The Cambridge Rock Festival is a beloved event in the festival calendar, showcasing the best of rock, blues, and prog music and providing a platform for emerging talent. The festival is run by a team of dedicated volunteers, who work tirelessly to bring the event to life.

“We’re excited to celebrate another year of music and community to the Cambridge Rock Festival,” said Emma Thomas, Festival Coordinator. Dave Roberts, Festival Director adds “Our lineup is shaping up to be one of the best yet, with a mix of established acts and new talent. We’re looking forward to welcoming our fans back to the festival and introducing them to a variety of music, both new and old.”

Join us for our long weekend of festival fun, with Thursday evening’s line up bringing together some of the finest tribute bands and original acts to give you a taster of what lies ahead for the next three days of the festival. Friday – Sunday offer music from 11am – 11pm showcasing many more great bands you know, and great bands to discover!

The festival will take place once again at Ben’s Yard, Ely, with a range of entertainment for all tastes. In addition to the live music, the festival will feature its renowned real ale bar and merchandise, local food stalls, and a selection of stalls selling a variety of wares.

The Cambridge Rock Festival is committed to providing a friendly, safe and enjoyable experience for all attendees. The festival organizers are working closely with their loyal team of volunteers, grown from a circle of friends 21 years ago. The site is disabled friendly with no step access in green fields.

For more information about the Cambridge Rock Festival 2025, including ticket sales and lineup announcements, please visit our website at cambridgerockfestival.co.uk Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates.

Media Contact: Emma Thomas – emmat.crf@gmail.com

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 Opening the evening will be Paul McClure, aka The Rutland Troubadour.  Described as “open, honest and warmly melodic” by KLOFmag, he is famed for his dry on-stage wit and powerful songs.  His performances are a delight and guaranteed to get the audience singing.

 Next up will be Eve Selis, a Californian music veteran who has released eleven albums of acclaimed music over a thirty year career.  A regular visitor to the UK, she has attracted rave reviews throughout her life, with her most recent album, 2024’s Dark Sky Blue (“Magnificent” – San Diego Troubadour), winning plaudits across the globe.

 Third to take the stage will be the home-grown Ags Connolly.  He has “the perfect voice for country music” (American Songwriter) as well as the approval of legendary DJ Bob Harris, who says he offers “modern day traditionalism of the very best kind”.  His 2019 album Wrong Again was named UK Country Album of the Year at the 2020 UK Country Music Awards.

 Finishing the evening with a bang will be “the Kings of British Americana“ (Americana UK) Danny And The Champions Of The World.  Danny George Wilson has been making great music for nearly thirty years, with Grand Drive, critical and audience darlings Bennett Wilson Poole and of course the Champions. An “engaging and powerful force” (Blabber and Smoke”), he will be playing songs from his latest album, You Are Not Alone (**** Uncut, **** Mojo) and this performance will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of the festival.

 The four acts will join those already announced, including headliners Oysterband, The Dhol Foundation, Blackbeard’s Tea Party and Sam Kelly and the Lost Boys as well as Maddie Morris, Gaz Brookfield, Sound of the Sirens, Gaelforce, The Magpie Arc and Martin Simpson and many others.

 In addition the festival offers the well-established local music showcase, an “open mic” competition with the chance to play on the main stage,ceilidhs, instrumental and dance workshops, ‘meet and greet’ sessions with some of the festival’s leading artists, jam sessions and children’s entertainment and of course the return of Dog Bingo!  All this takes place on one site at the beautiful Stuntney Estate, just behind Ben’s Yard. Add in an outstanding real ale bar with over 25 real ales and ciders, the return of the enormously popular gin bar and a wide range of mouth-watering food as well as plenty of tempting craft stalls and it’s clear to see why Ely Folk Festival continues to go from strength to strength.

Photo credit: Simon Weller

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“Very cool music played in a magical atmosphere – this will appeal to jazz novices as well as hardcore enthusiasts.” Three Weeks Magazine

Appearing at:

LITTLE THETFORD VILLAGE HALL
Fri 28th March 8pm

Ian and Dominic are unique in the UK Jazz community taking their blend of melodic jazz standards and original compositions to rural communities all over the UK. They use programmable lighting and table lights to create a wonderful intimate atmosphere for the music.

They tell stories of their travels in their Tour Bus – an old converted Yorkshire Ambulance, in an entertaining evening of creative music and enthusiastic joy.

“We are delighted to be performing all over the UK in a variety of venues with many sell out concerts and record sales in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival” says Ian

“We are now also making many return visits to venues up and down the country. Throughout lock down we called ourselves the Socially Distanced Duo now we’re getting out and meeting our audience again!” says Dominic

LITTLE THETFORD VILLAGE HALL, The Wytches, Ely CB6 3HG
Fri 28th March 8pm £15 doors open 7pm, Licensed bar
Accompanied under 16s free
www.ticketsource.co.uk/little-thetford-village-hall
graham@gjconsultancy.co.uk  tel: 07795 200447
Visit our website for our blog, videos, photos, reviews and our Concert Diary plus links to our Social Media accounts www.millarandspencer.co.uk

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The world-renowned Philharmonia Orchestra will be visiting Ely Cathedral to perform Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony alongside Cambridge University Symphony Chorus on Saturday 15 March 2025.

The collaboration also involves members of Cambridge college choirs, renowned soprano Sophie Bevan MBE, and rising star baritone Daniel D’Souza, an English National Opera Harewood Artist for 2024-25.

David Young, Director of the Cambridge University Symphony Chorus and the National Symphony Chorus of Ireland, will be conducting the performance.

Founded in the immediate aftermath of World War II, the Philharmonia is widely recognised as one of the world’s great orchestras. From its base at London’s Southbank Centre it tours the world – it is due to give performances as far afield as Japan, Spain, Estonia, Finland and the Canary Islands this year – while its numerous recordings include more than 150 film and videogame soundtracks and a recording of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 which is travelling through interstellar space on board the Voyager spacecraft.

Written between 1903 and 1909, A Sea Symphony was Vaughan Williams’ first large-scale piece of music. It is scored for soprano, baritone, chorus and a large orchestra, and its text is drawn from Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, which were little known in England at the time.

University of Cambridge Centre for Music Performance Director Simon Fairclough says, “We’re thrilled to be bringing Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony to Ely in March. To have one of the UK’s finest orchestras accompanying the choral might of our University Symphony Chorus within the historic setting of Ely Cathedral will make for a truly special evening.”

To purchase your tickets, please contact Ely Cathedral Box office: 01353 667735 www.elycathedral.org/events/a-sea-symphony

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Soham’s exciting new family festival, SoFest, is set to offer local families huge value for money, with a range of activities worth over £68 per person.  A group of two adults and two children will save nearly £200 compared with having to pay for each activity separately, as everything is included in the entry fee.

The festival, taking place on 2nd June 2024 on Soham Recreation Ground from 11:30am until 6pm, is headlined by the 90s boyband FIVE.  Additional acts on the main stage include X Factor star Andy Abraham, 80’s revival singer Nancy Ann Lee, rock guitarist and singer Ed Cusick, and Sammy Magic and his magic show. The event will also introduce the new local group Viva Vocal Vibes.

As well as the main stage attractions, there will be two family theatre shows, including a ‘puppet petting farm’.  Five fairground attractions will be offering unlimited rides, including inflatables, bumper cars and trampolines.  

Festival goers will also be invited to take part in craft and creative activities, and crowds will be further entertained by balloon modellers, children’s character entertainers, musicians and face painters.

There will also be a selection of quality food and drink vendors on site.

Press release from Sofest

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Three stages and 35+acts plus workshops and meet and greet sessions.

Ely Folk Festival returns to showcase a wealth of local and global talent celebrating folk, roots and acoustic music over a full weekend in July.

As ever there is an eclectic range of musical styles for all tastes and ages, including folk rock, Americana, blues and roots as well as traditional folk acts. Alongside headline acts on the open air Peregrine Stage the 2024 programme includes a series of concerts across two other stages including a local music showcase, ceilidhs, instrumental and dance workshops, ‘meet and greet’ sessions with some of the festival’s leading artists, jam sessions and kids entertainment, all on one site at the beautiful Stuntney Estate.

One of the most anticipated events is a performance from Eddi Reader on Sunday evening on the main stage. Winner of a Brit Award for Best British Female, holder of a doctorate for her musical work and an MBE for services to the arts, Eddi is one of the country’s finest singers and her music, as Folk Radio UK said “is a colourful, constantly changing, fascinating mix of styles” while Lonesome Highway rightly observed that “you can never tire of hearing her sing. She will play with a full band including festival patron and acclaimed songwriter Boo Hewerdine.

Other headliners include fiery Celtic fusion band Peatbog Faeries, multi-award-winning contemporary folk band Breabach, acclaimed duo O’Hooley & Tidow, whose “boundless songwriting and exquisite harmonies that truly shine” (Guardian) are guaranteed to light up the Kingfisher stage and veteran singer-songwriter Jez Lowe, a man of
whom Living Tradition rightly say “he has never written a bad song”.

Additional highlights include performances from folk legend John Kirkpatrick, powerful and award-winning Fleetwood Mac-esque live act Morganway, The Fugitives, who will join the festival from Canada, veteran troubadour Rory McLeod and exciting folk-rockers Rusty Shackle.

On the dance front veteran outfit Kegs and vibrant ceilidh band Stumpy Oak will keep everyone’s feet moving while David Gibb and Nick Parker will provide a family folk show and a children’s ukulele workshop respectively as well as performing separately in their own right.

There’s also a distinct East Anglian flavour on display, including local favourites the Barefoot Doctors, who include former Status Quo drummer Jeff Rich and Chris Newman on guitar, promise to fire things up with theirsupercharged blues, rock and funk, rising folk duo Christina Alden and Alex Patterson and The Shackleton Trio, who will both make appearances separately as well as performing together as Kitewing. Add in Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage, Guise, The Wilswood Buoys and many more and you have a line-up that truly has something for everyone.

