EXCITING performers of international calibre take part in a musical event in Tavistock this month that looks set to become a must for music lovers throughout the region, writes Jane Honey.
Simon Ible, conductor of the Ten Tors Orchestra and director of music at Plymouth University, is the artistic director of Tavistock Sings! ? a festival of music organised for the second year by Tavistock Forward.
Mr Ible told last week?s meeting of Tavistock Town Council: ?Last year we called it Tavistock Sings! but it?s as much about singing as singing the praises of Tavistock.
?What I have tried to do this year is to provide a greater breadth, a greater opportunity for participation and also bring to the town the highest quality music ? some of the artists taking part this year are of international calibre.?
Mr Ible said the festival, from April 29 to Monday May 3, included the likes of Hannah Pedley, an ?outstanding? principal with the New Kent Opera Company, international star violinist Nadia Myerscough, and the sensational jazz singer Jacqui Dankworth. The parish church would also play host to the largest orchestra it had ever entertained, said Mr Ible.
?This is going to be five days of fabulous music, five days of celebration ? I can?t believe there are many other towns on the South West peninsula which could boast such an exciting programme.?
Mr Ible hoped the festival would attract people to Tavistock who would come back year on year for future events.
He said the festival was being supported financially by West Devon Borough Council, the South West Regional Development Agency and many other local sponsors and he hoped the town council would consider a £1,000 grant favourably.
Cllr Caroline Keane proposed the council should agree to his request.
But Cllr Betty Batchelor said the council ?wasn?t as flush? as it could be and thought £500 would be more appropriate.
Cllr Alison Clish-Green said: ?In principle I totally support this, and Simon Ible is brilliant, but if we only have £1,000 in the budget for grants to last us the year, I would be very reluctant to spend it all on the first day of the financial year. There?s nothing to stop us giving more at a later stage if we have it.?
Cllr Mandy Govier suggested the council could waive the rental charges for the town hall, which was being used for the Sunday lunchtime jazz concert.
Cllr Norma Woodcock, town mayor, said: ?I think this is going to be good for Tavistock. There has been widespread community input and I would certainly wish the council to make a contribution.
?This is such a potentially amazing thing for Tavistock, it?s the kind of thing that needs to be nurtured in the early years.?
On the casting vote of the mayor, the council agreed to support Tavistock Sings! 2004 to the tune of £707 ? the cost of the town hall hire.
l Tickets and programmes for the festival are available at Tavistock Tourist Information Centre.