Windsor Festival 2024 Brochure PDF by WindsorFestival

HOW TO BOOK AND VISITOR INFORMATION

METHODS OF PAYMENT

We accept Visa and MasterCard Credit and Debit cards. Tickets booked online will be credited to Windsor Festival. Tickets booked by phone will be credited to the Royal Windsor Information Centre. Booking fees of 50p per ticket apply to phone and online sales. Tickets bought in person do not incur booking fees. Members are not charged booking fees. Please see our website for full details.

Priority Booking Ambassadors and Benefactors from Friday 5th July and Friends from Friday 12th July.

General Booking from Friday 19th July.

CONCESSIONS

20% discount is available on full-priced tickets to full-time students and the unemployed on production of valid identification.

10% discount is available to groups of 10 or more when booking at least 24 hours before the event. These discounts are only available by phone or online and cannot be used in conjunction with any other discounts or offers.

ACCESSIBILITY

Please contact the Box Office in advance.

CHANGES AND CANCELLATIONS

Although all artists and programmes were correct when going to press, Windsor Festival Society Limited is unable to accept responsibility for any alterations. If, for reasons beyond the control of the Society, an event has to be rescheduled, tickets are non-refundable.

WELCOME “

MARTIN DENNY FESTIVAL DIRECTOR

Welcome to Windsor Festival!

I am delighted to introduce to you the programme for Windsor Festival 2024.

The Literary Series continues to grow in strength, and our Concert Series includes many well-known and much-loved works of music.

We are thrilled to welcome, among others, Theresa May, Lady Carnarvon, Tom Parker Bowles, Sir Vince Cable, and Craig Brown. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra partner with Andrew Byun, the winner of our International String Competition this year, to perform Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in the Waterloo Chamber, Windsor Castle. Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius, and Brahms’s German Requiem will provide choral highlights alongside The Choir of St George’s Chapel giving a concert to celebrate Stanford’s Centenary.

We are also really excited about the return to the Festival of Steve Pretty and the Hackney Colliery Band who have reinvented the Brass Band for the 21st century and are established as one of the most exciting live bands in the UK

– many of you may recall the fabulous evening in Windsor Parish Church when they last came to entertain us!

The programme for children continues to grow: once again we are able to offer Opera Magic, our introduction to opera, to local schools and to families. Let’s All Dance will bring a ballet production of The Ugly Duckling, and Jacqueline Wilson will be at The Old Court to introduce her newest characters Luna and Aurora. Windsor Schools are also performing in a Coffee Concert in Windsor Parish Church. It is hugely important to offer access to music to those at school, and the Festival sees this as one of its key objectives moving forward.

This autumn our Walks and Tours return to the programme with town walks, a partnership with The Crown Estate and a visit to Royal Holloway, University of London.

We hope that you will find much of interest in this Brochure and that you will enjoy this year’s Festival!

The Old Court will be open throughout the Festival as our Festival Hub for Members and all of our audience. Pop in, meet with friends old and new, soak up the atmosphere and enjoy drinks from the venue’s bar run by Windsor and Eton Brewery.

Windsor Festival began in 1969 and has taken place every year since, except in 1973. This year, at The Old Court, we are exhibiting the front covers of the Programme Books from 1969 to today to celebrate 55 years of the Festival. In terms of design, it will show how certain trends have been adopted over the years, some good, some not so good, but all reflect the major design themes of their time.

We would like to take the opportunity to welcome our new Festival Members and thank our loyal Members for their ongoing support. By championing the Festival the Members enable planning for the future, development of ideas, and the creation of events which are enjoyed by thousands of people every year. Without our Members the Festival would not exist in the way that it does. Benefits of membership include Priority Booking, exclusive Members’ events, and advance notice of the Festival programme. Further information can be found on our website: windsorfestival.com

