Andrew Bernardi to Open the 2023 Festival of Chichester

The Stradivarius Piano Trio – Andrew Bernardi, Maria Marchant and Jonathan Few. will be joined at Chichester Cathedral by his Music Group and The Trinity Laban Ensemble

Andrew Bernardi is excitedly preparing to open the Festival of Chichester with a performance of the English composer Gustav Holst’s The Planets on 10th June at 7.30pm. Tickets have just gone on sale for the concert which will be held in the Nave of Chichester Cathedral.

It is always an extraordinary privilege to hear Andrew and his fellow musicians at the Cathedral. Professor Nic Pendlebury will be conducting this orchestral work with Andrew Bernardi’s Music Group and the Trinity Laban Ensemble.

Nic Pendlebury is one of the nation’s leading contemporary electric, classical viola players and a celebrated conductor. He is no stranger to Sussex audiences having contributed to Andrew Bernardi’s Shipley Arts Festival over many years.

Andrew has always promoted the music of leading 20th century English composers like Ralph Vaughan Williams, John Ireland, Edward Elgar, Gustav Holst and his friend Arnold Bax, each of whom drew inspiration from Sussex and her landscape.

The Planets, Op. 32, is composed in seven movements and was written between 1914 and 1917. Each movement in the Suite is named after a planet in our Solar System and its astrological character.

Holst was no stranger to Chichester and its Cathedral and it will be exciting to hear his work performed in the Nave featuring George Morton’s stunning chamber arrangement of the piece.

The Mark Chagall Window © Rupert Toovey/Chichester Cathedral

The Cathedral became famous for its patronage of the arts during the 20th century under Dean Walter Hussey’s guidance. The Marc Chagall window was his last commission for the Cathedral and is based on Psalm 150 “O praise God in his holiness… Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” – inspiring words for any musician.

The programme will also include Eliana Echeverry’s new work The Lost Planet for electric viola and ensemble. Nic’s own transcription of Terry Riley’s Sunrise of the Planetary Dream Collector, arranged for solo electric viola and sonic delay will also be part of the evening..

Tickets are expected to sell quickly, especially for the preferred seats, so visit bernardimusicgroup.com/event/festival-of-chichester-opening-concert to book yours and explore the concerts in this year’s Shipley Arts Festival.

Images courtesy of the Dean and Chapter of Chichester Cathedral.