Professional Documents
Culture Documents
For the last two weeks of July, the Ryedale performances by internationally renowned
Festival welcomes performers from all over soloists, chamber ensembles and orchestras
the world, both established and emerging, including such as Sir Thomas Allen, Alison
to perform a wide-ranging and distinctive Balsom, Iestyn Davies, Mahan Esfahani,
programme in the many spectacular and Tine Thing Helseth, Steven Isserlis, the
historic venues of Ryedale, North Yorkshire Labeque sisters, Tasmin Little, Dame Felicity
– an area rich in history, architecture and Lott, Claire Martin, Kate Royal, Gwilym
natural beauty. The festival enjoys the warm Simcock, Roderick Williams, Julian Bliss,
support of the local community, a large, loyal Christiane Karg, Heath Quartet, Elias
and enthusiastic audience, and an increasing Quartet, Fitzwilliam Quartet, Szymanowski
reputation as one of the most exciting and Quartet, London Winds, Nash Ensemble,
enterprising festivals in the country. English Concert, Dunedin Consort, The
Events range far and wide in the area Marian Consort, the Orchestra of Opera
with performances in over twenty different North and the Royal Northern Sinfonia.
locations, including the great houses of Castle There is also a long tradition of opera,
Howard, Duncombe Park, Hovingham Hall, with acclaimed productions including
and Sledmere House, as well as Ampleforth Kodaly’s Háry János, Janácek’s The Cunning
Abbey, York Minster, Helmsley Arts Centre Little Vixen, Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin,
and the Galtres Centre, Easingwold. There is and Mozart’s The Magic Flute. In 2014 the
also a very popular series of morning Coffee first Ryedale Festival Opera Tour visited the
Concerts given in the beautiful, often remote, Grimeborn and Lammermuir festivals in
village churches that characterise this part London and Edinburgh with Monteverdi’s
of Yorkshire. The festival also includes such The Coronation of Poppea.
unique events as a Triple Concert at Castle There is also a strong tradition of support
Howard and Double Concert at Sledmere and enthusiasm for exceptionally talented
House, with the audience rotating between younger performers. Literary events, talks,
performances. exhibitions, theatre, jazz and family events
The festival is recognised in the media complete the picture of a festival with a
for the excellence of its programming, and unique appeal.
several concerts are broadcast on BBC Radio Join us soon to discover the festival’s
3 each year. Recent festival highlights include unique magic...
How to support the festival
There are various ways in which you can is essential to its continued success, and
become part of one of the country’s most numbers are rising steadily year by year.
forward- looking, exciting and enterprising Friends and Members subscribe various
festivals: amounts (from £50 to £250 p.a.) and receive
the benefits described overleaf. Demand for
become a member tickets is high and becoming a Friend or
Our Members and Friends are at the heart Gold/Silver Member ensures, among other
of the festival, providing the support that benefits, access to priority booking.
Please contact the Friends’ Secretary Lorna Vasey for more information
07828 783536 – secretary@ryedalefestival.com
Festival history
The festival began in 1981 when four and a growing reputation for the excellence
musician friends, Geoffrey and June of its programming. Since 2010, the Artistic
Emerson, and Peter and Alex White, had Director has been the renowned pianist
the idea of launching a small series of local Christopher Glynn and recent years have
concerts. This first Helmsley Festival brought seen steadily growing ticket sales and visits
together more friends and other professional by many internationally known performers.
musicians, and made an immediate impact For many years the festival was supported
on the town and its surroundings. So by public funding; but since this was
popular did it become that after five Festivals withdrawn in 2013 it has found renewed
a broader base was called for, and the Ryedale vigour and determination to thrive as a self-
District Council stepped in with generous sufficient organization, and the decision to
support, enabling it to grow. Before long, ‘fly solo’ has attracted strong support from
events ranged far and wide in the area, all quarters. We look to the future with
making it a true Ryedale Festival. confidence that we will continue to stage Ryedale Festival Office, The Memorial Hall, Potter Hill, Pickering, YO18 8AA
Under the leadership of Malcolm Layfield a festival of the highest quality in Ryedale, Box Office: 01751 475777 Admin: 01751 475888
and Justin Doyle the festival went from making a significant cultural and economic Email: contact@ryedalefestival.com www.ryedalefestival.com
strength to strength, winning for itself a contribution to the area, as well as promoting
Ryedale Festival Trust Limited
national, even international circle of friends, it nationally and internationally.