Special mention should be made of a unique one-off Patrons Concert, curated by festival patrons Boo Hewerdine and Brooks Williams. Known to many through his work with Eddi Reader, which includes writing the hit single Patience of Angels, Boo is one of the country’s most feted songwriters, while Brooks, who holds a place in the Top 100 acoustic guitarists in the world, has worked and recorded with numerous folk luminaries on both sides of the Atlantic to much acclaim.

The concert will see the pair invite some of their favourite performers to take the stage alongside them for never-to-be-repeated performances and collaborations.

Ely Folk Festival also offers a platform for up-and-coming performers. As well as the already mentioned local acts showcase, it holds an annual band competition, open to artists everywhere, with the prize being a slot at the festival and the ‘club tent competition’ held on the Nightingale stage. This has been running for many years and offers the opportunity for the winner to open the Sunday evening concert on the Peregrine Stage. In 2015 Rusty Shackle won and this year they’ll be closing the Peregrine stage on Sunday. Many other artists have gone on to greater things following their debut on Ely’s main stage, including Jade Rhiannon of Cambridge contemporary folk band The Willows and Iona Fyfe, the 2021 Musician of the Year at the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards. The festival also encourages anyone attending to bring their instruments and join in with the many sessions around the festival site and in the bar.

Fionnuala Lennon, the festival’s Marketing Director, said “Over one glorious weekend in July, we will celebrate the best in folk& roots music as part of our 38th festival. It’s a fabulous way of catching nationally acclaimed and talented local acts up close in the relaxed surroundings of Stuntney estate and we look forward to welcoming everyone“.

Press release from Ely Folk Festival

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Influenced by his new found passion for the band Wilco, Fair Weather Son (Mark Ellis) feels like he may have finally found his musical happy place.

Take some alt country, sprinkle some of 70’s Paul McCartney’s fairy dust and you get a sound which is charming, warm and sincere. ’38 Years’ is a song about leaving his home town of Ely behind for a new adventure. Though some goodbye songs can be sad, 38 Years is most certainly a fond farewell to the city he grew up in. Accompanying the release of 38 Years is a music video shot in multiple locations throughout East Anglia, which both serves as a celebration of East Anglia and is also a nod to significant places where ‘Fair Weather Son’ spent his life growing up. With a camera shot for every second of the song there’s plenty to see! ’38 Years’ comes out January 19th on all platforms.

Fair Weather Son

‘Fair Weather Son’ (Mark Ellis) is a UK Singer Songwriter who has been writing and performing in bands for 20 years. Mark started out as drummer for Cambridge band Hamfatter, who had some small chart success in the UK and Austria along with an infamous appearance on UK Tv show Dragons Den in 2008!

In the years after ‘Hamfatter’, Mark began writing his own songs and after showing early promise, often spent time writing with his friend and also then neighbour Boo Hewerdine (The Bible, Eddi Reader). There were some solo releases along the way most notably a song ‘Carry You’, which was released as a charity single for Clic Sargent and lead to a special performance at the Royal Albert Hall in 2014.  Other notable performances during this time include supporting The Subways, Grant Nicholas (Feeder), Roddy Woomble (Idlewild), Eddi Reader and Boo Hewerdine.

In 2016 Mark began writing songs that felt a little different, a little less indie and a little more “old school” and he took the decision to form the duo ‘Elma’ with his friend Ellie. After two years of writing, gigging and building a loyal fan base Elma released their 60’s inspired debut album ‘Dreamland’ in 2018 to high acclaim! ‘Dreamland’ was one of Mark’s biggest successes as a writer it was well received across the media with Tom Robinson at BBC 6 describing their debut single September as “Beautiful”, BBC Scotland’s Roddy Hart described the album Dreamland as “finely crafted retro pop” and RnR Magazine said Elma was “A quality duo capable of truly great things”. Not long after the release of Dreamland Elma secured a support tour supporting the legendary Roy Wood (ELO, Wizzard) and also began conversations with BMG Music. Shortly after the Roy Wood tour ‘Elma’ sadly split but BMG were still keen to work with Mark recognising his talent as a songwriter and this led to Mark securing a publishing deal with BMG Music.

Fast forward to 2020 and we all know what happened there. Like many artists Mark turned to his music to find comfort and vent his frustrations during the Covid 19 Pandemic and this would lead his first solo release in years, the Fair Weather Son EP. Self produced for the first time in a garden shed in Tottenham to avoid his partners zoom calls the Fair Weather Son EP was the perfect tonic to get Mark through the darkest months of the pandemic. Lead single ‘This Thing Is Better’, later received radio play on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire and Cambridge 105 and even inspired his friend and award winning director Jonnie Howard to animate a video which generated over 14,000 views on YouTube.

After the release of the Fair Weather Son EP and still unable to gig due to lockdown, Mark turned back to writing with other people and began work with Abigail DB. The pair wrote 9 songs together and Abigail DB’s first single ‘Put The Fire Out’ was named in BBC Introducing’s Best Of The Year 2022.

In 2023 returned to the Fair Weather Son project again. This was fuelled by a need for catharsis and was also inspired by hearing the likes of Richard Hawley and Wilco for the first time. The first release of the new Fair Weather Son era ‘Ride Along’ was well received and now the follow up ’38 Years’ signals the best is yet to come!

38 Years comes out on all platforms on January 19th. Pre-save here: https://ditto.fm/38-years

Press release from Fair Weather Son

The post 38 Years – Fair Weather Son appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Profits from the show are being donated to the East Anglian Air Ambulance in support of the wonderful life-saving work they do.

As one of the 60s and 70s most iconic British bands, The Hollies continue to sell out UK & European tours today. A total of over 30 chart hits, including 19 Top 20 hits, 17 of which were Top 10 and 2 No.1s makes them one of the most successful bands of their time, both in the UK, the US as part of the “British Invasion” and beyond. In addition to their world-wide No.1 hit, ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother‘, there are so many other songs  – ‘Just One Look’, ‘Bus Stop’, ‘The Air That IBreathe‘ – the list goes on. Their place in music history was recognised in 2010 when they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by the E Street Band’s Steve Van Zandt. A back catalogue and legacy like this guarantees a hit-packed evening.

The Hijacked Hollies play theatres, Holiday Park Sixties weekends, Butlin’s Sixties-themed weekends, Warner Leisure Hotels, clubs and private functions around the country from Cornwall to Carlisle.

Tickets are available here: The Maltings

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Cambridgeshire’s premier brass dectet, Prime Brass, is to join 100 young American singers in Ely Cathedral on Tuesday 4th July for an Independence Day concert to celebrate the special relationship between the US and the UK. 

The concert, to include cathedral classics such as Zadok the Priest as well as American and British folk songs, will be conducted by Craig Jessop, former director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and Stan Engebretson, artistic director of America’s National Philharmonic Chorale both of them well-known figures in US music.  

This is the second big Independence Day concert in Ely Cathedral to be organised by concert promoters Music Celebrations International, who bring choirs, orchestras and bands from the USA to perform in Europe during the summer every year.  The previous concert, in 2018, commemorated 100 years since the end of World War 1. 

Prime Brass will open the concert with its own version of the overture from Rossini’s The Italian Girl in Algiers, arranged by Paul Garner.  Included in the programme will be old favourites from the UK such as Parry’s I was Glad, Stanford’s Beati Quorum and Vaughan Williams’ O Clap your Hands, as well as US favourites such as Randall Thompson’s Last Words of David and Stephen Paulus’ Pilgrim’s Hymn.    Prime Brass will also perform George Butterworth’s The Banks of Green Willow.

Crowning glory will be An Atlantic Bridge, a magnificent compilation of British and American folk songs for six soloists and choir, arranged by Mack Wilberg, director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  His works have been performed by a host of internationally known artists, such as Renée Fleming, Frederica von Stade, Bryn Terfel, the King’s Singers, Madeleine Albright, Walter Cronkite and Claire Bloom. 

The concert will finish with Somewhere from West Side Story, and An Irish Blessing arranged by James E Moore Jr.

The singers will come from some of the US’s premier choirs, including the National Philharmonic Chorale, the Peninsula Singers and the Providence Singers.

Ely Cathedral, Tuesday 4th July 2023, 7.30pm

Premium tickets cost £15, including preferential reserved seating and a glass of wine during the interval.  Other tickets £10 (unreserved). Concessions £8 in £10 seats. 

They are available from Ely Cathedral Box Office (Tel 01353 660349),

email: box.office@elycathedral.org or online from https://www.elycathedral.org/events.

All profits will go to East Anglian Air Ambulance

Press release from Ely Sinfonia

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Wilburton Beer Festival is the longest running festival of its kind in the Fen area, taking place within the beautiful natural setting of our oak tree encircled village green, overlooked by an Elizabethan Manor, on the weekend closest to the summer solstice. The committee has been working hard over the last few years to make sure that we enjoy the outdoor setting whilst being as green as we can be. Recycling and reusing wherever possible, and stopping single use plastics.

Following the success of last year, the programme will be running on Friday 23rd and Saturday the 24th of June.

We will be celebrating our shared way of life with a selection of beers and ciders from the local region, and hope you will join us again this year. The Wilburton beer festival committee has been hard at work sampling, with over 60 beers and ciders now planned for inclusion! You can expect to find all your old favourites, but also to discover some new ones.

Wilburton Beer Festival has always been an event for the whole family. Wrist bands for the kids give them unlimited play time on a range of outdoor activities. We are planning for the usual bouncy entertainment on both days – with children able to come and join the fun straight from school on the opening Friday.

The very best of local produce will be on offer, with a range of great food provided by local businesses. This year we will have Al Chile Mexican Street Food, Zapiekanki – Polish Street Food, Pizza Passione, Caipira Brazilian, Scotties Scotch Eggs, Hill Farm Ice Cream and the ever-loved Scout group BBQ and Chile! As always, the music will come from bands living in the local region.

Headline bands are already booked with The Casuals headlining on Friday night and Blue Thunder, Sabertooth Timmy and Max Headroom filling the dancefloor on Saturday.

