a concert. Hartland Primary School confidently performed instrumental solos abd duets to an appreciative audience. In the second half former pupils and friends of the school performed, among other items, Schubert's Shepherd on the Rock and piano music by Chopin to high levels of performance and were well received by the audience.
Tuesday's concert was given by young musicians from North Devon - Natasha Slee (piano), Verity Butler (soprano), Charlotte Worby and Sarah Heard (flute), and Lisa Cornish (cornet) - all gave controlled and musical performances. Hartland Brass Ensemble, conducted by Kevin Surgeon, contributed some varied pieces making a balanced and entertaining programme.
On Wednesday Torridge Male Voice Choir - newly formed by the amalgamation of Bideford and Hartland Male Voice Choirs, was conducted by Jim Mitchell. This partnership worked well and the choir of some thirty members was able to present a colourful and wide ranging programme. Jonathan Clarke contributed some clarinet solos - a musical and worthwhile evening.
On Thursday, Naomi Schulke (soprano) and Ruth Clarke-Irons (mezzo soprano), most ably accompanied by Sylvia Tate, gave us a vocal evening of a wide and varied range of songs - this was a most professional and musical concert which was well received by the audience.
Saturday, 19th July was the concert given by the Hartland Chamber Players with Angela Henckel and Kate Smith (sopranos) in a performance of Colin Hodgetts' setting of William Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience. A song cycle of over forty songs - a mammoth task - was conducted by the composer, who must have been pleased with the atmospheric and charged performance achieved by both soloists and instrumentalists.
Sunday evening saw the now established Songs of Praise in The Square with the Hartland Town Band rained off and subsequently re-arranged for the following Sunday, complete with barbecue, the unfortunate postponement somewhat diminishing the numbers attending this popular event.
On Monday, 21st July in the Parish Hall, Swing Street - musicians from Terry Lightfoot and Monty Sunshine's Jazz Band lead by Stuart Corbett - gave us and eveing of jazz to be remembered, combined with supper and wine. This was a high level performance - an outstanding concert!
The Festival ened with Jazz at the Abbey - which due to the weather became Jazz in the Town - and saw Gordon's Algiers Strutters in performance in the Parish Hall where a good audience enjoyed the New Orleans jazz, and the barbecue did a roaring trade!
My thanks to all the ready help received from many people - without whom things would note have happened! This year the audiences were disappointing and it is quite disheartening to see the lack of support from local people - but thanks to those who turned out and enjoyed the concerts.
Barry Draycott
Organist & Choirmaster (Festival Organiser)