Twin towns tune up for festival

By Debbie Waite

Big bands, brass bands, youth bands, quintets and trios from across Europe will be making sweet music in Oxford next month.

Decibel from Oxford's Dutch twin town Leiden

The musicians are all part of the Oxford International Band Festival 2008 - a four-day programme of workshops and performances featuring great music from Oxford's twin cities.

Oxford City Council's international officer May Wylie, who organised the festival, said: "We have bands from Grenoble in France, Leiden in Holland, Bonn in Germany and Perm in Russia - and, of course, here in Oxfordshire - and it's going to be a splendid festival which everyone can enjoy and join in with."

The first band to arrive will be a quintet from Perm called Caravai, who will perform a concert with the Oxford-based Pavlova Quintet at Oxford's Newman Rooms on Wednesday, August 6. The concert starts at 7.30pm and tickets are available on the door for ?8 or ?6.

On Friday, August 8, youngsters in Blackbird Leys are invited to join the bands and make music at workshops at the community centre in Blackbird Leys Road. Ms Wylie said: "There will be two workshops, one from 10.30am to noon and another from 1.30pm to 3pm.

"They are both free and suitable for all ages.

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"I know the bands are looking forward to encouraging the young people to get involved and play some instruments."

On Saturday, August 9, Oxford Castle will provide a stunning backdrop for performances from 1.30pm to 3.30pm.

Kicking off the festivities in their usual rousing style will be the Oxford Fiddle Group.

Joining in the mix will be the Leiden Trio, the Perm Quintet, the Bertolt Brecht Jazz Band, DOEI from Grenoble, the Oxford All Stars and Feestkappelle from Leiden.

In the evening, the bands will perform the Vaughan Williams Folk Song Suite at the Newman Rooms, followed by a ceilidh with free entry to twinners and the general public from 8pm.

The culmination of this year's festival is on Sunday, August 10, with performances and a picnic lunch at Blenheim Palace.

The Grenoble All Stars and DOEI will perform in the Cellar Bar in Oxford in the evening.

Oxfordmail.net, 20th July 2008