It’s going to be another party to remember, with all profits going to great causes. We hope to see you there!

Press release from Wilburton Beer Festival

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We’re delighted to present the Ely Arts Festival 2023! We have a jam packed couple of weeks with lots of exciting events to enjoy for all the community! There’s lots of free events including 2 of our highlights with our family day full of activities and music at Jubilee Jamboree on Saturday 24th June and our big finale in collaboration with Ely Markets on Friday 30th June. Come and take part in a ceramics workshop (with a beer in hand!) at Drayman’s Sons or paint our community mural sponsored by Spotted in Ely which is popping up at various points during the festival. We’d love to see you! 

There’s also a chance to enjoy professional theatre with a performance of Robin Hood in the beautiful Bishops Garden and performances in Sessions House, Ely’s hidden gem of a venue! Family theatre will also take place in Haddenham and Ely College with a production based on Roald Dahl’s books

There are 11 participatory events to choose from this year! We have a special Father’s Day event with a Samba drumming Workshop, two professional theatre shows and, of course, our Jubilee Jamboree Free Family Day is back by popular demand. It will even feature TWO performance spaces this year! Did we mention over half our events are FREE?

The festival simply would not be possible without the generosity of all our sponsors and we’re extremely grateful for their ongoing support. 

After the success of our community concert last year, we’ll be delivering singing and art workshops to over 400 school children culminating in our Space themed concert in Ely Cathedral to open the festival with a bang including an eclectic mix of music by David Bowie, Elton John, Gustav Holst and John Williams. 

Press release from Ely Arts Festival

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Festival spokesperson Fionnuala Lennon said ‘We’re rolling up our sleeves now to get the new site ready for our first visitors on 8th July. The new festival site will provide a wonderful green backdrop to a great weekend of music, dance and fun. We’ve got a wonderful line-up of national and local folk and roots musicians, lots of activities and fun for younger visitors, and the colourful morris dance procession through the centre of Ely on Saturday morning. There is something for all members of the family to enjoy.’

This is the 36th Ely Folk Festival. The stellar line-up includes Lindisfarne, the Sharon Shannon Trio, Holy Moly and The Crackers, De Temps Antan, Heidi Talbot and Boo Hewerdine, Big Joe Bone, Steamchicken, and Gabriel Moreno and The Quivering Poets.

In addition to 10 concerts over the weekend, the festival will host three Ceilidhs, Morris Dance displays, children’s activities, workshops, a real ale bar and a food and craft trader area. 

The new festival site is located along the A142 Soham Road near Stuntney. A shuttle bus will connect the site to Ely Rail Station and the city centre. Camping is available on the site for weekend visitors.

Festival tickets are still available with adult weekend tickets costing £107 (concessions apply); and tickets available for individual days starting at £30 for an adult ticket for Friday.

Tickets can be bought in advance via the festival website www.elyfolkfestival.co.uk and will be available at the box office on the site itself from 13.00 on Friday 8th July. The Festival is dog friendly.

Press release from Ely Folk Festival

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One of East Anglia’s leading professional orchestras, the Suffolk Philharmonic Orchestra, is to venture out of its own county for the first time to play a concert of some of the most loved music in the repertoire as part of the 2022 Ely Arts Festival.

Celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, Suffolk Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) is made up of some of the country’s finest players, many living in Suffolk and the neighbouring counties.  It has built a strong reputation in its own county for the high quality of its performances and is now beginning to take its work further afield, beginning with the Ely concert.  It is particularly well known for its work with emerging young players: earlier this year it performed with BBC Young Musician finalist Maxim Calver, and in this landmark concert it will be joined by award-winning young violinist, Charlotte Saluste-Bridoux, who will be playing Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto. 

Taking place in Ely Cathedral on Saturday 25th June and sponsored by two local businesses, solicitors MCP-Law and wealth management company CamOuse, the all-Mendelssohn concert starts with the much-loved Hebrides Overture (also known as Fingal’s Cave), followed by the Violin Concerto.  The concert will end with the Italian Symphony (no 4 in A major), which is full of the joys of Italian life. 

The concert is one of the key events in this year’s Ely Arts Festival, which has been reborn after the pandemic and will be taking place from 17th June to 1st July.  “Suffolk Philharmonic Orchestra is delighted to be taking part in the Festival in our first ever concert outside Suffolk,” says the orchestra’s conductor Leslie Olive.  “We are especially looking forward to playing in the glorious surroundings of Ely Cathedral, presenting a really popular programme that we hope will be a popular event at the heart of the Ely Arts Festival.”

Composer Felix Mendelssohn wrote his Hebrides Overture (Fingal’s Cave) when he was barely 20 years old, following a trip to Scotland. He was particularly taken with the swell of the Atlantic and the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks.  This piece, much loved by players and audiences alike, takes the listener on a journey through calm swells to something much more challenging and back again, finally disappearing across the horizon.

Mendelssohn’s romantic masterpiece, his Violin Concerto, came from the other end of his short life, premiering only two years before his death at the age of 38 in 1847.  One of the foremost concertos of the romantic era, it has a central place in the violin repertoire and is considered an essential concerto for all aspiring concert violinists to learn.  At this concert it will be played by Charlotte Saluste-Bridoux, who was a 2021 prize winner in both the inaugural Young Classical Artists Trust (London) and the Concert Artists Guild (New York) 2021 International Auditions.

The concert ends with another piece from Mendelssohn’s travels, the Italian Symphony (no 4), premiered when Mendelssohn was 24 years old and had recently completed a Grand Tour of Europe.  It is filled with the swirling colours of Italian peasant life, from a sun-drenched opening into a solemn religious procession in Naples, and ending with a fiery Saltarello and Tarantella, the legendary frenzied dance in which the victim of a tarantula sting dances himself to death.

Tickets for the concert start at £21 and are available from Ely Cathedral Box Office, tel 01353 660349, email: box.office@elycathedral.org or online from https://tickets.elycathedral.org.  

Ely Cathedral, Saturday June 25th 2022, 7.30pm   

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A song about anyone who’s trying to make their way in the world. We all make bad decisions, we all get jealous we all need someone to “Gimme Something” to get us through. With a barnstorming riff, a guitar sound that slaps you in the face, a giant hook of a chorus and a performance that oozes confidence Max Headroom are ready to bring their brand of Rock n Roll to the masses.

Gimme Something takes influence from bands like The Hives, White Stripes, Arctic Monkeys and many more. The Indie influences don’t stop there either Gimme Something was produced by the one and only Billy Lunn of the The Subways!

After years of treading the boards in Cambridgeshire pubs as a cover band Max Headroom could play Mr Brightside, I Predict A Riot and many other indie classics in their sleep, this remains to be the way they spend most Saturday nights but Max Headroom are now finally curing their creative itch.

Singer Drew Girling and guitarist Mark Ellis both have a tonne of songwriting experience to bring to the band. Drew has previously won a songwriting award for his song The Last Meeting in a local competition and has been part of many original projects prior to Max Headroom while Mark has in his own words has “flown close to the sun a few times”, most recently as the driving force behind Elma a project that wound up supporting Roy Wood on tour and gained Mark a small publishing deal as a songwriter at BMG Music.

Enter Edd Mitchell on drums the back bone of the band on drums and in life too, an absolutely stand up dude that Drew and Mark have leaned on many times through the years. Though relatively new to writing originals he certainly knows how to lay down a groove and has a keen ear for the perfect drum part!

Together can these best bros write a great tune? You bet they can! It’s time to buckle up for Max Headroom’s exciting adventure!

Press release from Max Headroom

Max Headroom – Gimme Something Released May 28th re-order below:

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Music will be in plentiful supply, with more than 20 Bands performing over two stages throughout the Festival, and a Neon DJ event on the Friday night.

The event is family friendly, with Fairyland Trust running activities for children Saturday and Sunday and Eco friendly stalls will provide ticket holders with refreshments and shopping opportunities.

There will be many other activities throughout the weekend including Willow Weaving, Carol Banks Jewellery demo, Wellness Sessions, Family Yoga Sessions, Grow Your Own demo, Mandolin Workshop, Children Activity Spot, Storyteller, RSPB activities stall and Face Painting and Hair Braiding, there really is something for everyone to enjoy!

Day tickets and Camping Tickets are available; the campsite consists of a wildflower grassy field with a beautiful pond, surrounded by colourful nectar mixes, and over 3 acres of newly planted trees and hedges.

There are also many pretty rural walks nearby, the walk to Ely along the River Great Ouse is particularly beautiful, with amazing views of Ely Cathedral. 

The Festival sites on a small hill within the 12 acre field of the campsite with amazing sunsets and Ely Cathedral as a backdrop – it’s a perfect setting!

For Camping or Day tickets visit the website: https://www.madhattersfestival.co.uk/

Press release from Mad Hatters Campsite and Music Festival

The post The Mad Hatters Music Festival Returns for its Second Year appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Now residing in Ely, Brian certainly has some extraordinary photos, taken by him as he joined some of the most famous musicians in the world on their tours and gigs.

Many, which are unpublished, are one-offs and every single image has a story to tell. The collection of original work includes black and white images of the Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Who and The Small Faces.

Brian quotes, “It was quite an amazing time and I never thought it was going to end – I thought it was going to go on and on, but every chapter does close at some stage.”

Brian Bignell’s debut talk in Ely is Friday 20th May and tickets can be purchased by calling the box office on 01353 662062.

To book your tickets to Brian’s event follow the link :https://www.olivercromwellshouse.co.uk/index.php…

Press release from Visit Ely

The post Folding Back the Years – Rock ‘n’ Roll Memories appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

It includes a variety of events for everyone to enjoy. Highlights include professional theatre company Impromptu Shakespeare, who present an improvised Shakespeare play in The Maltings on Thursday 23rd June and the ‘Jubilee Jamboree’ family day in Jubilee Gardens on Saturday 25th June. This is a free day of music, theatre and art, with food vans. 

