Thought to be the longest-standing classical music festival in the world - it celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2015 - Three Choirs is a week-long programme of world-class musicmaking which also features talks, cathedral services, theatre, exhibitions and walks. The popular event rotates each summer between the cathedral cities of Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester, the latter being the location for 2024...

Here is just a small selection of concerts from this year’s eclectic programme.

Heath Quartet and GBSR Duo - Mon 29 July - St Martin’s Church, London Rd

Since forming at the Royal College of Music in 2002, the Heath Quartet have won a number of prestigious accolades, including a Gramophone Award for their recording of Sir Michael Tippett’s complete string quartets. They here join forces with the GBSR Duo to present four works: a new festival commission by Luke Lewis; the late Steve Martland’s Patrol; the premiere of Joe Duddell’s A Life Cycle - a tribute to Martland - and Tippett’s String Quartet No2. 

Mass For The Endangered - Mon 29 July - Worcester Cathedral

Composer Sarah Kirkland Snider (pictured) draws on her love of choral music by the likes of Paestrina, Mozart and Britten to present a work that is rooted in spiritual contemplation and concern for the world around us. Mass For The Endangered is here performed by the Three Choirs Chorus and Philharmonia Orchestra under the direction of Samuel Hudson. 

Works by Cameron Biles-Liddell, Judith Weir and Edward Elgar complete the programme.

BBC Singers - Tues 30 July - Worcester Cathedral

Celebrating their centenary in 2024, the BBC Singers are joined by tenor Mark Padmore, narrator Charles Gibbs, conductor Sofi Jeannin and the Philharmonic Orchestra Ensemble to present an evocative programme of music that includes Poulenc’s Figure humaine and Judith Weir’s In The Land Of Uz. Anna Lapwood also features, performing transcriptions for organ of the Four Sea Interludes by Benjamin Britten, interspersed with Kristina Arakelyan’s Seascapes. 

Songs From My Homeland - Tues 30 July - St Martin’s Church, London Rd

Soprano Francesca Chiejina and pianist Jocelyn Freeman present a timeless musical journey depicting places and scenarios that echo a sense of belonging. 

The programme includes: Britten’s On This Island; Schumann’s Romance in F sharp; Poulenc’s Novelette No 3; Finzi’s Come Away, Death from Let Us Garlands Bring; Cecilia McDowall’s Give Me My Robe; Barber’s Knoxville: Summer Of 1915; Elwyn-Edwards’ Lullaby and Bankole’s Three Yoruba Songs.

Roger Sayer: Interstellar - Tues 30 July - Worcester Cathedral

Organist Roger Sayer takes his audience on an intergalactic journey at this year’s festival, performing music from hit film Interstellar in its 10th anniversary year. A Hans Zimmer masterpiece, the score was co-developed and played by Sayer for the film, earning him international acclaim and amassing hundreds of millions of listens online. 

The evening’s programme also features other space- and film-related music, including movements from Holst’s The Planets.

The Kingdom - Sat 3 Aug - Worcester Cathedral

Based on biblical texts and dedicated to ‘the greater glory of God’, Sir Edward Elgar’s stirring oratorio, first performed at the Birmingham Music Festival in 1906, brings the 2024 Three Choirs Festival to a close. 

The work is here performed by critically acclaimed tenor Toby Spence, soprano Anita Watson, mezzo-soprano Rebecca Afonwy-Jones and baritone Ross Ramgobin. 

Adrian Partington conducts the Three Choirs Festival Chorus and Phiharmonia Orchestra.

For full listings and tickets, visit the website: 3choirs.org.