THE UK’S first festival celebrating medieval music will open at Bolton Castle next month.
The Medieval Music in the Dales, starting Friday, September 2, is a weekend solely dedicated to music from the era, and is thought to be a UK first.
The festival features concerts from leading medieval performers, including harpist Leah Stuttard, hurdy-gurdy virtuoso Steve Tyler, up-and-coming wind band Blondel, Gaita from Edinburgh and Yorkshire’s own Trouvere.
There will also be workshops on everything from Beginners’ Bagpipe to making your own reeds to recreating medieval dances.
At the heart of the event is an international exhibition by makers of medieval musical instruments, including Danilo Turchetti, from Padua in Italy to showcase his unique medieval bagpipes.
The open stages will offer bands and performers from all over the country the chance to make their music, and there will be more than twenty different musical acts appearing.
Medieval Music in the Dales is the creation of Richmond-based medieval ensemble Trouvere.
Director Gill Page said: ‘We’ve wanted to do something like this for years and now we’ve found the perfect venue in Bolton Castle. It’s been work but we are so pleased at the response.
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