The committee, working with Babylon Arts, are excited to have received a grant from the Let’s Create Jubilee Fund from Arts Council England through Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, to support parts of the festival, including a ceramic Lion Trail across the city, documenting the reign of Elizabeth II and #PictureEly, a day of art on the market square. The charitable organisation’s Chief Executive, Claire Somerville said “We’re pleased to be working with Ely Arts Festival to help create new opportunities for arts and culture across Ely, in celebration of the Queen’s Jubilee.”

There will also be a series of concerts taking place in the historic Sessions House from rising star musicians from the Royal College of Music and Guildhall School of Music. 

Artistic Director and Chair of Ely Arts Festival, Chris Parsons said “We’re really excited to share our programme for 2022 and we hope that there’s something for everyone to enjoy! Our aim is to make the festival accessible and bring lots of high quality arts to Ely. The festival wouldn’t be possible without our sponsors, Lovewell Blake and Poets House and collaborating with many wonderful organisations across the city. We look forward to welcoming you from Friday 17th June to Friday 1st July for an exciting two weeks of events.”

The festival culminates with ‘The Carnival of the Animals’, a community celebration in Ely Cathedral on Friday 1st July. It will feature 300 local school children singing animal-themed music, including medleys from The Lion King and Jungle Book and music by Saint Saëns, Mancini with a live orchestra and professional soloists. The concert will begin with a colourful carnival parade down the nave with school children wearing animal head-dresses created in workshops provided by the festival. 

To find out more information about the Ely Arts Festival’s 2022 programme and how to book for events visit: www.elyartsfestival.org

 Press release from Babylon ARTS

The post Ely Arts Festival 2022 Programme Launched appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Members of the Panel have written a musical production entitled ‘The Evil that We Do’. The play, set in a fictional town, depicts events surrounding a County Lines network and the criminal exploitation of disaffected and alienated children.

The main characters within the play form a love triangle – and as Jack and Aiden compete for the affection of Cara, the escalating picture of drug dealing and criminal behaviour leads to a tragic confrontation.

The play is co-written by Natalia Huckle (17) and the Youth Panel founder Phil Priestley. Natalia has said:

“As keen writers, this was an amazing subject to work on. We’ve really got involved in creating these characters and the twists and turns that they go through. The messages are powerful, brave and there are a lot of ups and downs. We hope it will make for a really compelling performance.” 

Having written and refined the dialogue and narrative of the script the writers are now seeking the contribution of talented young musicians who can help to build a musical score, create and compose musical transitions, and put their song writing talents into a really exciting purpose.

The Panel is welcoming contributions from anyone who has got a passion for writing and composing music and who would like to see their work being performed on the stage. Phil Priestley said:

“We want to find those outstanding musical talents out there and put them at the forefront of a really important vehicle. This whole play is going to entertain people but it’s going to educate them – the music will make or break the entire concept and what we can deliver. We know that there are finely talented young composers who could take this opportunity and really deliver on it.”

Entry to the competition is completely free. Entrants are advised that they can work alone or in collaboration with friends. They can create one song or if they are more ambitious look to write an entire score.

The Cambs Youth Panel have created a YouTube introduction to the competition here and more information is available via the Cambs Youth Panel website here;

Interviews regarding this competition and ‘The Evil that We Do’ more broadly are available with both Phil and Natalia.

Please direct any questions or enquiries to:cambsyouthpanel@gmail.com or phil.priestley@inclusive-development.co.uk

Press release from Cambs Youth Panel

The post Cambs Youth Panel Musical Competition appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

On Saturday 25th September 2021, Ely Sinfonia will be playing its first “proper” post lockdown concert in a glorious re-awakening of Ely Cathedral to local talent.  The orchestra will be joined by virtuoso violinist, Philippa Mo, for the world première of Stream-Shine by British composer Colin Riley.  Also on the programme is Weber’s Invitation to the Dance, a wonderfully rumbunctious frolic orchestrated by Berlioz.  The concert will finish with Brahms’ ever popular Symphony No 4.

Stream-Shine is a brand new concerto for violin and orchestra. Commissioned by Ely Sinfonia, it takes full advantage of the acoustics of Ely Cathedral, with infectious, jazzy rhythmic passages contrasting with ethereal, reflective soundscapes.   As with much of Brunel University-based composer Colin Riley’s music, it cannot be categorised, combining unusual instrumental techniques, improvisation and standard notation within a large-scale classical form.

The concert begins with Weber’s Invitation to the Dance, the first ever waltz written for listening rather than dancing.   It has been described as “the transition to modern dance music”, “the most brilliant example of dance music yet written” (Music with Ease) and is certainly exquisitely poetic and utterly romantic!

Ending the concert, the rich autumnal colours and glorious melodies of Brahms’ Symphony no 4 provide a deep contrast to the earlier two pieces.  From the first sighs of the strings to the final deeply personal, uncompromising ending, this is one of the most captivating of all Brahms’ compositions.

Ely Cathedral, Saturday 25th September 2021, 7.30pm

Tickets cost £25, £18 or £15 (reserved), or £8 (unreserved). 
Concessions are £15 in £18 seats. 
They are available now from Ely Cathedral Box Office, Tel 01353 660349, email box.office@elycathedral.org or online from https://www.elycathedral.org/events

Press release from Ely Sinfonia

The post Ely Sinfonia Celebrates the Return to Live Performance with World Premiere of New British Concerto for Violin and Orchestra appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Alan Parkinson, who is Head of Geography at King’s Ely Junior, was Vice President of the GA last year, and became 2021-22 President on September 1st.

Alan, who lives in Norfolk and who has been teaching at King’s Ely for eight years, previously worked for the GA as Secondary Curriculum Development Leader for three years, and also served on the Secondary Phase Committee for fourteen years. He has contributed the Webwatch column to the GA Magazine for a similar amount of time, and written articles for all the GA’s journals.

Speaking about his Presidency, Alan said: “I’ve always had this feeling that I might end up as President one day, although it’s rare for a teacher to do the job while actively teaching too – the last time that happened was in 2004. I feel enormously proud to be representing our members around the world and influencing some of the work the Association does to advocate for Geography to policy makers and communicate the vital importance of the subject in explaining our world – particularly given the summer of extreme weather we have experienced. The final strand of our work is empowering teachers to become curriculum makers and improve their practice. Of the 106 Presidents to date since 1893, I am the first to have previously worked for the GA as well, which gives me a great insight into the tremendous efforts made by the GA’s staff in Sheffield to support members in the way that they do. I’m excited to have already been invited to events in numerous countries, and to be able to visit our GA Branches around the country in the coming year.”

Alan has taught Geography in schools for almost thirty years and has written and edited numerous textbooks and children’s books, including his latest book, ‘Why Study Geography?’. He is a Chartered Geographer, is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and has won numerous awards for his writing, innovative teaching, and support of other colleagues. These include the RSGS’s Joy Tivy Education Medal in 2013, which has only been awarded nine times: one fellow awardee is the late education guru, Sir Ken Robinson.

Along with Daniel Raven Ellison, Alan was the co-founder of Mission:Explore. He is a Primary Geography Champion and Consultant to the GA. He writes many blogs including Living Geography, which has over 10,000 posts. Recent work includes material for BBC Bitesize, Census 2021 and consultancy in South Africa. In 2019, Alan was also one of the first teachers in the UK to become a United Nations accredited ‘Climate Change Teacher’.

The GA is the leading subject association for teachers of Geography. As a registered charity, it aims to further geographical knowledge and understanding through education with its current mission of ‘connecting teachers and inspiring quality Geography’.

The Association supports high-quality Geography education by enabling teachers of Geography to share ideas and learn from one another. It was founded in 1893 at Oxford University. The annual conference attracts around 800 delegates, and Alan is currently planning his Presidential Conference at the University of Surrey, which has the theme of ‘Everyday Geographies’.

For more information, visit: www.geography.org.uk

Press release from King’s Ely

The post King’s Ely Teacher becomes President of the Geographical Association appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Committee spokesperson Fionnuala Lennon admitted that it was a huge undertaking – ‘We really wanted to make Ely Folk Festival happen this year if it was at all feasible and we’ve worked really hard with council advisors to put in place the plans needed to make it a covid-safe. We’ve effectively made it an outdoor festival – replacing the two big marquees we normally have with two outdoor stages, so it will be a different experience from previous festivals. But, the festival will still have the great range of top class folk and roots music acts and local bands that it is renowned for.’

A stellar line-up of British folk acts will grace the two outdoor stages on the festival site at Ely Outdoor Centre including Show of Hands, The Young’uns, Noble Jacks, Martyn Joseph, Elvis Fontenot, Merry Hell, Midnight Skyracer, The Mardlers, Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage and lots more.

The Friday night Local Bands Showcase will feature a range of talented East Anglian musicians including Fred’s House, The Finn Collinson Band, Kelvin Davis & The Gravy Train.

With workshops, music sessions, children’s entertainment, a traders area, and a real ale bar, there will be lots going on at Ely Folk Festival 2021 – and it’s a dog-friendly festival too. Ticket prices start at £27 for Friday evening tickets to £83 for a weekend ticket. Concessions are available and children under 12 are free. 

More details about the 2021 festival including how to book tickets and the covid-safe measures being out in place are available at www.elyfolkfestival.co.uk. 

Press release from Ely Folk Festival

The post Countdown to Ely Folk Festival 2021 appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

The evening included moving renditions of Somewhere over the Rainbow and Sing! and the premieres of  newly composed scores by Chris Leedham and David Sims, against the backdrop of drone footage, capturing the iconic buildings and landscape around Ely. 

Lantivet Duo, a professional violin and piano playing couple, performed two short sets comprising an eclectic mix of music including from the 18^th century, folk music and live looping compositions inspired by Balinese gamelan. There was also a 13-piece orchestra performing live made up of local musicians.  

The Ely Arts Festival committee had overcome the odds to pull the concert together, with the support of Ely Cathedral and were particularly delighted to have involved over 220 school children from local  primary and secondary schools, who had worked with Chris Parsons in the lead-up to the concert to  learn and perform the songs so they could be recorded for the event. These performances, along with recordings from Sing Choirs and the Ely Cathedral Girl Choristers were presented on screens.  

