Welcome to the Ryedale Festival

Every year, the Ryedale Festival welcomes outstanding performers from all over the world, both established and emerging, to perform a wide-ranging and distinctive programme in the many spectacular and historic venues of Ryedale, North Yorkshire – an area full of history and natural beauty.

This year’s festival featured over two hundred performers, in over thirty venues. There were residencies from Solomon’s Knot, echo, the Orsino Ensemble, Camille Thomas, Roger McGough and Roxanna Panufnik. Performers like Roderick Williams, Dame Sarah Connolly and Imogen Cooper mingled with stars of the new generation, like saxophonist Jess Gillam, and the all-age cast of our Community Opera The Wind in the Willows. A new production of Dido and Aeneas introduced a Purcell strand to the programme and, in a four-concert mini-series, Katy Hamilton invited us to listen to Brahms with fresh ears. The OAE, Royal Northern Sinfonia and Orchestra of Opera North gave unforgettable orchestral performances but the spirit of the festival was also found in quiet corners, including the many beautiful country churches which hosted Coffee Concerts. Jazz and folk music featured too, along with talks, poetry, masterclasses, Young Artist Platform concerts, a ‘Come and Sing’ and much more.

Thank you to everyone to performed, to all the dedicated volunteers and festival-makers who worked so hard and – most important of all – to the audience who came (in record-breaking numbers) to support the festival.

Planning is in full swing for next year and details of the Spring Weekend will be available soon.

We looking forward to seeing you at the festival soon.

Christopher Glynn
Artistic Director