Join our 2024 Artists-in-Residence for a free lively pre-concert discussion, which will set the scene for the opening concert of our season.

Our Orchestra-in-Residence opens our Festival with 3 works by Gustav Holst, marking the 150th anniversary of his birth. We also feature the world première of Noah Max’s Symphony No 1, and Iyad Sughayer plays Mozart’s much-loved Piano Concerto No 23.

Join Iyad Sughayer as he takes selected pianists through their paces in this masterclass session in Thaxted Church.

Songs and arias by Puccini and Verdi. Acclaimed as ‘one of the greatest vocal talents around today’ by Scene and Heard International, we welcome leading soprano Nadine Benjamin MBE to Thaxted.

A showing of the first full-length film study of Holst’s life and work, with the director, Tony Palmer, at Saffron Screen.

With six solo albums to her credit, Joanna is considered one of the finest singer-pianists in the UK, with a style that covers a broad spectrum, through jazz, soul, bossa nova and blues.

Join us for music and twentieth century art at the delightful Fry Art Gallery, Saffron Walden.

ASCEND: Holst and Vaughan Williams re-imagined. Virtuoso percussionist Delia Stevens and melodion/harmonica player Will Pound join to celebrate Holst and Vaughan Williams in the folk idiom which was so dear to both composers.

Peter Holder, Sub-organist, Westminster Abbey. In his role at Westminster Abbey, Peter Holder was the principal organist for the funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth II and the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

Hear performances of works by Holst and Vaughan Williams as they were originally recorded, presented by an expert collector.

The Nash Ensemble present a sumptuous concert of music by Schubert, Beethoven and Berwald. Resident Chamber Ensemble at Wigmore Hall, Nash Ensemble are described as ‘chamber music royalty’.

Orlando Jopling Musical Director / James Hurley Director. Critically acclaimed opera company Wild Arts make a welcome return to Thaxted with an exciting new production of Mozart’s final opera. Long interval for picnics/dining!

Zeb Soanes & Selina Cadell, narrators / Echo Ensemble, conductor: Noah Max. Thaxted Festival patron and Classic FM presenter Zeb Soanes introduces a rich programme of words and music, inspired by themes in Holst’s The Planets.

Rising star baritone Neil Balfour is joined by sought-after pianist Sholto Kynoch in songs encompassing Fauré and Schumann, together with new compositions.

Holst specialist Christopher Cope will lead us through an exploration of Holst’s extensive output, revealing much more than just The Planets.

Conductor: Christopher Monks, Artistic Director. Narrated by Oz Clarke OBE, The Fairy Queen is an opera combining elements of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with a sequence of musical masques.

An afternoon of songs by Elgar, Holst/Wolfe, Delius, and Fauré; with a world première of Without Words by Stephen Dickinson. Introductory talk on the Holst/Wolfe work by Philippa Tudor CBE.

Joseph Fort directs Holst’s rarely-performed First Choral Symphony, a setting of verses by John Keats, in a world première of a new realisation of this compelling work.

A unique opportunity to join with leading vocal ensemble VOCES8 to rehearse Gustav Holst’s choral work O God Beyond All Praising. Only available as an add-on to tickets for tonight's concert.

Grammy-nominated vocal ensemble VOCES8’s programme will range from the Venetian Renaissance to contemporary American cross-genre work, and also celebrate the music of Gustav Holst.

In the spirit of Gustav Holst, who championed all musicians whether amateur or professional, we invite you to join us in his beloved surroundings in Thaxted.

Our featured artist Iyad Sughayer takes to the stage for this recital where he is joined in the second half by oboist Armand Djikoloum - nominated as a Rising Star Artist in 2022 by Classic FM.

Don’t miss the chance for encounters with night-time Thaxted; the event was a sell out success in last year’s Festival Extras.

Sirinu: Sir Goward the Coward. Join us with the whole family at Saffron Walden Museum as Sirinu bring to life the tale of Sir Goward the Coward and the Feasty Beasty in music and dance, with their early-music instruments.

Our 2024 Festival closes with Elgar’s Serenade for Strings, Holst’s St Paul’s Suite, Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis and Dvořák’s Serenade for Strings.

Programmes for individual concerts will be on sale at our events. If you are attending several concerts, why not purchase our Season Programme Voucher for just £15, which will entitle you to one programme for each of the concerts you attend?

Join us in Thaxted Church for the launch of our 2024 season. There will be wonderful singing from Wild Arts, including items from their new production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

Venue: Braintree Town Hall. Join us for a relaxed afternoon recital with the dynamic Kleio Quartet, in Braintree Town Hall.