Music at Paxton unveils expanded 2024 festival

Florence Lockheart
Monday, April 8, 2024

This year's festival will present 22 concerts and, expanding beyond the grounds of Paxton House, will present music in the nearby town of Duns

The Consone Quartet will launch its Paxton residency on 20 July (Image courtesy of Music at Paxton)
The Consone Quartet will launch its Paxton residency on 20 July (Image courtesy of Music at Paxton)

Music at Paxton has today revealed details of its 2024 festival. Running from 19 to 28 July 2024, the festival presents international chamber music performances at Paxton House in the Scottish Borders and, expanding beyond the house’s grounds for the first time, will present music in the nearby town of Duns.

Kicking off with a festival debut from violinist Viktoria Mullova alongside pianist Alasdair Beatson, the upcoming festival will present a 10-day programme of chamber music, family events, talks, walks and song across a broad range of genres. Booking for the festival is available from 22 April and the festival has partnered with Cavatina Chamber Music Trust to offer concessions including free tickets to under 26s and several free concerts.  

Artistic director Angus Smith said: ‘We can hardly wait to start welcoming our wonderful musicians and audiences to Paxton House where we can share together an exciting programme of much-loved chamber music and an eclectic mix of new discoveries in classical, folk and world music.’

The Consone Quartet returns to Paxton as associate ensemble on 20 July alongside BBC New Generation Artist mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston with a programme of music from Clara and Robert Schumann and Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn before presenting two recitals on 21 July with guests including composer Gavin Bryars, violist Francesca Gilbert and cellist Alexander Rolton.

Other classical highlights include Ensemble Hesperi’s programme of Handel, Playford, Purcell, Telemann and Oswald and a series of three concerts given by violinist Tamsin Waley-Cohen and pianist Cordelia Williams centred around times of day: DUSK, NIGHT and DAWN. The Kosmos Ensemble will present music inspired by their encounters with musicians working in North African, Middle Eastern, Jewish, Balkan and Gypsy, Argentine tango, flamenco, Celtic and jazz traditions.

Tenor Mark Padmore and pianist and conductor Jocelyn Freeman collaborate for a concert on 26 July and a masterclass the following day, while the Mithras Trio are joined by narrator Gerda Stevenson for a storytelling concert before presenting concerts of work by Germaine Tailleferre, Saint-Saëns and Beethoven and a family concert centred around the story of Ferdinand the Bull.

BBC New Generation Artist and Leeds International Piano Competition 2021 winner Alim Beisembayev will close the festival on 28 July with a programme of Schubert’s Impromptus Debussy’s Images II and Chopin’s 12 Études.