Where: St Mary's Church, Tetbury, and Tetbury Goods Shed

When: Saturday, September 28, to Sunday, October 6

Excitement is mounting as the Tetbury Music Festival gets underway this weekend.

This year's festival includes performances from the Paravicini Quartet, the Aronowitz Piano Trio, VOCES8, Dame Felicity Lott, Russian pianist Pavel Kolesnikov and the choir and orchestra of Arcangelo with international soloists.

Speaking about the 2019 programme, the festival's artistic director Jonathan Cohen said: "I am delighted to present this varied programme of concerts at the 2019 Tetbury Music Festival.

"The concerts range from Renaissance a cappella voices to the finest jazz, from inspirational collaboration to astonishing solo virtuosity, and to the orchestral and vocal brilliance of Handel's Brockes Passion with soprano Sandrine Piau.

"There is something for everyone to enjoy. We are also thrilled to welcome Dame Felicity Lott to Tetbury this year for an intimate salon recital. I look forward to seeing everyone at the festival."

The festival opens with a performance from the incredible musician Derek Paravicini and his Quartet. Derek is one of the most extraordinary pianists and musical entertainers of his generation, yet he is blind, autistic and has severe learning difficulties. Paravicini has the exceptional ability to play any piece of music upon hearing it once and has a repertoireof tens of thousands of pieces.

Tom Poster, Guy Johnston and Elena Urioste make a welcome return to Tetbury to perform Piano Trios by Haydn, Schumann and Schubert.

VOCES8 is delighted to present Sing Joyfully at Tetbury, 
a programme that celebrates the joy and beauty 
of voices in harmony. Known for performing a diverse array of repertoire, they will be showcasing works that range from the Renaissance period up to the present day.

Dame Felicity Lott will give an afternoon salon recital at which she will reminisce about stand-out moments of her illustrious performing career and sing a selection of favourite songs and arias.

Russian pianist Pavel Kolesnikov will be making his Tetbury debut with a programme of Chopin, Beethoven, Schumann, Bartók and Debussy at St Marys' Church.

The festival will come to a close with a performance of Handel's rarely heard Brockes Passion. Composed while the young Handel was at the peak of his operatic success in London, the Brockes Passion invites listeners into the heart of the Easter story. This performance marks the 300 th anniversary of its premiere. Arcangelo will be joined by soprano Sandrine Piau, tenor Stuart Jackson and baritone Konstantin Krimmel under the baton of Tetbury Music Festival's own artistic director Jonathan Cohen.

The Tetbury Music Festival was founded in 2003 by Graham Kean and Elise Smith with the aim of bringing to Tetbury and the surrounding areas the opportunity to hear the finest musicians performing today, who are more often heard in the great concert halls of the world.

Most of the concerts take place in the extraordinarily beautiful parish church of Tetbury, St Mary's Church though some concerts take place in Tetbury's new arts centre, the Goods Shed.

Tickets start from £10 and visit the Tetbury Music Festival website for more information.