DIARY AT A GLANCE

MUSIC TALKS

WALKS & TOURS DANCE

FRIDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER

11am Tour of Royal Holloway, University of London

SATURDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER

5pm Paul de Zulueta

7pm Nick Winton

SUNDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER

3pm Sonia Purnell

5pm Wendy Joseph KC

MONDAY 16TH SEPTEMBER

1.30pm The Earl and The Pharaoh: Literary Tea with The Countess of Carnarvon

TUESDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER

6.15pm Harry De Paepe

8.30pm Rachel Trethewey

7.45pm Maidenhead Music Society Presents: La Traviata by Verdi

WEDNESDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER

10am Nature Walk through the South Forest

2.30pm Graham Barker

7pm Sir Vince Cable

THURSDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER

5.30pm Theresa May

6.30pm Opera Magic

8.15pm Eton Boys’ Concert

FRIDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER

2pm A Historical Walk Around Windsor Festival Venues

7pm Mark Billingham and Abir Mukherjee

SATURDAY 21ST SEPTEMBER

7.30pm Windsor and Eton Choral Society with Ryan Wang

SUNDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER

7.30pm The View from St Stephen's 8pm Hackney Colliery Band

MONDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER

10am Commercial Forests of the Windsor Estate Walk

TUESDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER

7.30pm Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Andrew Byun

WEDNESDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER

10am Windsor Great Park Vineyard Walk

2.30pm Terry Pendry

7pm High Spirits! Ghost Walk

7pm Anne Somerset

THURSDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER 11am Schools’ Coffee Concert

7pm Organ Recital with Richard Pinel

FRIDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER

7pm High Spirits! Ghost Walk

7pm Alison Weir

SATURDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER

1pm & 3pm The Ugly Duckling

7.30pm Elgar: The Dream of Gerontius

SUNDAY 29TH SEPTEMBER

2.30pm Edmund Newell

2.30pm Jacqueline Wilson

5pm John Lewis-Stempel

7pm Craig Brown

MONDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER 5pm Tom Parker Bowles

TUESDAY 1ST OCTOBER

7.30pm The Choir of St George’s Chapel

SATURDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER

TOUR OF ROYAL HOLLOWAY, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON

VENUE Royal Holloway, University of London

TIME 11am

DURATION 3 hours 30 minutes

TICKET PRICE £36

Includes light lunch

Royal Holloway, University of London is in the top 30 of all UK universities. Founded over 170 years ago to provide equity in opportunity, transform lives through education and create positive change, it was formed from the merger of two colleges set up by social pioneers Elizabeth Jesser Reid and Thomas Holloway and among the first places in Britain where women could access higher education.

The stunning Grade I listed Founder’s Building, based on the Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley, was opened by Queen Victoria in 1886 and is still the focal point of the campus today. Here is your opportunity to see beyond its walls.

“…the perfect present for the Guardsman in your life”

THOSE MUST BE THE

GUARDS:

THE HOUSEHOLD DIVISION IN PEACE AND WAR, 1969 – 2023

Paul de Zulueta

VENUE The Old Court, St Leonard’s Road TIME 5pm

DURATION 1 hour

TICKET PRICE £18

A family of seven regiments that symbolise the Union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, who over the last 50 years have been at the centre of almost every major operation conducted by the British Army. At the same time, a national institution admired by the public for their mastery of ceremony and pageantry. Professionalism and self-discipline are what ensures their exemplary performance, illustrated in this new history through the firsthand experiences of those who have served in their ranks.

VENUE The Old Court, St Leonard’s Road

TIME 7pm

DURATION 1 hour

TICKET PRICE £18

Sir Nicholas Winton orchestrated the rescue of 669 children from Czechoslovakia during the brink of World War II. In today’s world, where adversity and division loom large, the story of Sir Nicholas serves as a powerful testament to the essence of humanity and the importance of standing up for what is right.

With photos and video from the family archive, his son Nick Winton will share his father’s inspiring narrative shedding light on Sir Nicholas’s monumental legacy: timeless lessons of courage, altruism, and the profound impact one individual can have on the lives of many. nicholaswinton.org

“The

criminal law has found its voice: quiet, determined, steely, and yet always humane”

VENUE The Old Court, St Leonard’s Road

TIME 3pm

DURATION 1 hour

TICKET PRICE £18

Winston Churchill’s daughter-in-law and trusted confidante, later American ambassador to Paris under Bill Clinton, Pamela Churchill Harriman was one of the most influential women in 20th century politics. Yet her legacy has mostly been dismissed as secondary to the men she was involved with – until now.

