Yorkshire’s leading arts organisation, the Harrogate International Festival, returns to its historic home at the Royal Hall this summer and celebrates over 40 years of music making in the iconic venue. General booking opens on Friday 30 May for two weeks of classical, jazz and world music, welcoming back some of the world’s greatest musicians with longstanding relationships with the Royal Hall. From international names to Yorkshire favourites Clare Teal and Black Dyke Band, the Festival fortnight promises to bring the best in live music to the region this summer. 

Highlights include a gala concert by the world’s greatest chamber orchestra, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields conducted by Sir Neville Marriner in a rare appearance together outside London (Monday 21 July); the biggest names in brass and percussion come together for Black Dyke Band with Dame Evelyn Glennie (Sunday 20 July) and celebrated pianist John Lill (Tuesday 29 July) returns after a sell-out performance in 2007. Having made his Royal Hall debut in 1971, Pinchas Zukerman is back with his formidable Zukerman ChamberPlayers (Thursday 31 July). And the Czech National Symphony Orchestra serve up a popular highlight of the Festival with a rousing all-Dvořák programme conducted by Libor Pesek (Friday 25 July).

As always, the Festival boasts an impressive international jazz and world music line-up including The Preservation Hall Jazz Band from New Orleans (Saturday 19 July); Clare Teal’s homage to the golden age of 30s and 40s big band with the Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra and special guest Buddy Greco (Thursday 24 July); flamenco star Pepa Molina & Company (Sunday 27 July); and bringing us bang up to date, the multi-million selling Chinese sensation hailed as the oriental equivalent of Bjork, Sa Dingding (Friday 1 August).

Harrogate Theatre welcomes one of 2008’s fastest rising pop stars Tom Baxter (Saturday 26 July), superstar violinist Midori celebrates her Festival debut at the intimate venue (Monday 28 July) and Grammy award-winning guitarist Martin Taylor performs with vocalist Alison Burns (Wednesday 30 July). The popular jazz cabarets return to the Crown Hotel with the David Rees-Williams Trio (Wednesday 23 July) and Jason Rebello Trio (Monday 28 July).

The Festival’s tradition of supporting Young Musicians continues with recitals at the Crown Hotel and St Wilfrid’s Church of some of the UK’s most promising talent, including BBC Young Musician Winner violinist Jennifer Pike (Friday 25 July) and Bella Tromba Trumpet Quartet with former St John Fisher pupil Stephen Burke (Wednesday 30 July).

Chief Executive and Artistic Director, William Culver Dodds explains: “We are delighted to celebrate the Royal Hall’s reopening with this summer’s programme which not only reflects on some of the most enduring memories of the Hall, but we also look forward to the creative possibilities the refurbished venue offers today’s audiences.”

General booking opens on Friday 30 May. Call the ticket hotline on 0845 130 8840, book online at www.harrogate-festival.org.uk or in person at the Harrogate International Centre Box Office, Kings Road, Harrogate.