Chris Parsons explains more about the event: “We wanted to bring together an exciting mix of projects  that have taken place across Ely during the lockdowns to showcase that the arts didn’t stop. The concert  featured everything from classical music through to pop songs and dance routines, hopefully something for everyone to enjoy!” 

Chris continues: “To be able to reach so many school children and local musicians even in these  challenging times is such an important part of our work as a festival. We pushed technology to the limits  combining the 250 strong virtual performers with the live instrumentalists in two pieces ‘Sing’ by Gary  Barlow and ‘The Spirit of the Fens’ by Nils Greenhow, a piece that highlights the beauty of where we live.  Next year we hope that we can invite all the performers who played and sung virtually this year to join us in person!” 

The Ely Arts Festival Committee also thanked the festival sponsors; Lovewell Blake Accountants, Silver Oak Coffee, Poet’s House and Busybee Recruitment for their support. 

The concert also provided the opportunity to unveil the ‘Fen Stitch Together’ Community quilt, which was produced by artist Louise Beale, who sewed together hundreds of patches created by school children and community members. This will be viewable again at the Jubilee Jamboree event on 26th.

The performance was live streamed and the recording is available on Ely Cathedral’s YouTube page. 

The Ely Arts Festival continues with Jubilee Jamboree in Jubilee Gardens on 26th June, 10.30am to 3pm  and Suitcase Shakespeare, also in Jubilee Gardens on Sunday 27th June.

More information on  www.elyartsfestival.org.

Press release from Babylon ARTS

The post Hundreds of Singers and Musicians Captured the ‘Spirit of the Fens’ at Ely Arts Festival’s Flagship Concert appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Run by a voluntary committee, the festival has been brought together despite the uncertainties of Covid, to provide residents and visitors to Ely with a vibrant programme of arts and cultural events and activities over a two-week period. 

People are invited to make a donation to the crowdfunding campaign and will be rewarded with tokens of appreciation ranging from public thanks, to poetry books, to annual membership of the festival. 

Chris Parsons, chairperson of Ely Arts Festival explains: ‘We’re really excited to be launching the festival again in 2021 but we need your help to support the events we are putting on. This is a great opportunity to support engaging, accessible and family friendly arts activities in Ely and the surrounding area, please do consider making a small donation or even sharing the page on social media to get our campaign as far and wide as possible! We hope to see lots of people at our events in June.”

People can find out more about the festival events and the crowdfunding campaign on www.elyartsfestival.org.

Press release from Bablyon ARTS

The post Crowdfunding Campaign Launched to make Ely Arts Festival 2021 Shine! appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Director of Music at King’s Ely, Neil Porter-Thaw, and his team were determined for the annual musical extravaganza to go ahead despite the restrictions, and the outcome was impressive.

The festival saw musicians in Years 9 to 13 battling it out in year group safety bubbles ahead of the Finalists’ Concert, which resulted in Daniel Millard, Connor Marshall, Sam Trueman, Ayala Gate, Lily McCallum, James Schoenberg, Miriam Reveley, Eleanor MacGillivray, James Wilkinson, Charlotte Bradley and Eleanor Wallace competing for the trophies.

The concert was streamed live from King’s Ely’s Recital Hall and more than 410 devices from around the world tuned in.

Competition was fierce but renowned musician Sarah James, who adjudicated on the evening, declared Miriam Reveley (organ) as Senior Instrumentalist of the Year (Walser Trophy), and Eleanor MacGillivray (piano) was Highly Commended. Ayala Gate (flute) won Intermediate Instrumentalist of the Year (Walser Cup).

Mr Porter-Thaw said: “Thank you to everyone who made the festival such a wonderful success. It appears one good thing that has come out of lockdown is the amount of time students have devoted to their instruments – the improvement in some areas is astonishing. We were sorry that Covid restrictions meant the Finalists’ Concert was without an audience, but we were so pleased to have more than 410 devices from across the globe tuning in on the evening. If you missed the live streaming, you will be pleased to know that the Music Department will be producing a video in celebration of the students’ performances!”

Music is the beating heart of King’s Ely and is the reason why the school came into existence in the first place. Over a third of students learn a musical instrument or receive vocal tuition and the quality, range and variety of ensembles all attest to the school’s musical pedigree.

The school calendar is jam-packed with student-led and professional concerts, workshops and masterclasses, all of which, together with the excellence of the school’s Cathedral Choirs, highlight how music is the soul of the King’s Ely community and testify to its inclusivity.

To discover more about opportunities at King’s Ely, please visit: www.kingsely.org 

Press release from King’s Ely

The post King’s Ely students Shine in Annual Senior Instrumental Music Festival appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

We’re aware that given the challenges that groups and organisations have faced due to Covid, there may be limitations on the activities you can run or the type of work that you could present. We hope that this years’ festival will provide an opportunity to celebrate some of what has been taking place through the last year and pave the way to bigger and broader festivals in years to come.

In the meantime, if you do have an idea or a firm plan for an event or activity you would like to run this year, please do submit it using the online form by the end of Sunday 11th April.

We plan to review the submissions, talk to you or gather more information about your plans and then make a public announcement about the 2021 festival. For a taste of the events being organised by the festival committee, see below.

As a reminder the dates for this years’ festival are: Saturday 12th June to Sunday 27th June 2021. 

We’re looking for arts events and activities that will take place in Ely or the surrounding villages, during the dates above. Consideration will need to be given to Covid regulations and safety guidance when planning and delivering the event/activity.

Submit your event or activity here: https://www.elyartsfestival.org/be-part-of-the-festival/event-submission-form

Fen Stitch Together – Do more of what makes you happy quilt!
Take part in a large ‘communal quilt’ by sending in completed sewn square (15cm x 15cm) to The Babylon Gallery in Ely. The artwork will weave together positive stories of hope, new found hobbies and experiences and events that you are looking forward to and will be presented at the Spirit of the Fens event on 19th June.

Spirit of the Fens – Saturday 19th June, Ely Cathedral
The Spirit of the Fens event will bring communities together both live and virtually at Ely Cathedral. It will celebrate the creativity that has continued to blossom throughout the Covid pandemic across Ely and the surrounding villages. Featuring live music to accompany dramatic drone footage of Ely Cathedral and the fens and virtual ‘lockdown’ projects from local choirs, dance groups, schools and artists. More info to come!

Saturday 26th June
We plan a family drop-in event in Jubilee Gardens, featuring music and craft activities.

Press release from Ely Arts Festival 2021

The post Call for Contributors – Deadline Extended appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Members of all ages filmed themselves at home singing and dancing, and using some clever technology they have been brought together in a rousing and emotional performance, promising ‘we will come back home…’

The original backing track was performed by professional musicians who all gave their time to the project for free.

Viva! Founder Dan Schumann comments:  “We have all missed live theatre over the last year, and we have all missed our Viva family.  So we wanted a project that would give us a focus, a chance to perform and that feeling of creating something really magical.  This project has delivered that in spades!  We are hoping that it will be shared far and wide and viewers will be moved to support our new theatre through online donations.”

Viva Arts and Community Group is converting the old mill on Spencer’s Drove in Soham into a community arts and theatre centre.  Work has continued on the site throughout the pandemic, but the lockdowns and social distancing rules have delayed the project and costs have increased considerably.  

Dan explains:  “Donations from the Greatest Showman video will go to the renovation fund to enable the project to be completed in time for lockdown to be finally lifted, hopefully in the summer.  Then we can finally ‘come back home’.”

The group’s next project will be a virtual radio play of Frankenstein, again all filmed remotely and using the latest editing software to create a unique theatre/radio fusion experience. 

Spencer’s Mill is being transformed into the Viva Theatre using funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, East Cambridgeshire District Council, Power to Change, The Arts Council, Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, Amey Vespa and many others. 

Press release from Viva Arts and Community Group

The post Viva! Marks Anniversary of Lockdown with Greatest Showman Video appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Its been a tough year for every singer and band due to corona virus, lost gigs, no real live audiences and endless frustration. However, one group from the Isle of Ely, the sea shanty crew, Isle ‘ave a Shanty found a way to keep the adrenaline going by entering the 2021 North Nortamptonshire Music Festival. 

Again, due to the virus, this year it was an online event, with acts invited to send in videos of a performance filmed during or in between the lockdowns. The group decided to share their video of a relatively recent shanty called ‘A Sailor Aint a Sailor (or The Last Shanty). Crew member ‘Sea Sick’ Stu explains why, “well we had a choice of a few songs that we have recorded this year but we went with this because it contains actions!! When you see and hear it its difficult not to join in, it’s a real feel-good song and one that goes down really well when we perform it live!”

The contest was shared on facebook and went to a public vote throughout February. It included a variety of acts including choirs, rock bands and solo performers of all ages. In the end. Isle ‘ave a Shanty won comprehensively, totting up more votes than the second and third acts combined. “We are delighted” added ‘Sea Sick’ Stu, “we are so grateful to everybody who voted, its been a real community effort – we did it for the Isle of Ely, for the shanty crews and the folk music world, and we were also grateful for this opportunity in what’s been a very difficult year for everybody”. They will now go on to be the closing act at next years North Northamptonshire Festival Gala Concert, as well as winning a large trophy for the Captain’s Cabin.

So with an award safely tucked under their belt, what’s next for Isle ‘ave a Shanty? “We are so looking forward to performing live again very soon, we have lots in the diary for 2021 and hope they will all go ahead, including Ely Aquafest and Ely Folk Club, and to cap it all we are making plans to record our first album in the Autumn.” 

Isle ‘ave a Shanty are Elliott C. Spray, Able Seaman Andrew Newton, Lee ‘Kiss Me’ Harvey, ‘Sea Sick’ Stuart Green, ‘Long John’ Tony Calladine & Captain Kevin King. You can find out all about them at: isleaveashanty.com

Press release from Isle ‘ave a Shanty

The post Local Shanty Group Wins Music Festival Award appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

For Elma, 2020 was supposed to be the beginning of something new and exciting.

