In its eighth season, JAM on the Marsh 2021 will captivate audiences with seven exhibitions, 15 concerts, and open-air theatre. The events will take place across Kent’s Romney Marsh, from Hythe to Dungeness, in many of the marsh’s famous mediaeval churches. The festival will take place from July 8-18.
World renowned soloists Lesley Garrett, James Gilchrist and Michael Collins visit the festival for the first time. Highlights include “An Evening with Lesley Garrett” songs and anecdotes’ the return of stunning land artist Jon Foreman creating a sculpture trail across Romney Marsh – many will remember his extraordinary beach art at Dymchurch in 2019, and Changeling Theatre perform “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” under the marsh sky.
Other highlights include an 80th anniversary performance of Messiaen’s legendary “Quartet for the End of Time”, performed by Michael Collins, Simon Blendis, Sally Pendlebury and Anna Tilbrook, London Mozart Players James Gilchrist and Ben Goldscheider perform Britten’s “Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings” conducted by Michael Bawtree, and Canterbury Cathedral Choir perform Bernstein’s affirmative and serene “Chichester Psalms”.
Conducting at the festival for the first time will be JAM president, Paul Mealor, with his professional Caritas Choir, premiering JAM on the Marsh’s 2021 festival commission by Jack Oades, alongside works by Jonathan Dove and Mealor.
One of the UK’s finest pianists, Anna Tilbrook curates JAM on the Marsh for the first time, opening the festival with a piano recital for four hands, performed by Anna and Libby Burgess, including Saint-Saëns’ enchanting “Carnival of the Animals” in its 100th anniversary year, bringing lions, swans and kangaroos to the marsh! Exhibitions will be confirmed shortly.
Tickets are now on sale or 0800 988 7984. With the festival so soon after Covid-19 restrictions have lifted, all concerts will have limited audience capacity and will last one hour without an interval. Tickets must be pre-booked; there will be no on the door sales.
Following the success of JAM on the Marsh: VIRTUAL in 2020, many 2021 festival events will be filmed for broadcast this autumn. Details will be released in due course.
Image Credits: JAM on the Marsh .