With sex, intrigue, scandal and glamour, bestselling biographer Sonia Purnell inserts Pamela back into her rightful place in history. A brilliant record of the power women could –and couldn’t – yield in these decades.

Wendy Joseph KC

VENUE The Old Court, St Leonard’s Road

TIME 5pm

DURATION 1 hour

TICKET PRICE £18

Author of the acclaimed bestseller Unlawful Killings, Her Honour Wendy Joseph KC will lift the lid on our legal system asking whether it delivers criminal justice for those involved. Examining four gripping trials she has presided over and comparing them with matching historical cases of murder and intrigue, the former Old Bailey judge will demonstrate that perhaps the most chilling story of all is that the lessons of the past have yet to be learned. Illuminating the struggles of any one of us caught up in our legal system and grappling with the concept of ‘justice for all’ so that we might demand better.

© Dean O’Brien

SIR NICHOLAS WINTON: LEGACY OF A LOCAL HERO

Nick Winton KINGMAKER Sonia Purnell ROUGH JUSTICE: DO WE HAVE THE LAW WE DESERVE?

Justin Webb, Today Programme

Jonathan Boff, The Spectator

“A delightful and fascinating study of an unexplored area of Churchill family life”

THE EARL AND THE PHARAOH: LITERARY TEA WITH THE COUNTESS

VENUE Coworth Park, Ascot

TIME 1.30pm

DURATION 1 hour 30 minutes

TICKET PRICE

OF CARNARVON

THE MYSTIC LAMB: A HISTORY OF AN ADMIRED AND STOLEN MASTERPIECE

Harry De Paepe

VENUE College Chapel, Eton College

TIME 6.15pm

£66 Single (Includes one book),

£115 Double (Includes one book)

Includes full afternoon tea and glass of champagne

Historian, international speaker and fundraiser, Lady Carnarvon and her husband, 8th Earl of Carnarvon, live ‘quietly’ at Highclere Castle – known to millions around the world as ‘Downton Abbey’.

Her latest book, The Earl and The Pharaoh, celebrates the centenary of the achievement of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, bringing to life the story of this remarkable man, his friendship and collaboration with Howard Carter, dedicating his work and life to the excavation and understanding of Ancient Egypt.

DURATION 1 hour

TICKET PRICE £18

On 6th May 1432 the Ghent Altarpiece was revealed to the world in honour of the baptism of the newly born son of the Duke of Burgundy. Painted by the brothers Hubert and Jan Van Eyck, it is not only a masterpiece of Flemish painting, but also a work with an intriguing history shrouded with mystery.

In the surroundings of College Chapel, where wall paintings from the same era can be admired, ‘Flanders' most famous anglophile’, Flemish author Harry De Paepe will reveal how it came into being, what symbolic meanings are hidden within it, and who was responsible for its multiple thefts over the centuries.

THE CHURCHILL GIRLS: THE STORY OF WINSTON AND CLEMENTINE’S DAUGHTERS

Rachel Trethewey

VENUE Upper School, Eton College

TIME 8.30pm

DURATION 1 hour

TICKET PRICE £18

Bright, attractive, and well-connected, in any other family the Churchill sisters would have shone.

Surrounded by a clan of larger-than-life characters they were often overlooked. But far from being cosseted debutantes, these women were eyewitnesses at some of the most important events in world history – and lived lives full of passion, drama, and tragedy.

Drawing on unpublished family letters, biographer Rachel Trethewey brings these remarkable sisters out of the shadows to tell their stories for the first time.

