PERFORMANCES AND EVENTS 2026
BOX OFFICE OPEN
EVENT 1
FORMS IN STONE AND SOUND: HENRY MOORE in HERTS
Saturday 30 May, 10.30am - 12.00pm
Tickets: £5 - £12.50
An illustrated talk on the sculpture of Henry Moore, given by Barry Dodge, with musical interludes from Elizabeth Maconchy’s string quartet writing.
Moore and Maconchy, near contemporaries with Hertfordshire connections, reveal shared responses to modernism as both expressive language and creative provocation.
EVENT 2
MADE IN HERTFORD: A WALK WITH ELIZABETH EASTWOOD
Sunday 31 May, 10.00am – 11.00am
Tickets: £5
PLACES LIMITED—DETAILS ONLINE
Did you know that Hertford has been described as the cradle of the brewing industry? And have you ever wondered about the story behind the key that hangs outside the Hertford Museum? Join us for a walk that unlocks the story of Hertford’s working past.
Elizabeth Eastwood has a particular gift for uncovering what lies just beneath the familiar, offering fresh perspectives even to those who think they already know the town well.
STARTING POINT: HERTFORD WAR MEMORIAL, PARLIAMENT SQUARE
EVENT 3
SOUNDBITES: ADRIAN OLDLAND IN RECITAL
Wednesday 3 June, 1.00pm to 1.55pm
Free Admission
Adrian Oldland - piano
Adrian Oldland makes a welcome return to the Soundbites series in his first appearance at HFoM.
Known for his intelligent and expressive readings of Romantic repertoire, he presents a lunchtime recital that balances poetry, drama, and structural clarity.
FELIX MENDELSSOHN
FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN
JOHANNES BRAHMS
EVENT 4
NEW VIRTUOSI!: A Meeting of Friends
Friday 5 June, 7.30pm – 9.00pm
Tickets: £5 - £15
Hanja Bantock – piano
Dominic Childs – saxophone
Joe Reynolds – cello
Gemma Winfield – clarinet
This year’s New Virtuosi brings together former HFoM masterclass participants and invited artists now emerging into professional life.
The programme reflects friendship as a creative force: Britten and Poulenc wrote their sonatas at a similar moment for performers who were themselves close friends. Music has a rare ability to draw people together — and there could be no more fitting place to hear it than the Friends’ Meeting House.
CLAUDE DEBUSSY
FRANCIS POULENC
JOAN TOWER
BENJAMIN BRITTEN
KENNETH LEIGHTON
EVENT 5
FILM MUSIC FROM THE HERTS FILM INDUSTRY
Saturday 6 June, 5.00pm - 7.00pm
Tickets: £5-£20
Hertfordshire’s film studios have played a quiet but decisive role in shaping the sound world of modern cinema, leaving an indelible mark on generations of listeners.
From Star Wars and Indiana Jones to Harry Potter, the Festival Community Concert Band, conducted by Chris McGinity, presents music associated with this legacy, bringing the language of film into the resonant space of All Saints.
Hertfordshire Festival Community Concert Band
Chris McGinity
EVENT 6
SPECIAL FESTIVAL SERVICE: MUSIC FOR CHOIR & ENSEMBLE
Sunday 7 June, 10.00am - 11.20am
Free Admission
A Festival Eucharist at All Saints’, led by the Revd Simon Cutmore. The service reflects the theme Transfer Corpus — the movement of the Body of Christ from altar to people, and from worship into the life of the Church.
Music for the service includes Mozart’s Missa brevis in D minor (K.65), written in 1769 when the composer was just twelve years old. Scored for choir, two solo violins, and continuo, the work is concise, serious in tone, and remarkable for its poise and assurance.
EVENT 7
PIANO RECITAL AT ST ALBANS
Monday 8 June, 12.30pm to 1.05pm
Free Admission
Rui Deng – piano
The short recital focusses on music by J. S. Bach and Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, two figures from one of the most significant musical families in European history. Heard together, their music offers a glimpse into a remarkable dynasty whose influence extended across generations and styles.
HFoM is pleased to support this lunchtime piano recital in the Lady Chapel at St Albans Cathedral, presented as part of the Cathedral’s Lunchtime Live series. The event offers an opportunity for audiences of both musical festivals to become more widely aware of one another’s programmes.
Admission is free, with a retiring collection in support of music at St Albans Cathedral.