Brighton Early Music Festival 2016 - Early Music for Everyone! #BREMF16

It's time for another guest post and today we'll hand you over to Hayley Guest to give us a sneak peek at this year's Brighton Early Music Festival...

This time last year, I remember picking up a Brighton Early Music Festival (BREMF) leaflet from a stand whilst visiting friends in Brighton. Funnily enough, I’ve found myself back in Brighton this year, but this time to be working for BREMF! Something about it back then caught my attention, and I have now come to understand - it’s not your average classical music festival.

Known for breaking the mould, BREMF makes early music accessible to all ages and brings fresh ideas to the table - you’ll find everything from concerts in pubs to wacky instruments to sensational new talent. And this year is no exception. With an eclectic programme of 26 events to choose from, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

This year’s theme will explore relationships between scientific developments, the natural world and music. Kicking off the festival, the fabulous L’Avventura London (with Grace Davidson, soprano) will be performing an exciting programme of music to illustrate the works of scientist Athanasius Kircher. From classic favourites like Handel and Rameau to hebrew songs and music from Kircher himself, this won’t be one to miss!

We also have some BREMF-grown events this year: Galileo, our newly-written music drama, will bring his discoveries and musical connections to life in a great evening’s entertainment. And Gaia - Three Intermedi for a Living Planet is our hugely exciting multimedia spectacular, including film, projections, mime, dance and five different ensembles all coming together to tell the story of our Earth. Blimey! A final highlight for me would be the weird and wonderful Sound House by The Society of Strange and Ancient Instruments (including the incredible tromba marina, pictured). And of course the BREMF Singers and Players will be returning to perform a great programme of Locke and Purcell.

I have loved working with the festival this year to promote creativity and find new ways to engage more people (including bringing BREMF to the ‘meme’ scene!). BREMF is fun and welcoming to all, so even if you’re completely new to early music why not try out one of our prom tickets or our Clubnight (The Joker, 5th November) - at £5 they’re a steal. Come down and check out one of our fantastic events - the more the merrier!

BREMF 2016 Highlights
Music, Science and Natural Music
L’Avventura London (with Grace Davidson)
28/10 @ 20:00, St George’s Church BN2 1ED

Galileo
The Marian Consort and The Monteverdi String Band with Roger Watkins, actor
29/10 & 30/10 @ 19:30, St Pauls Church BN1 2RE

The Lily and the Rose
The Telling - medieval candlelit Hildegard and more
4/11 @ 20:00, St Pauls Church BN1 2RE

Fairest Isle and Foulest Weather
BREMF Singers and Players - including Purcell’s King Arthur
6/11 @ 19:30, All Saints Church BN3 3QE

Gaia - Three Intermedi for a Living Planet
English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble, BREMF Consort of Voices, Lacock Scholars, BREMF Community Choir, Onde Sonore + others
12/11 @ 15:00 & 19:30, St Bartholomew’s Church BN1 4GP

Springtime for the Pian’e Forte
Trio Goya playing Beethoven and Haydn
13/11 @ 14:30, Ralli Hall Hove BN3 3TH

Sound House - Francis Bacon and the Nature of Sound
The Society of Strange and Ancient Instruments
13/11 @ 20:00, St George’s Church BN2 1ED

Tickets for all events from £5 at www.bremf.org.uk (no booking fee) or 01273 709709