The
Spitalfields Festival kicks off on the 10th of June and runs through to the 25th, filling the streets, squares and various buildings of this lively part of London with enough entertainment to last if not a lifetime, then at least a lunchtime.
This year's festival proudly presents pioneering music spanning four centuries, with concerts taking place in churches, houses and halls, as well as some fine outdoor venues that show off the area's fascinating history and character.
Highlights of the 16-day event include:
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Women Sing East (17th June) – Shoreditch Church will be filled with the beautiful harmonies of Women Sing
East, an all-female choir comprising 40 singers. There'll be jazz tunes, and folk ones too, as well as plenty of original numbers.
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Polar Bear & The Neil Cowley Trio (21st June) – Billed as "two of the UK's most exciting experimental jazz bands", tickets for this event, taking place at Village Underground, are likely to be snapped up pretty fast. Expect a night of high energy, high octane musical entertainment.
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The Tippett Quartet (23rd June) – Also taking place at Village Underground, the performance by this wonderful string quartet forms part of
Encore – a Royal Philharmonic Society and BBC Radio 3 initiative.
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Lunchtime in the Market (13th to 24th June) – Free outdoor entertainment in Bishops Square, beside Spitalfields Market. Curators Nonclassical are promising an interesting mix of classical music performers alongside sets by various DJs. Should liven up the lunch hour a bit...
There'll be plenty of family-friendly events to enjoy too, such as:
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Musical Rumpus (16th June) – TV presenter
Zoe Palmer and friends will be entertaining the toddlers at this free concert, taking place at the Brady Arts and Community Centre.
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Family Day: Folk at the Farm (18th June) – Another freebie. Meet the animals at Spitalfields City Farm and enjoy some English folk singing, clog step dancing, as well as Bengali singing and dancing. Ideal for kids up to five years of age, but all are welcome to go along.
Besides all the musical entertainment, the festival will also be putting on a number of talks and debates. There'll be some fascinating walks too, such as the tour of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry (that's where they made the Big Ben bell), where you can find out more about Spitalfields' rich history.
With more than 70 artists performing at 15 venues around Spitalfields, the festival should make for a stirring start to the 2011 summer.
