Abbey festival celebrates women in music (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Abbey festival celebrates women in music

9:00am Monday 15th October 2012 in Romsey

WOMEN’S contribution to music and the church will be at the centre of an upcoming festival.

The Ethelflaeda Festival, at Romsey Abbey, is a chance to pay tribute to its patron saint and is now in its fourth year.

The event runs from October 18 to October 21 and will focus on the way in which women across the centuries have influenced and contributed to music and the church.

It will include a special tour with an all-female choir and a guided history of the abbey focusing on what women have brought to the table.

Rev Dr Miranda Threlfall Holmes, acting Principal of Ustinov College in Durham, and a highly regarded expert on the place of women in the church throughout history will be a guest lecturer.

A schools concert will gather together the very best of the talents of young people in the town, and with special Sunday Services, and music written by an up and coming woman composer for Sunday morning, this year’s festival promises to be the most varied and exciting ever.

A Youth Fest is to be held on Thursday October 18, from 6pm to 7pm, which celebrates with more than 100 children from Romsey primary schools, Romsey Youth Choir and A Youth Festival Orchestra.

Then Rev Threlfall Holmes will deliver a lecture on Feminism and Faith the following day from 7.30pm.

Saturday, October 20 will involve a celebratory full peal of bells at the abbey, from 9am to 1pm, alongside a day conference exploring the life of early nuns in Romsey between 900 and 1120, from 9.15am to 4pm.

Then there will be a musical tour of the abbey from 7.30pm.

On its final day, October 21, there will be a festival eucharist at 10am then a choral evensong and procession at 6.30pm.

Vicar of Romsey, Tim Sledge, said: “The festival is growing and developing each year and this year’s promises to have something for all.”

For more details log on to romseyabbey.org.uk.