A second album had begun, shows were booked, and new vocalist Rhiannon Penney had been welcomed by the Elma family. It was all systems go.

Sadly the pandemic scuppered plans, and in the initial throws of lockdown Rhiannon and Mark individually threw themselves into survival mode – like so many people did.

Thankfully as the year went by, the ship steadied, and Elma set sail on the new normal – determined to finish the year on a strong and positive note!

Send Love This Christmas is that note. A note that brings the sound of love and positivity, and nods to the kindness that many of us have felt during the darkest days of this year.

Inspired by what many people believe to be the golden age of Christmas music, ‘Send Love This Christmas’ aims to recapture the romance of the 40’s and 50’s through its sparse arrangement and rich harmonies.

The core message of the song is surely one that will live on through the years and as such Elma hope Send Love This Christmas will prove to be a modern classic!

Release date December 14th

Press release from Elma

The post Elma – Send Love This Christmas appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Hot on the heels of the success of Cambridgeshire Music’s first Online Orchestra, we’re pleased to bring you news of the music education hub’s second Online Orchestra challenge!

For the first challenge, you may recall that Cambridgeshire Music transported everyone to the sunny beaches of Hawaii with a heart-warming performance of the classic theme tune Hawaii Five-0.

Thanks to local coverage, almost 6,000 people have watched our YouTube premiere, which brought together fifty performers from across Cambridgeshire and beyond.

For the second challenge, Cambridgeshire Music is asking the musicians of Cambridgeshire to sunnier climes once again, by inviting them play their part in the popular dance tune ‘La Bamba’.

La Bamba is a fun-filled Mexican dance tune immortalised in the 1950s by Ritchie Valens and then by the band Los Lobos, whose 1980s version made it all the way to number 1 in the UK and US hit parade!

Visit Cambridgeshire Music’s website for more details here.

We look forward to sharing the final video with you in the first week of June.

Press release from Cambridgeshire Music

The post Cambridgeshire Music’s Second Online Orchestra Challenge appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Every year Haddenham Beer Festival raise over £5000 for local charities and this year as the festival has been postponed we are running an Online Festival called “Haddenham Plugged In” on Saturday 2nd May on our Facebook Page.

There will be lots of family fun, live acts and competitions throughout the day, all of which can be enjoyed whilst staying home!

The day kicks off with a family workout, then we have a Treasure Hunt, Punch and Judy Show, Famly Disco and in the afternoon we move onto more live acts and DJs – all the way through until midnight!

Through the sale of our limited edition Lockdown T’Shirts we have already raised £750 for Ely Foodbank and hope to raise a lot more during the Online Festival.

We have a just giving page here
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/hbfpluggedin

Press release from Haddenham Beer Festival

The post Haddenham Plugged In – Family Entertainment this Weekend appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Aloha! We’re delighted to unveil the very first performance by Cambridgeshire’s Online Orchestra – in a specially arranged version of the classic TV theme tune for Hawaii Five-0.

Cambridgeshire Music received more than 60 video and audio recordings from 50 different musicians across Cambridgeshire and further afield – including one of Cambridgeshire Music’s former students who’s now a session drummer in Los Angeles!

Instruments ranged from saxophones and flutes to cellos and drum kits – as well as some interesting implements from the kitchen cupboard!

Cambridgeshire Music’s Mark Aldous, who arranged the piece, said: “Our first Online Orchestra was a bit of an experiment and a means to keep our musicians engaged with their music making in these strange times. It was a joy to receive so many contributions and a real privilege to piece all of the bits together and to bring all of these musicians from different backgrounds and abilities together in the same space – albeit a virtual space. We’re delighted with the energy and enthusiasm that the participants have brought to the project and can’t wait to get cracking on the next one!.”

Cambridgeshire Music will be unveiling the next Online Orchestra challenge very soon…

Press release from Cambridgeshire Music

Watch the performance here: https://youtu.be/mQvQaZ4r8z

The post Cambridgeshire’s first Online Orchestra appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

All In Sound are delighted to announce a new partnership with our local new care home The Orchards, Ely.

Since April 2018, All In Sound have been running a very busy and successful weekly singing group for people living with dementia, memory loss and their carers, and are now expanding their programme of work to include Care Homes.

This initiative, brought about by All In Sound Director Kathryn Rowland, sees families with young children singing and making music, and memories, with residents of the care home.

Kathryn says “Current research shows the benefits to all ages of these interactions and using my experience of leading early years music workshops and working with older people too I am able to bring together the ages in a positive and inclusive way. I am delighted with the partnership with The Orchards, Ely, and look forward to bringing everyone together for the first-time next week!”

The project is funded through grants obtained by All In Sound, included Hopkins Homes through Cambridgeshire Community Foundation. If you would like to support All In Sound to continue their work do visit their JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/allinsound3

For more information about All In Sound please contact Kathryn on kathryn@allinsound.co.uk or 01353 662022.

Press release from All in Sound

The post Charity All In Sound starts new programme of work “Music & Memories” in local care home! appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Only days following its US premiere at The Lincoln Centre in New York, Ely Cathedral is to host the highly anticipated performance of James MacMillan’s Stabat Mater under the baton of Harry Christophers, and featuring the unparalleled partnership of the Britten Sinfonia and The Sixteen.

Stabat Mater originated as a 13th-century text depicting Mary’s suffering and anguish at the crucifixion of her son, Jesus Christ. Throughout the centuries it has been set to music by many famous composers but MacMillan’s 2009 compelling composition for choir and string orchestra has been heralded as ‘a powerfully moving and gripping masterpiece’. 

The concert is one of the highlights of the Cambridge Music Festival. Justin Lee, Festival Director, says “It’s a real pleasure to be able to hold this Cambridge Music Festival event in Ely Cathedral. Although Cambridge has buildings which have stood for the same number of centuries, there is nothing with that history on the same scale, and the Cathedral has a very special atmosphere that changes the way one listens to the music. It is ideal for a devotional work like James MacMillan’s Stabat Mater, but this is powerful, bittersweet music that audiences will find that they can lose themselves in whether they are religious or not.”

The concert will also feature a performance of Vaughan Williams’s Tallis Fantasia from the Britten Sinfonia, and will begin with MacMillan’s Miserere, a more straightforward choral anthem written in 2009 and widely celebrated as a result of the the Sixteen’s Choral Pilgrimage concerts

MacMillan’s Stabat Mater was first performed at the Barbican in 2016 with Britten Sinfonia and The Sixteen. They will present the US premiere in New York on 7th November before coming to perform the work in the imposing surroundings of Ely Cathedral on Saturday 9th November.

Tickets are available from the Box Office 01353 660349 or online at www.elycathedral.org

“MacMillan’s Stabat Mater is a masterpiece of choral invention.” – Scotsman

 “The Sixteen and Britten Sinfonia produced one of those performances during which you can hardly breathe for fear of missing a nuance of expression.” – The Times

Further information about the Cambridge Music Festival can be found at www.cambridgemusicfestival.co.uk

Press release from Ely Cathedral

The post The Sixteen to perform MacMillan’s globally acclaimed Stabat Mater at Ely Cathedral in the wake of US premiere. appeared first on Spotted in Ely.

Building on the success of this year’s Isle of Ely Arts Festival, the organisers are busy planning an exciting programme for  June 2020 on the theme of ‘Carnival’.

Plans so far include a big community concert in the Cathedral involving lots of children and musicians from local orchestras performing music from The Carnival of Animals, Lion King, Jungle Book and other animal themed musicals. The Choral Society and  Sing!Choirs will also be putting on concerts, the latter combining with a picnic in the Bishop’s garden.

There will also be a band night for young musicians and a sing along with a local Ukulele group. Both Babylon and Haddenham galleries are also planning various exhibitions, film nights and workshops during the festival period.

The festival committee are also looking for smaller arts groups in dance, drama, art and crafts, music, photography etc. to get in touch with their ideas, if they want to be part of next year’s festival. Contact  isleofelyartsfestival@hotmail.com

Groups should put together their estimated  expenditure and possible income by 25th November. Small grants to help the project take place may also be possible.

‘Your ideas may be on the carnival theme, but it is not compulsory’ said festival chairman, Sheila Friend-Smith. ‘We just want it to be diverse and exciting and hope a large number of community arts groups will apply’.

Press release from The Isle of Ely Arts Festival

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Registered Charity All In Sound, is delighted that their dementia choir in Ely is still singing strong after more than a year and is proving more popular than ever. 

Thanks to a grant from The National Lottery Community Fund, as well as more local funding from Hopkins Homes, through Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, City of Ely Council, and Ely Community Events, the group that meets each week is on a roll!

People who are living with dementia, memory loss and their carers come together to sing songs, learning new ones as well as old favourites, in a friendly and inclusive environment, and more recently have been delighted to welcome some fantastic young people from our very own Ely College.

Kathryn Rowland, Director of All In Sound, and Group Leader says “When we started this group, we had no idea on the impact it could have, and now each week we can see how important the group has become to each and every person.  It is an absolute delight to work alongside Ely College Head of Music, Tim Vinall, to share songs and ideas, that we can all do together, and the feedback so far has been amazing. A choir makes a real community, and I think this illustrates what a positive community Our Dementia Choir here in Ely is.”

Tim Vinall from Ely College commented on the positive attitude of the Year 7 and 8 attendees: “Our students have been very positive and the commitment they have made to supporting those affected by Alzheimer’s has been outstanding. Our PLEDGES programme, followed by all our students here at Ely College, encourages service and engagement with the wider community.  The students who have been involved are already showing how to be great community leaders and good citizens. As a college we are so proud of them all!”

For any more information about All In Sound, and Sing! Together, or if you would like to join then please contact Kathryn Rowland on email kathryn@allinsound.co.uk  

You can also support Sing! Together and keep Our Dementia Choir in Ely singing for years to come, by visiting our Just Giving page:   https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/allinsound

Press release from All In Sound

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The Wilburton Beer Festival team are making last minute preparations for their 21st Charity Festival this coming weekend (22nd and 23rd June).