MAIDENHEAD MUSIC SOCIETY PRESENTS: LA TRAVIATA BY VERDI

Barefoot Opera

VENUE Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Maidenhead

TIME 7.45pm

DURATION 2 hours

TICKET PRICE £20, £15 MMS members, Under 18s free with a ticketed adult

Tickets available from Norden Farm on 01628 788997 or boxoffice@nordenfarm.org

Barefoot Opera brings a fresh, youthful take to Verdi’s classic tale, with physical theatre, movement and stripped-back staging, whilst the performers are accompanied by a small group of musicians on piano, clarinet, double bass and accordion.

A production for newcomers to opera as much as opera lovers, the outstanding international cast includes rising star Turkish soprano Beren Kader Fidan as Violetta, and South African-born tenor Tylor Lamani as Alfredo.

Verdi’s opera pulls at the heart strings with its extraordinary music, and, touching on themes of envy, hypocrisy and toxic masculinity, is as relevant today as it ever was.

In partnership with

Celia Sandys

In partnership with In partnership with

NATURE WALK THROUGH THE SOUTH FOREST

Des Sussex, Biodiversity and Conservation Manager, The Crown Estate

VENUE Meet at The York Club, Windsor Great Park

TIME 10am

DURATION 2 hours 30 minutes

TICKET PRICE £20

Stout footwear recommended. Bring cameras and binoculars

This leisurely walk will set off from The York Club, heading up through the open parkland past spectacular ancient oak trees before venturing into a woodland area called South Forest.

On a circular walk around the forest tracks you will see the diversity of trees and woodland stand types there, whilst hearing about the special wildlife that lives there. There will also be a chance to discuss aspects of The Crown Estate’s woodland and forestry management operations.

THE REBEL EMPERORS OF BRITANNIA, CARAUSIUS AND ALLECTUS

Graham Barker

VENUE The Drawing Room, Cumberland Lodge, Windsor Great Park TIME 2.30pm

DURATION 1 hour

TICKET PRICE £18

At the end of the third century AD two men, damned by contemporary sources as criminals and pirates, successively ruled Britain for 10 years. Minting their own coins and repelling an invasion from the Roman Empire, this remains largely unknown today.

Drawing from his book co-written with Dr Sam Moorhead, Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries

Graham Barker DL will set the record straight telling the remarkable story of Carausius and Allectus – the rebel emperors of Britannia.

“The desire to be a politician should bar you for life from ever becoming one”

Billy Connolly

HOW TO BE A POLITICIAN: 2,000 YEARS OF GOOD (AND BAD) ADVICE

Sir Vince Cable

VENUE The Old Court, St Leonard’s Road

TIME 7pm

DURATION 1 hour

TICKET PRICE £18

Weaving together his predecessors’ wittiest, wisest, and most acerbic political quotations, former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince

Cable follows the arc of a life in politics. From childhood signs of potential to running for office, ascending to the pinnacle of leadership and a place on the world’s stage, dealing with mistakes, criticism, and failure – and finally escaping the political life altogether.

With candid insights, expect a timeless and entertaining education in the dark art of politics.

THE ABUSE OF POWER:

CONFRONTING INJUSTICE IN PUBLIC LIFE

Theresa May

VENUE Holy Trinity Garrison Church, Trinity Place TIME 5.30pm

DURATION 1 hour

TICKET PRICE £22

As Prime Minister for three years and Home Secretary for six years, Theresa May confronted a series of issues in which the abuse of power led to devastating results for individuals and significantly damaged the reputation of, and trust in, public institutions and politicians.

This searing exposé of injustice and impassioned call to exercise power for the greater good will draw on examples from domestic and international affairs Theresa was personally involved in at the highest level, arguing for a radical rethink in how we approach our politics and public life.

“Our democracy depends on people having trust in their public institutions and politicians. This book shows how that trust has been eroded over time and why we need to act.” Theresa May

This event is presented in partnership with the educational foundation, Cumberland Lodge

THURSDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER

OPERA MAGIC: A CHILDREN’S INTRODUCTION TO THE MAGICAL WORLD OF OPERA

London Festival Opera

GREAT for theKIDS

VENUE The Old Court, St Leonard’s Road

TIME 6.30pm Family Performance

DURATION 1 hour

TICKET PRICE

£22 Adults, Children free

Opera Magic has introduced many thousands of children to opera. Originally created with Windsor Festival, Opera Magic returns bringing superb opera to new audiences of local children.

