Recently in Rye News, we trailed a theatrical production of Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit. This week we give further prominence to a remarkable series of cultural events being staged in July on Romney Marsh.
Starting from one single concert performed in Snargate Church in 2013, JAM on the Marsh has grown into a broad multi-arts organisation with an annual festival centred around Romney Marsh and its famous medieval churches.
Music runs throughout the festival. Chart-topping voces8 and the Canterbury Cathedral Girls’ Choir join forces for the first time, the BBC Singers and BBC Radio 3 return to JAM on the Marsh performing one of the greatest choral works, Rachmaninoff’s Vespers, as part of the festival’s commemoration of the First World War. The London Mozart Players and Mousai Singers perform Fauré’s Requiem.
There are five art and photography exhibitions: renowned photojournalist Justin Sutcliffe captures faces in unexpected objects, local artist Ruth Parkinson brings us her dramatic Time and Tide exhibition, local photographer Susan Pilcher makes a return after her hugely successful Marsh at Night exhibition last year, plus exhibitions by students of the Romney Resource Centre and Kate Walters ‘tune in’ to the music and the churches of the festival.
JAM on the Marsh is named after John Armitage who was a trumpet player. After a successful career in advertising, he formed the idea of promoting little-known, living composers, of putting on performances and recording their work. As a marketing professional, he also wanted to try and introduce their music to radio stations, music journals and record companies. His association with Romney Marsh convinced him and his son Edward that this was the ideal setting.
For information on these and other events visit the website
Photo: courtesy of JAM