Highlights include a selection of over 50 craft Beers and Ciders, Pimms, Prosecco, a Gin tent and an incredible band line up including Special Groove, Blue Thunder and Sabretooth Timmy.

The family festival will provide lots of fun for children including inflatables, zorb balls, trampolines, face painting and much more.

In addition to all this there will be a wide range of food vendors, stalls and attractions.

For more information please visit www.wilburtonbeerfestival.org

Press release from Wilburton Beer Festival

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Isle of Ely Primary School – famous for its ‘more-than-a-school-fete’ summer shindigs – will be opening its gates to the local community for Isle Fest 2019, a festival of family fun, on 6th July 2019, 11am – 3pm.

The Isle of Ely PTA is firing on all cylinders to deliver a 2019 line-up full of festival delights including: live music, crafts, street food, face-painting, circus activities and more … plus a likely encounter with a Stormtrooper or a Dalek!

2019’s headline act is Tom Lumley, an indie singer-songwriter fresh from touring with some of the UK’s hottest bands. There will be more live music from the lovely Emily Wright and the amazing Thomcats, plus Sammy Magic Magic will be conjuring up plenty of fun and Lane Academy promise to light up the stage with their show-stopping routines.

Around the festival site you will discover local author Frank Danes signing copies of his Doctor Who book, Irish dancing, Ely Fire Station, All4Sports football, a kids ‘open mic’ stage, circus workshop, face painting, ‘pass-it-on’ school uniform stall, cake stall, tombola, toy shop, forest school  and of course a raffle stocked with great prizes, kindly donated by local businesses.

Festival-goers are very welcome to bring picnics on-site, but Steak & Honour, Grain Culture, Sweet Ally Scoops and the Rural Coffee Project will provide tasty treats a-plenty to re-fuel the party.

All funds raised will go towards the Isle of Ely PTA’s campaign to create an innovative outdoor music classroom, to expand the school’s existing array of creative learning opportunities. With research demonstrating the positive impact that the Arts play in raising attainment across the curriculum, the music classroom aims to open up exciting opportunities for pupils to experience learning in different ways and to discover new talents.  

Helen Davies, the new headteacher at Isle of Ely School comments: “I look forward to opening our gates for Isle Fest to meet members of both our school and local communities. Our exciting vision for an outdoor music classroom reflects the emphasis we place on fun and creativity in our curriculum and we hope this event will help us to turn our ambitious plans into reality for our young people.” 

Heather Brooks, Head of Isle of Ely PTA said: “Isle Fest is a great opportunity to come and see our school community in action – especially for parents in Ely considering future school options. I’m excited to say that the 2019 line-up promises to make this year’s event the best one yet – we look forward to welcoming you on the day!”

Ticket information: Entry to Isle Fest is £5 per family or £2 per adult. We advise booking tickets in advance from pta@isleofelyprimary.org or alternatively they will be available on the gate. Follow us at: www.facebook.com/IsleOfElyPTA for festival news before the event.

Press release from Isle Fest

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The Festival enters its second week with an abundance of arts and culture on offer locally.

Catch The Festival Players in ‘Groping for Words’ by Sue Townsend at two village venues this week. First performed in 1983 when Margaret Thatcher was in power, the problems of adult literacy the play explores are still here a generation later. The story is simple, both funny and sad and sometimes both at the same time.

Enjoy this excellent production from a talented cast of four on Friday 21st June at Little Downham Village Hall, and on Saturday 22nd June at the Arkenstall Centre in Haddenham. Both performances start at 7.30pm, tickets cost just £7 and are available on the door or via door or via www.wegottickets.com/artsfestivalplayers 

Exhibitions at The Babylon Gallery ‘John Piper Selling Exhibition’ and Haddenham Arts Centre ‘Summer Landscapes and Inspirations’ continue this week. Whilst you’re down at Haddenham enjoy a drink in their cafe and a stroll around their delightful sculpture garden. FREE entry to both venues.

Music, prose and poetry feature strongly this week as Folk Musicians meets Latin America with some of the finest local musicians as they kick off Haddenham Thursdays on 20th June. Jeremy Harmer, Steve Bingham and performers from across the region perform bring Fire and Ice to the Centre on the 27th. Check out the website www.haddenhamgallery.co.uk for details. 

Beth Hartley brings her own blend of ‘High Street Poetry’ to Caffè Nero in Ely on Wednesday 26th June. Entry is free, with donations to partner projects in Nicaragua. Open mic slots by advance booking. Details at Eventbrite – search ‘High Street Poetry’.

Tickets for future events include Eboracum Baroque who present ‘A Grand Tour of Europe’ at St Mary’s Church Ely on the 27th, with a programme from across Europe with music by Bach, Vivaldi and Handel (Tickets: www.eboracumbaroque.co.uk.)

Booking is recommended for a picnic concert from Sing! Choirs in the Bishop’s Garden and ‘A Night at the Movies’ concert presented by the Festival Orchestra & Community Choir at Ely Cathedral. For full details of what’s coming up pick up a brochure locally or download one online from www.isleofelyartsfestival.org.uk

Images: High Street Poetry, John Piper and the Festival Players in rehearsal.

Press release from Babylon ARTS

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This year’s festival themed ‘Landscapes of Life’ features an unmissable programme of art, performance, music, literature & free events. The festival launches on Friday 14 June with ‘An Evening with Wendy Cope OBE in conversation with Jeremy Sallis’.  

The evening will include poetry readings from Wendy who will be joined by BBC presenter Jerermy for a conversation about Wendy’s fascinating journey from Primary School teacher to becoming one of the UK’s favourite poets. Tickets available from visitely.org.uk

Drawing audiences from across the District the wide-ranging programme showcases work from local, regional and internationally renowned performers, artists and makers. During the first weekend you can catch a major exhibition of work from John Piper at the Babylon Gallery on Ely’s Waterside (until 16th June). 

Visit Ely’s Courthouse on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th June to see the tale of how one local family lost a fortune a hundred years ago and how greed and pomposity can lead to ruin.  Local artist Ted Coney will be in a ‘pop up’ studio in the main courtroom working on his latest family painting ‘Who Stole The Toothpaste?’ Ely’s courtroom is reputed to be E.H. Shepherd’s inspiration for the illustation in Wind in the Willows. Entry to the exhibition is free. Also in Ely The Old Fire Engine House is exhibiting work from Suffolk Painter Barrie Houghton (until 28th July)

Festival Chair Sheila Friend-Smith said ‘We pride ourselves on being a Festival celebrating all the arts and reaching as many local villages as possible so there’s plenty on offer outside the city.’  

Haddenham Arts Centre’s Summer Exhibition ‘Summer Landscapes and Inspirations’ runs throughout the festival  (until 7th July). Enjoy work from popular artists Claire McGinley, Stuart Green as well as textile, jewellery and ceramic work created by artists and makers who live in and around the Fens at this beautiful venue with sculpture garden and cafe. Events include ‘Haddenham Thursdays’ with live music, kicking off on 20th June. 

Upcoming festival highlights include a village tour from the Festival Players, a picnic concert as Sing! Choirs perform in the Bishop’s Garden,  A Night at the Movies at Ely Cathedral with the Festival Orchestra & Community Choir.  The final event is on Saturday 13th July as Ely Choral Society bring “A Night at the Opera” to the Hayward Theatre in Ely. 

Pick up a free brochure from Oliver Cromwell’s House, Ely Cathedral, Babylon Gallery and shops and venues throughout the District.  Visit the Festival website for latest update and details on booking isleofelyartsfestival.org.uk

Press release from Babylon ARTS

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Musicians from King’s Ely were in their element when The Tailormade –crowned the ‘Best buskers in London’ by former London Mayor Boris Johnson – paid them a visit.

The hit band worked with Year 9 students who are studying GCSE Music next year, Year 10 GCSE Music students and Year 12 A Level Music students. The focus of the day was song-writing and they explored the various different levels to writing a great song; themes, lyrics, structure, melody and harmony. Students split up into three groups and worked together to create a song from scratch. The end result was really special and culminated in a performance off all the songs.

‘The Tailormade’ are an energetic mix of three young singer/songwriters. Their friendship formed first then their passion for Music led to them towards creating a new vibrant British sound. The band has supported the likes of Blue, Rebecca Ferguson, CeeLo Green, Lemar, Will Young and Busted – performing to over 20,000 people at Pride in London’s Trafalgar Square, as well as being invited to perform at The Brit Awards last year.

They recently released their debut EP “Thoughts, Fears and Beers” at London’s O2 Academy. Their debut EP charted at No.5 in the itunes charts and they recently sold out the O2 Islington Academy 2.

Music is the beating heart of King’s Ely and is the reason why the school came into existence in the first place. Over a third of students learn a musical instrument or receive vocal tuition and the quality, range and variety of ensembles all attest to the school’s musical pedigree. The school calendar is jam-packed with student-led and professional concerts, workshops and masterclasses, all of which, together with the excellence of the school’s cathedral choirs, highlight how music is the soul of the King’s Ely community and testify to its inclusivity.

To discover more about opportunities at King’s Ely, please visit www.kingsely.org.

Press release from King’s Ely

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Sabertooth Timmy will be returning after their superb performance last year in the rain to headline a fun night full of classic rock covers. The female fronted band provide their own twist on rock’s most iconic songs; ranging from Aerosmith, The Killers, Tenacious D, The Darkness, Nirvana, Arctic Monkey’s and so, so, so many more.

You can enjoy a large variety of Real Ales and Real Lager, locally produced cider, burgers and sausages on our BBQ. Soft drinks will also be available for those designated drivers and families who enjoy the informal friendly atmosphere. Michael Antony will also be entertaining the crowds throughout the evening.

The large area of grass is a perfect space for families to spread-out and for children of all ages to enjoy games of football, cricket, Tag and the new Zipwire. With two marquees dedicated for seating there is plenty of space for everybody to enjoy the atmosphere, beer and music, however we do ask that dogs are left at home please.