London Festival Opera draws together artists from the major opera companies and has toured throughout the UK and Europe, including recently performing at La Fenice in Venice.

This programme of drama, humour, passion and audience interaction will ensure a positive first time at the opera children will remember for ever.

ETON BOYS’ CONCERT

Eton College Music Award Holders

VENUE School Hall, Eton College

TIME 8.15pm

DURATION 1 hour 15 minutes

TICKET PRICE £22

Featuring some of the most advanced musicians in the school, the Eton Boys’ Concert has become a flagship event for the Music Award Holders to perform to a wider public.

The concert will open with two roof-raising brass fanfares: Fanfare pour précéder ‘La Péri’ by Dukas, and Tim Jackson’s Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis. Other works include Bizet’s Carmen Fantasy played by an extraordinary young flautist, Prelude from J S Bach's Cello Suite No. 6 in D major, and the talented Percussion Ensemble are set to give

In partnership with

A HISTORICAL WALK AROUND WINDSOR FESTIVAL VENUES

Debbie Keenan

VENUE Meet at The Old Court, St Leonard’s Road

TIME 2pm

DURATION 2 hours

TICKET PRICE £15

Windsor Festival has always used iconic venues for its varied events – and this year is no exception.

Have you ever wanted to know more about wonderful buildings like The Old Court, Holy Trinity Garrison Church, or Windsor Parish

Church? If so, join professional Blue Badge

Tourist Guide Debbie Keenan for a stroll around some of this year’s Windsor town venues, whilst taking in neighbouring areas of interest as you go.

CRIMINAL MASTERMINDS

Mark Billingham and Abir Mukherjee In Conversation

VENUE The Old Court, St Leonard’s Road

TIME 7pm

DURATION 1 hour TICKET PRICE £18

Come and hear two award-winning crime writers discuss their latest bestsellers.

Detective Declan Miller returns in Mark Billingham’s The Wrong Hands, the second in a new series which sees the unconventional Detective facing the dark criminal underworld of Blackpool, whilst in Abir Mukherjee’s thriller Hunted, two parents are thrown together in a race against time when their children become entangled in a plot to topple America.

WINDSOR AND ETON CHORAL SOCIETY WITH RYAN WANG

Brandenburg Sinfonia

Ryan Wang Piano

Tim Johnson Conductor

VENUE St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle

TIME 7.30pm

DURATION 2 hours 15 minutes

TICKET PRICE £15 Quire (No view of performance), £30 Nave Aisles (Unreserved), £35, £40 Central Nave

Accompanied by the excellent Brandenburg Sinfonia and with professional soloists, Windsor and Eton Choral Society bring Brahms’ moving and dramatic German Requiem to Windsor Festival this September.

This special concert in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle will open with exceptional young pianist Ryan Wang performing Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2. The 16 year old Etonian began learning the piano at the age of four, playing at Carnegie Hall by the time he was five, and is the recipient of numerous distinguished international awards and prizes, recently becoming the youngest ever winner of the Prix Cortot from the École Normale de Musique de Paris.

Piano Concerto No. 2

THE VIEW FROM ST STEPHEN’S: THE HISTORY OF WINDSOR TOLD THROUGH THE EYES OF ST STEPHEN’S CHURCH

Voci Chamber Choir

Richard Furstenheim Piano

Luke Bond Organ

Susan Piggott Conductor

A concert in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the completion of Clewer St Stephen’s Church.

In words and music, Voci Chamber Choir will tell the story of that period of Windsor through the eyes of St Stephen’s, marking Royal occasions, wars and even the first ever car journey!

