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The West Meon Music Festival 2025 Celebrating Jane Austen with Felicity Kendal and James Gilchrist The 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth will be celebrated in memorable style at this year's West Meon Music Festival with a special gala concert starring leading actress Felicity Kendal as narrator reading extracts from Austen's letters, notebooks and novels with the selection curated by internationally-celebrated director Nancy Meckler.
Joining them will be renowned tenor James Gilchrist and the festival's founders, the Primrose Piano Quartet, with songs and chamber music from Jane Austen's time, including works by Schubert, Beethoven, Handel, Haydn, Maria Theresia von Paradis and James Hook. A highlight of the concert will be the world première of a new work – " Notes for a Novel - or how a tune a day inspired the development of Pride & Prejudice . . ." – commissioned by the festival from Peter Salem, known for his extensive output of TV, film and theatre music (among them the ever popular theme of "Call the Midwife"). Jane Austen's Playbook on Sunday 14th September at 3.30pm at West Meon's St John's Church is the final concert of the four-day festival, now in its 15th year. Festival founders, the Primrose Piano Quartet, will be opening the festival on 11th September with a Mozart's Piano Quartet K493. The concert will also mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Dmitri Shostakovich, one of the most remarkable and popular composers of the twentieth century, with a performance of his Second Piano Trio. Completed in 1944, the work reflects on the horrors of the Second Word War and is supremely moving.
As well as six concerts in West Meon, there will also be a harpsichord recital in Warnford's lovely Church of Our Lady and a morning concert of string quartets at East Meon's All Saints. Other highlights include a recital by young pianist Clara Isabella Siegle, who made her orchestral début at the age of nine, and is gaining worldwide renown as a solo artist. The evening concerts are candlelit and include a glass of wine or soft drink. The daytime concerts include coffee & biscuits or tea & cake.
Tickets, with prices from £10 to £27, are available via the festival website with all tickets for under-16s priced at £1 and substantial discounts for full-time students.
Opening Times
| Takes place (11 Sept 2025 - 14 Sept 2025) |
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* See West Meon Music Festival's website for full programme and times.
