This summer, the Harrogate International Festival is celebrating over 40 years of music making in the Royal Hall, with a prestigious opening series to be proud of. Booking for all events opens in May but to be first with your tickets, you can enjoy two weeks of priority booking and support the Festival by becoming a Festival Friend. 

Take a glance at the artists who have appeared at this iconic venue over the last four decades, and you’ll quickly see the Festival’s role in bringing some of the most high profile names in jazz and classical music to Harrogate and the region.  For 2008’s Summer Festival, Chief Executive William Culver Dodds has invited back some of the world's greatest musicians who have had a longstanding relationship with the Royal Hall.

Highlights include a gala orchestral 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, 7.30pm); the biggest names in brass and percussion come together for Black Dyke Band with Dame Evelyn Glennie (Sunday 20 July, 8pm) and celebrated pianist John Lill (Tuesday 29 July, 8pm) returns after a sell-out performance in 2007. You can also be part of an historic Festival anniversary, as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Pinchas Zukerman’s Royal Hall debut in 1968 when he performed with Daniel Barenboim and Jacqueline du Pre. He returns in 2008 with his formidable Zukerman ChamberPlayers (Thursday 31 July, 8pm).

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, 8pm); Clare Teal’s homage to the golden age of 30s and 40s big band with the Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra (Thursday 24 July); flamenco star Pepa Molina & Company (Sunday 27 July, 8pm); and bringing us bang up to date, multi-million selling Chinese sensation Sa Dingding (Friday 1 August, 8pm).

Chief Executive, William Culver Dodds explains: “The Royal Hall has been the cornerstone of live music making in Harrogate and the Festival has always played a key role in bringing the venue to life each summer by presenting international artists of the highest reputation. We are delighted to continue this tradition and celebrate the 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.”

Booking for all events opens in May but to be first with your tickets, you can enjoy two weeks of priority booking and support the Festival at the same time by becoming a Festival Friend.  Visit www.harrogate-festival.org.uk for more information or call now on 01423 562303.