Folkestone On Song – The Folkestone International Song Festival 5 -7 September 2025. Patron: Graham Johnson OBE

Eight world class singers and three leading collaborative pianists will provide the bulk of the Festival’s content.

With 6 concerts at St Mary and St Eanswythe Parish Church and 2 at The Green Room

More details @ soundsfolkestone.co.uk

Ailish Tynan and Jennifer France sopranos, Anna Stephany and Rebecca Leggett mezzo sopranos, Robert Murray and Hiroshi Amako tenors, Christopher Maltman baritone and Matthew Rose bass. Pianists Anna Tilbrook, Simon Lepper and Lucy Colquhoun.

Four recitals in St Eanswythe’s Church Folkestone, in which the programmes will be shared between the performers. Additionally Folkestone’s own Sacconi Quartet will perform in one of the recitals as will clarinettist Jon Carnac. We will be joined by Festival Patron, the great pianist and scholar Graham Johnson OBE, for a fascinating exploration of his life with Schubert.

Friday 5 September

7pm Opening Concert: “..But I like to sing”
Programme includes Bernstein and Britten
Venue: St Eanswythe’s Church, The Bayle, Folkestone

Saturday 6 September

10am Lecture with music: “The Anatomy of a Song”
Delving into what it takes to put a song together, and what it takes to make a truly great song.
Venue: St Eanswythe’s Church, The Bayle, Folkestone

2pm Song with Instruments
The singers will be joined by the Sacconi Quartet to perform pieces by Barber, Vaughan Williams, and the world premier of two pieces by composer Elena Postumi.
Venue: St Eanswythe’s Church, The Bayle, Folkestone

5pm Song Karaoke
Festival patrons will be given the chance to perform a song of their choice with one of the Festival pianists.
Venue: The Grand, The Leas, Folkestone

7pm Gala Recital
German Lieder and French Chanson by composers such as Beethoven, Mozart, Mahler, Strauss, Duparc, Faure and Debussy.
Venue: St Eanswythe’s Church, The Bayle, Folkestone

Sunday 7 September
Schubert Day

10.30am Festival Service.
We will be providing music for the eucharist Service including Schubert’s beautiful Mass in G
Venue: St Eanswythe’s Church, The Bayle, Folkestone

12.15pm Concert
Festival Patron, the great Graham Johnson has done so much for song in the UK and throughout the world since the 1970s through his brilliant concerts, his ground-breaking writing, and vast catalogue of recordings including the complete Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Poulenc, Faure and Britten collections for Hyperion Records with all the great singers of his time. Graham will talk about his life with Franz Schubert with performances of several songs by Graham and the Festival singers.
Venue: The Grand, The Leas, Folkestone

4pm Schubertiade
What better way to end the Festival than to enjoy a whole concert of Schubert’s songs. The singers will be performing some of his best loved works, and will include part songs and his brilliant Shepherd on the Rock with clarinettist Jon Carnac.
Venue: St Eanswythe’s Church, The Bayle, Folkestone