VENUE

St Stephen’s Church, Vansittart Road TIME 7.30pm

DURATION 1 hour 15 minutes

TICKET PRICE £18, £15 Full-time students, Under 12s free

Parry I Was Glad

Purcell Thou knowest, Lord Holst I love my love Bairstow I sat down

arr. Roberton Dance to your Daddy

Novello Keep the Home-Fires Burning Henderson

arr. Witney Bye Bye Blackbird

arr. Ayres The White Cliffs of Dover

Bui Behold O God

Bui Let my prayer come up

O'Regan Coronation Agnus Dei

arr. Leavitt Chim Chim Cher-ee

arr. Rathbone Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Wesley

arr. Swain Rejoice, the Lord is King!

HACKNEY COLLIERY BAND

VENUE The Old Court, St Leonard’s Road

TIME 8pm

DURATION 2 hours

TICKET PRICE £25

One of the greatest live bands that we have in this country’ (BBC Radio 2) returns to Windsor to demonstrate how they have ‘reinvented the brass band format for the 21st Century’ (Times).

As they prepare to release their fifth studio album, ‘Collaborations: Volume Two’, this juggernaut of brass, drums and electronics play music from across their 15 year career, with everything from the classic covers of their early days through to the cutting-edge collaborations of recent years.

COMMERCIAL

FORESTS OF THE WINDSOR ESTATE WALK

The Crown Estate Forestry Team

VENUE Meet at Buttersteep Rise Car Park, Windsor Great Park TIME 10am DURATION 2 hours

ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA WITH ANDREW BYUN, WINNER OF WINDSOR FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL STRING COMPETITION 2024

Andrew Byun Cello

Jac van Steen Conductor

With members of The Crown Estate Forestry Team as your guide, this informed walk through one of the commercial forests of the Windsor Estate is an opportunity to learn about the processes and operations required in managing commercial forestry.

Dvořák

Cello Concerto

Beethoven

Symphony No. 5

WINDSOR GREAT PARK VINEYARD WALK

Nick Day, Head of Engagement and Events, The Crown Estate

A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE

Terry Pendry

VENUE The Flitcroft Room, Cumberland Lodge, Windsor Great Park

TIME 2.30pm DURATION 1

TICKET

HIGH SPIRITS! GHOST WALK

Debbie Keenan

VENUE

Join Nick Day, Head of Engagement and Events at The Crown Estate, for this walk through Windsor Great Park to the Windsor Great Park Vineyard.

Whilst enjoying a glass of Windsor Great Park sparkling wine, you will hear about the process of viticulture in the UK and the rebirth of this ancient English vineyard first planted in the reign of Henry II and managed by Laithwaites.

Installed as a Military Knight of Windsor in February 2023, Terry Pendry was the Stud Groom and Manager to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at The Royal Mews, Windsor Castle for 28 years where he was responsible for looking after her private horses and ponies. Beginning his career as a professional jockey, he then became a member of The Riding Staff for The Household Cavalry Blues and Royals Regiment. In this illustrated talk, Terry looks back at an exciting and varied career.

WEDNESDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER

QUEEN VICTORIA AND HER PRIME MINISTERS

Anne Somerset

VENUE The Old Court, St Leonard’s Road TIME 7pm

DURATION 1 hour

TICKET PRICE £18

‘Beneath the splendour, Windsor Castle is more dangerous than a jungle’ wrote a guest in the 19th century.

Windsor has a long and illustrious history, but it has not always been so. Behind the finery there have been dark times of war, plague, persecution, disease... and ghosts both in the town and within the Castle.

With Debbie Keenan as your guide, walk the streets of a town that has seen hangings and burnings at the stake, as you hear stories of strange sightings in The Great Park and a Royal ghost spotted by The Late Queen.

Queen Victoria herself acknowledged that when it came to ‘likes and dislikes’ of her Prime Ministers, ‘she had them very strongly’, developing a powerful bond with several of them, but in other cases the relationships fell little short of mutual detestation.

Often in hilarious detail, Anne Somerset will masterfully trace Queen Victoria’s political evolution, from headstrong teenager to seasoned octogenarian, demonstrating her passionate involvement in state affairs, and casting fresh light on her relationships with her ten Prime Ministers.

THURSDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER

SCHOOLS’ COFFEE CONCERT

The Windsor Boys' School

St George's School, Windsor Castle

St Edward's Royal Free Ecumenical Middle School

Queen Anne First School

Langley Hall Primary Academy

VENUE

Windsor Parish Church of St John the Baptist, High Street

TIME 11am

DURATION 1 hour 15 minutes

TICKET PRICE

£5 on the door, Under 18s free

Tea, coffee, squash and biscuits will be available free of charge

The Windsor Festival tradition of Schools’ Coffee Concerts returns!

Schools from across Windsor and Slough will be represented with contributions from children and young people aged 5 – 18 years.

There will be lots of excited performers – but plenty of space in the beautiful Parish Church for audience too, so come and join in the fun!

FRIDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER

Richard Pinel

VENUE Windsor Parish Church of St John the Baptist, High Street

We are delighted to welcome international award-winning organist Richard Pinel back to Windsor Festival, after his time as Assistant Director of Music at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle and subsequently as Director of Music at Jesus College, Cambridge.

This recital marks the Centenary of the death of Stanford, whose birthday was 30th September. Stanford had strong links with Windsor which will be explored both in this programme and on Tuesday 1st October by The Choir of St George’s Chapel. Richard will perform Stanford’s Sonata Eroica which was composed in 1917, very probably in Windsor.

HIGH SPIRITS! GHOST WALK

Debbie Keenan

VENUE Meet at Windsor and Eton Riverside Station

TIME 7pm

DURATION 1 hour 30 minutes

TICKET PRICE £15

‘Beneath the splendour, Windsor Castle is more dangerous than a jungle’ wrote a guest in the 19th century.

“As always, Alison Weir is ahead of the curve – and at the top of her game”

MARY I: QUEEN OF SORROWS

Alison Weir

VENUE The Old Court, St Leonard’s Road TIME 7pm

DURATION 1 hour

TICKET PRICE £18

Sunday Times bestselling novelist Alison Weir returns with the spellbinding story of Mary I:

Adored only child of Henry VIII and his Queen, Katherine of Aragon, Princess Mary is raised in the golden splendour of her father’s court. But the King wants a son and heir – and Mary’s perfect world begins to fall apart.

Alison Weir’s new Tudor novel is the tale –full of drama and tragedy – of how a princess with such promise became the infamous Bloody Mary.

THE UGLY DUCKLING

Let’s All Dance Ballet Company

Feeling different, teased by his friends, and not accepted by his family, the Ugly Duckling is sad and lonely. Through a series of adventures, he soon learns who he really is and his family realises it doesn’t matter what you look like but how good your heart is.

With crystal-clear storytelling, larger than life characters and gorgeous costumes comes this lovely ballet tackling themes of social acceptance and liking yourself in a child-friendly, humorous manner.

VENUE

The Old Court, St Leonard’s Road

TIME 1pm and 3pm

DURATION 1 hour

TICKET PRICE £14

Adults, £12 Children

Great for the whole family, especially children aged 2 – 12 years, including people with special needs.

Photo opportunity with dancers after each show!

In partnership with

Sarah Gristwood

ELGAR: THE DREAM OF GERONTIUS

Quire Voices

Spelthorne Choral Society

West Sussex Philharmonic Choir

Orpheus Sinfonia

Helen Charlston Mezzo Soprano

Ed Lyon Tenor

Gareth Brynmor John Baritone

Luke Bond Organ

Sean Bui Conductor

VENUE St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle

TIME 7.30pm

DURATION 2 hours

TICKET PRICE

£10 Quire (No view of performance), £20 Nave Aisles (Unreserved), £35, £42 Central Nave

Immerse yourself in a soul-stirring journey of faith, redemption, and transcendence, as Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius comes to life in the magnificent setting of St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.

Cardinal Newman’s poem The Dream of Gerontius was already a beloved classic by 1900 when Elgar transformed it into his greatest choral masterpiece, and arguably the finest oratorio by any English composer. Scored for double choir and semi-chorus, soloists, orchestra, and organ, Elgar's composition emanates profound emotion and embodies his faith.

