As a Festival, we are working towards being more sustainable. Each year we strive to include a number of events in the programme that reflect on the environment and our location in an iconic and precious National Park.
Emma Johnson's Orchestra for the Environment
Thurs 6 June 19:30 - St. Mary's Church, Richmond
The Orchestra for the Environment is a group of hand-picked virtuoso players who share concerns about the planet, endeavour to travel in the greenest way and make a point of performing music that celebrates the natural world. In this concert, classics by Mozart and Tchaikovsky are framed by Puccini's touching masterpiece, Chrysanthemums, Holst's Brook Green Suite, Gershwin's delightful Walking the Dog and Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Greensleeves. Also on the bill is Emma Johnson’s Tree of Life which draws inspiration from nature and from the hope that - by acting together - we can mitigate the effects of climate change.
About Emma Johnson: described by The Times as "Britain's favourite clarinettist", Johnson is one of the few clarinet players to have made a career as a soloist. Since winning the BBC Young Musician of the Year at the age of seventeen she has gone on to become one of the UK's biggest-selling classical artists and is known for the diverse range of the repertoire she plays. She was awarded an MBE by the Queen in 1996.
Tickets
Writing the Dale - Poetry Walk & Workshop with Mary-Jane Holmes
Wed 29 May 11:00 - 15:00 - Meet at Keld Resource Centre
Join the award-winning Dales poet Mary-Jane Holmes on a walking and writing workshop in beautiful upper Swaledale. There will be moderate walking in the spectacular landscape, discussions and fun writing exercises. Open to anyone who's interested in any genre of writing - please bring a picnic lunch and car-share if you possibly can!
Tickets
Film: Six Inches of Soil
Fri 31 May 11:00 - Leyburn Arts Centre
A selection of short films brought to us by Tees-Swale: Naturally Connected which shine a spotlight on UK farming. One of these is Six Inches of Soil - the inspiring story of British farmers standing up against the industrial food system and transforming the way they produce food - to heal the soil, benefit our health and provide for local communities.
Tickets
Equinox Duo
Fri 31 May 16:00 - St. Mary's Church, Muker
Flautist Mina Middleton and harpist Esther Beyer present an attractive programme of duets centred around sounds of the natural world, including Nino Rota’s Sonata for Flute and Harp, Vaughan Williams’ Songs of Travel, and music by Kaija Saariaho, Lili Boulanger, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and William Alwyn.
Tickets
Photography Exhibition: Farming through the Seasons
25 May to 8 June, daily 09:00 to 17:00 - Keld Resource Centre
Admission FREE
An exhibition by local photographers shining a spotlight on farming across Yorkshire and beyond. Brought to us by Tees-Swale: Naturally Connected, the exhibition explores the ups and downs of working in the landscape throughout the farming year.