This year we are raising funds for Wicken Recreation Ground upkeep and improvements. Over the last 16 years it’s managed to raise money for a multi purpose games area, zip wire, basketball area, play equipment and outside gym. As well as buying benches, replacement football nets and bins!

Free entry and free parking is available adjacent to the recreation ground. Please visit our website for more information http://wickenbeerfestival.co.uk and the latest updates on our beer lists.

Come rain or shine, we look forward to seeing you there.

Wicken Beer Festival 2019
Date: 11 May 2019
Time: 16:00 – 00:00 or until the beer runs out
Location: Wicken Recreation Ground, CB7 5XZ

Press release From Wicken Beer Festival

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About 150 young people, some of whom have difficulties hearing or seeing, will be leading the festival-opening Eel Day Parade in front of thousands of spectators on 4 May, while beating out some specially-prepared Brazilian grooves on their samba drums.

It is the climax of a four-month project called ‘Sambafest’, which has involved pupils all over Cambridgeshire. The aim is to use drumming to improve the young participants’ confidence and self-esteem, while also proving that no form of impairment should be a barrier to playing, performing or enjoying music.

The project has been organised by Cambridgeshire Music, the county’s music education provider, and has involved more than 800 young people in total. That includes almost all pupils in the county who are either deaf or have difficulty hearing (a group known as D/deaf), and those who are visually impaired.

These pupils are often excluded from music-making activities, but Sambafest provides them with a chance to get involved. Even if they cannot see or hear, the vibrations created by this Brazilian music’s infectious rhythms mean that they can feel what is going on, and keep in time.

Many other local schools have also been involved in the project. It began with music workshops, in which pupils learned the basics of beating out samba rhythms, before giving a concert in front of parents and fellow-pupils.

With the help of project partners Cambridge United Community Trust (CUCT), around 150 pupils then gave a live performance at half time on a match day at Cambridge United’s Abbey Stadium last month, in front of thousands of fans. And this weekend, more young performers will be fronting the Eel Day Parade at the start of a festival that brings around 10,000 people to Ely every year.

Liza Field, Music Development Manager at Cambridgeshire Music, said: “Sambafest is an opportunity to make and perform music in a way that goes far beyond anything offered in the school curriculum, culminating in a major live performance. For many of these young people, that is something they would never have believed possible.”

“We want them to come away not just with the knowledge that they have done something special, but with more self-belief and memories of an experience that hopefully they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.”

Samba drumming has, for decades, accompanied football matches in stadia around the world and Sambafest also explores the football connection with CUCT, Cambridge United’s charitable arm. The Trust organises football skills sessions as part of the project, and arranges opportunities for the young performers to meet professional footballers.

This year’s project follows a smaller pilot last year, involving five Cambridge schools, which was a huge success. Only 50% of the pupils had taken part in school music events beforehand. Afterwards, the schools saw an upswing of almost 60% in the numbers applying to get involved in music and sporting activities, and many teachers reported signs of much more self-confidence within the pupils.

This year, the schools taking part are being helped to set up samba bands and get involved with the many other music-making opportunities run by Cambridgeshire Music. The idea of creating a community samba band in Ely is also being discussed.

“This should just be the beginning,” Mrs Field added. “We want Sambafest to be an access point for these young people, so that they feel inspired and able to carry on with music, and go wherever that journey takes them.”

The pupils performing in the Eel Day Parade will be from: Ely St Mary’s, Rackham Primary (Witchford), Ely College, Millfield Primary (Littleport), Cottenham Village College, Mayfield Primary (Cambridge), and the Ely Area Music Centre. The Sambafest project was supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

From Tom Kirk

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Two of East Anglia’s most vibrant community organisations join forces in Ely Cathedral on Saturday 4th May to perform one of the most loved Requiems ever written, bringing Ely’s annual Eel Day to a magnificent close.

On Saturday 4th May Ely Sinfonia and King’s Lynn Festival Chorus will together perform Verdi’s Requiem, which is widely acknowledged to be his greatest religious work.

Almost all of Verdi’s most performed works are operas. But his Requiem, is probably performed almost more than any of his other compositions. Yet he almost didn’t write it. “There are so many, many masses for the dead. It would be pointless to add one more”, he said to a friend.
But then Rossini died and Verdi reversed his decision and collaborated with eleven other Italian composers to produce a joint Requiem. His particular contribution was the Libera Me, which three years later he used as the basis for his Requiem for Alessandro Manzoni, an author and great Italian patriot who shared many of Verdi’s political ideals.

“We are delighted to be performing such a magnificent piece in Ely Cathedral on one of the city’s most important days of the year,” says Ely Sinfonia’s artistic director, Steve Bingham. “Verdi’s Requiem is one of the most dramatic, and certainly the most operatic religious pieces ever composed, containing many wonderful themes, the most famous of which is the ‘Dies Irae’, which everyone will recognise.”

Soloists include Aoife O’Connell, soprano, Freya Jacklin, mezzo-soprano, Michael Solomon Williams, Tenor and Laurence Williams, bass. All are young, up-and-coming soloists who are beginning to make a serious impact on the international opera and religious music stages. Apart from Aoife O’Connell, they have all appeared with Ely Sinfonia on previous occasions.

Press release from Ely Sinfonia

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The choir has raised more than £5000 for charity following one-off concerts in May 2016 and July this year. More than 60 singers raised the roof at St Mary’s Church by performing songs from Sister Act, The Lion King and other more traditional gospel songs.

The Pop Up Gospel Choir was founded by West End performer and Ely mother of three Lisa Olsworth-Peter, who said: “We’ve had monthly socials since our concerts in the summer but are itching to start rehearsals again. It’s a proper community and the emphasis is always on having fun. We are a choir of all ages and abilities and will welcome new members with open arms – all you need is enthusiasm!”

The choir will be performing at the St Mary’s Church Carol Service on Sunday 10th December with a few rehearsals beforehand. One of the songs will include a unique Gospel arrangement of Silent Night.

Anyone interested in joining the choir can give it a go at our next social at Costa on Market Street at 7:30pm on Monday 13th November or join in with rehearsals for our performance at St Mary’s Carol service (email below for more details).

Or alternatively, wait until our weekly rehearsals begin in January 2018 as we start to prepare for our next concert in May 2018.

For more information about the Ely Pop Up Gospel Choir and for dates of rehearsals or venue information, please contact Kirsty Smith at gospelchoir@stmarysely.org

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This week residents young and old dug out their polka dots, fluffy ears and Pudsey costumes to raise cash for the BBC’s annual Children in Need appeal.

Numerous events were held in schools, preschools, baby and toddler groups and workplaces across East Cambridgeshire.
At The Lantern Goslings Pre-School in Ely, children and staff went “green for Terry” to honour the memory of the late Sir Terry Wogan, the face behind Children in Need for many years.

Goslings manager Michelle Smith said: “There were so many leprechauns seen hopping around pre-school today, it was fantastic.”
Meanwhile Witcham baby and toddler group held a cake sale on Wednesday to raise money for Children in Need.


Thank you to everyone who’s submitted their fabulous photos for our Children in Need Gallery!

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Dear all,

I am deeply saddened to tell you that I have had to cancel LodeStar. Ticket sales were far too low to run the festival to the standard I wish for. Over the past 7 years I have always offered far more at LodeStar than ticket sales covered to build the event and hope each year people would return. And always offered the best music before most knew of the artist. Despite efforts to get local company support there was none forth coming.

I have worked, lived and breathed LodeStar for 11 years working 90 plus hours a week and at great hardship for all my family and friends. My late Grandfather use to say about farming a wet piece of land, “it would break a young man’s pocket and an old man’s heart”. With LodeStar I have had both. I am just a small farmer who as a young man was passionate about music who had a calling, a dream, to bring people together with music. To be true and simple in my message with no false marketing and keep integrity in its purpose and a safe event for all. Something so intangible is hard to convey in getting people to buy tickets. it was only those who decided to come along and experience it who knew what it was like. I believed in people and stepped way out of my comfort zone willing to risk all for our community. I cleared my fields but as you now know not enough people came.

Regarding refunds please bear with me as I go through the cancellation process.

Thank you to all who came and enjoyed LodeStar in the past and understood its ethos and aims of this festival and the special atmosphere it held, it was you and all those who helped me who made it so. It was a truly family friendly event. Its purpose was also to be a significant event to support up and coming artists, families having under 15yr olds free and lots of activities, many of which had a charity fund-raising purpose.

It was always important for me (more so than ever these days) to bring people of all backgrounds together in a wonderful environment void of everyday troubles, placed with the emotive power of music. I did my best to support health related charities, individuals and your community in every way I could. It’s not only a sad day personally but a sad day for the loss of such a unique independent event that was born for all the right reasons.

Devastated is an understatement. Doug.

The future of the event which has now enjoyed 7 years of live music and festival atmosphere will be offering full refunds and asked that those who have bought tickets allow for some time to sort out.
This is said news for music lovers and bands who enjoy the limelight over three stages and usually hosted by Ely’s own Sue Marchant from the BBC.

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• The Famous Living Dead
• Tristan Hall
• The Fakers
• Crooked Caesar
• Edenstone
• Josh Aitken &
• Once Awake

For more information see our web event listed in the Spotted in Ely What’s on sections
Tickets cost just £5 or you can buy 4 for £12 from http://www.wegottickets.com/adec

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Local duet sensation, Charlie & Molly shot to the top spot with their own version of Long Time Gone recording 40% of the votes. Both are said to be delighted to have had so much support from local people.

They were up against stiff competition with respected Cambridge bands like Parkside and Tom and Paris.

Charlie & Molly are keen community members and support organisations such as Lisa Barnes Memorial Fund and Arthur Rank Hospice through sales of their EP with the same name as the number 1 entry.

Voting begins again to try and keep them at the top spot for another week with newcomers to the chart, Keltrix, hot on their heels.

Vote to keep them on top at http://cambridge105.fm/unsignedchart/

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Spotted in Ely – Issue 2 Now available to view above or download the full PDF version here

Nominate someone for the Random Acts of Kindness Competition by clicking here

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