Registered Charity No. 1117355
Company Registration No. 5976080 / VAT No. 500 6984 56
Membership benefits Membership form
Membership runs from January 1st to December 31st each year. Please complete the application form, detach and return, either with your cheque made
payable to ‘Ryedale Festival Trust Ltd’ or with a completed Standing Order form (see page
Gold Membership Friends
£250 per person p.a. £50 per person p.a.
opposite), which helps to keep our costs down, and send to :
• 1st week priority booking • 3rd & 4th weeks priority booking Ryedale Festival Office, Memorial Hall, Potter Hill, Pickering, YO18 8AA – 01751 475888
• 20% discount on one ticket per event • Free Souvenir Programme
• Free Souvenir Programme • Free Soh-Fah magazine Surname
• Invitation and reduced ticket price for • Social events throughout the year
Chairman’s Dinner • Name in Festival Programme (optional) Title
• Free Soh-Fah magazine
• Name in Festival Programme (optional) Young Ryedale Membership First Name
(under 25s)
Silver Members £10 per person p.a. Address
£150 per person p.a. • Reduced price tickets for selected events
• 2nd week priority booking throughout festival
• 10% discount on one ticket per event • Free tickets, when still available, on day
• Free Souvenir Programme of performance Postcode
• Invitation to Chairman’s Dinner • Free Soh-Fah magazine
• Free Soh-Fah magazine • Personal letter from the Artistic Director Telephone
• Name in Festival Programme (optional) about the Ryedale Festival
• Name in Festival Programme (optional) Email
N.B. For all bookings made within the priority booking periods there is a strict rule of one extra ticket per member per
event at full cost. This is in place so that all members/friends will hopefully have the chance to purchase tickets for all Email is our preferred method of communication and will only be used to send information
concerts that they would like to attend. 10 year Membership – This membership has now closed. (Existing 10 year about the Festival. Email addresses will not be passed on to third parties.
memberships bought are eligible for all member benefits)
Postcode
Signature Date
If you pay Income Tax at the higher or additional rate and want to receive the additional tax
relief due to you, you must include all your Gift Aid donations on your Self Assessment tax
return or ask HM Revenue and Customs to adjust your tax code.
N.B. We are able to claim Gift Aid on a proportion of your subscription, please contact the
office if you would like further details of the amount we claim.
Other ways to support the festival The festival in the Press
ADVERTISING ‘the jewel in Yorkshire’s cultural crown...a ‘of the many productions I have
The festival offers a number of advertising varied and enterprising programme’ seen, Ryedale Festival Opera’s budget
opportunities. These include: The Guardian performance is among the most
• The Festival Brochure, published in April enjoyable..an imaginative and delightful
and distributed over four months to around ‘with its unerring knack of flushing out production…..young singers of immense
COMMERCIAL SPONSORSHIP
30,000 people throughout North Yorkshire. operas that are ideally suited to their potential’.
The Ryedale Festival is widely recognised as • The Festival Souvenir Programme, a high surroundings Ryedale Festival Opera has Yorkshire Post
one of the most original and enterprising in quality colour publication distributed to hit the target yet again…there were only
the country, with an exciting future ahead. around 500 people, containing commentaries nine singers, but not a weak link among ‘The Ryedale Festival... is enjoying a
Our corporate partners have the on all the events, biographies of the artists them…vivacious, emotional and clear fine summer...anchored by the versatile
opportunity to promote their brands to and several articles on diverse subjects. toned…a poignant and rewarding show’ pianism of Christopher Glynn, the
our audiences, create unique opportunities • The Festival Magazine, Soh-Fah, published Opera magazine festival’s excellent new artistic director’
to entertain their clients or colleagues, and three times a year. The Press
support initiatives that enhance the festival’s • The individual programmes produced for
cultural and economic contribution to most festival events, typically reaching ‘Music festival lives up to its world class
North Yorkshire. between 100-500 people name’
We can offer a range of corporate sponsorship • The Festival’s website – www. Gazette and Herald
and hospitality opportunities to suit any ryedalefestival.co.uk
budget, as well as the opportunity to associate
your brand with the festival’s own reputation For rates on all of the above please contact
for excellence. We work in partnership with the Festival Administrator
companies to tailor a package of benefits to fit Pauline Robertson
their specific objectives. 01751 475888
Some businesses also offer in-kind support info@ryedalefestival.co.uk
to the festival – offering services such as hotel
accommodation, transport, or specialist BECOME A VOLUNTEER
assistance in exchange for advertising or other The Ryedale Festival is supported by a large
benefits. number of individuals who help with transport,
For more information on corporate accommodation, stewarding, hospitality,
opportunities, contact the Chairman brochure distribution and many other essential
Robin Andrews tasks. Their enthusiasm helps create the festival’s
07802 484 975 lively and friendly atmosphere.
chairman@ryedalefestival.com To become involved, please contact the
Festival Administrator Pauline Robertson
01751 475888
info@ryedalefestival.co.uk
Design: www.basementpress.com – Printing: InPrint-Colour
President: John Warrack – Chairman: Robin Andrews – Artistic Director: Christopher Glynn