Is your music collection stuck in a rut? Are you longing to break free from your old favourites? Then it’s time to give your iTunes a new lease of life and open yourself up to a world of new music.
Let go of stereotypes of opera being too heavy, jazz too exclusive and choral music too dull and give your ears and soul a real treat. The following five events are the perfect place to start.
Orchestral – The Proms (14 July – 9 September 2006) At first glance the annual Proms might seem daunting for the classical novice. If you’re feeling brave then by all means book yourself a ticket to one of the 70 concerts at the Royal Albert Hall. But if you want to ease yourself into classical music more gently, warm up with daily lunchtime radio concerts on BBC3. By far the easiest way to get involved is to join in one of the Proms In The Park concerts spread over the country (London, Swansea, Manchester, Belfast and Glasgow) during the last weekend of the season – family-friendly outdoor stage events where you can picnic whilst you soak up the atmosphere. More
World Music – Wychwood Festival (2 – 4 June 2006)
What makes this festival (just one of many celebrating African, Asian and Caribbean music) ideal for beginners, is that organisers and performers work together to give the music a contemporary twist. Also, if you find you don’t like the music after all, you can take yourself off to the comedy tent, where The Comedy Store Players will be performing a Who’s Line Is It Anyway-style stand-up show. There’s an ethical twist to this year’s event too, with proceeds going to Oxfam. Family-friendly onsite camping is available. More
Jazz and blues – Edinburgh Jazz Festival (28 July – 6 August 2006)
A whole concert at one of the city’s atmospheric venues might seem like biting off more than a jazz-newcomer can chew, but the free Jazz On a Summer’s Day event can’t help but make you fall in love with the blues. The event attracts the largest outdoor crowd of any jazz festival in the UK, and with the extensive line-up, castle backdrop and convivial atmosphere you can’t fail to feel enchanted. There’s also a Mardi Gras-style musical procession through the city which shouldn’t be missed. More
Choral – The National Eisteddfod of Wales (5 – 12 August 2006)
The Eisteddfod, the largest cultural event in Wales, is an annual arts bonanza dating back to 1176. The male voice choir is the main event on the programme and is worth a listen if only for that once-in-a-lifetime-chance appeal. If you find, however, that it isn’t for you, there’s plenty more to keep you (and the 25,000 other visitors who drop by each day) occupied: international days with various dancing and singing from around the world, book and craft stalls, dance and poetry recitals and even a tent where you can learn a little Welsh! More
Opera – Various venues across UK
If you dispense with all your preconceptions about opera then your first time might surprise you. Anyone who thinks it dull clearly isn’t interested in stories of murder, intrigue, magic, or star-crossed lovers – typical plot ingredients. There’s no getting around the fact that performances are longer than your average theatre production, but there are various ways to make things easier for yourself: scour the internet for a good synopsis of the performance beforehand so you follow the story, and listen to a CD version at home first. Verdi and Puccini operas are particularly good ones to ease you in. The Royal Opera House and Wales Millennium Centre are just some of the great UK opera venues.
Check out more musical and cultural events with What’s on.
Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of third party sites. Imaes courtesy of www.britainonview.com/Grant Pritchard/David Angel.
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