Peter Westrip

HERNE THE HUNTER: SHAKESPEARE’S GHOST, WINDSOR’S DEMON, WICCA’S GOD

Edmund Newell

VENUE The Drawing Room, Cumberland Lodge, Windsor Great Park

TIME 2.30pm

DURATION 1 hour

TICKET PRICE £18

Since his first mention in Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, Herne the Hunter has become a ghost people claim to have encountered in Windsor Great Park, a character who appears frequently in fantasy films and literature, and a god in the Wicca religion.

In this talk, historian and theologian Edmund Newell, will explore the legend of Herne the Hunter, seeking to debunk the popular view that Herne’s origins are in ancient folklore, arguing instead that they lay in Shakespeare’s fertile imagination and bawdy sense of humour.

GREAT for theKIDS

“Britain’s finest living nature writer” The Times

THE GIRL WHO WASN’T THERE

Jacqueline Wilson

VENUE The Old Court, St Leonard’s Road

TIME 2.30pm

DURATION 1 hour

TICKET PRICE £12 Children, £10 Adults

Creator of characters such as Tracy Beaker and Hetty Feather, bestselling and beloved children’s author Jacqueline Wilson brings us a brand new ghostly story about siblings and friendship.

When Dad tells Luna and her little sister Aurora that they’re moving to live in a real tower, it’s almost like they have stepped inside a fairytale. But everything is not as magical as it first seems… With elements of gothic fiction, young readers can expect a satisfying spinetingling tale with a modern twist.

ENGLAND: A NATURAL HISTORY

John Lewis-Stempel

VENUE The Old Court, St Leonard’s Road

TIME 5pm

DURATION 1 hour

TICKET PRICE £18

England’s landscape is iconic.

Taking 12 quintessential places and concentrating on each habitat in turn, Britain’s finest nature writer leads us from estuary to park, chalk downland to woodland, river to field, village to moor, lake to heath, fen to coastal cliffs.

Combining detailed wildlife observation, botanical fact, and ancient folklore, John Lewis-Stempel will explore the hidden workings of England’s natural world – and how it has shaped human life, forming our idea of ourselves and our sense of what ‘England’ means.

Craig Brown

VENUE The Old Court, St Leonard’s Road TIME 7pm

DURATION 1 hour TICKET PRICE £18

Overturning the usual formula of Royal biographies, one of the funniest writers of our time turns his attention to Queen Elizabeth II with an unforgettable and fascinating biography.

Deploying enormous wit and sharp social commentary, Craig Brown examines The Queen in her time through the eyes of those who encountered her: Andy Warhol’s envy, Michelle Obama’s awe, Jackie Kennedy’s resentment, E M Forster’s affection. A unique portrait of Her Late Majesty, her family, friends, and enemies.

A VOYAGE AROUND THE QUEEN

COOKING

AND THE CROWN: ROYAL RECIPES FROM QUEEN VICTORIA TO KING CHARLES III

Tom Parker Bowles

VENUE The Old Court, St Leonard’s Road

TIME 5pm

DURATION 1 hour

TICKET PRICE £18

Weaving together material from the Royal archives, contemporary accounts and personal insight, award-wining food writer Tom Parker Bowles will paint a vivid picture of Royal tastes and traditions.

Featuring dishes from every monarch as far back as Queen Victoria, Cooking and the Crown offers over 100 recipes for every occasion from breakfasts, picnic lunches and dinners to coronations and state banquets. Sophisticated creations and dishes of surprising simplicity, combining historical insights with modern tastes.

THE CHOIR OF ST GEORGE’S CHAPEL, WINDSOR CASTLE

Luke Bond Organ

James Vivian Conductor

This concert marks the Centenary of the death of Stanford, one of the great composers of English Choral Music. St George's would have been familiar to him: he spent much of the First World War in Windsor, and was friends with Walter Parratt, Organist of St George’s Chapel.

The programme includes music by Stanford, his pupils Howells and Wood and two pieces of organ music dedicated to Parratt. The concert closes with items by contemporary composers: one written for The Choir of St George’s Chapel and the other for Queen's Six.