Sutton Coldfield Festival of Arts

[ July 9, 2008; 8:00 pm; ] Our answer to Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - two exemplary musicians with very different backgrounds, joining together to produce something magical. Vocalist Natalie is best known for her work with pop group Scooch, who were the UK’s Eurovision representatives in 2007 and who have enjoyed a string of top-ten hits.

Ian was the house drummer [...]

[ July 12, 2008; 3:15 pm to 3:45 pm. ] Prodigiously talented Sutton violinist-vocalist Rebecca Kelly performs on the main stage in The Parade on Saturday July 12 from 3.15pm to 3.45pm.

Rebecca turned to the jazz-swing of Stephane Grappelli having first played in a variety of classical groups including the Birmingham Schools Symphony Orchestra and the Bravura string orchestra.

She also featured as a jazz soloist [...]

[ July 12, 2008; 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm. ] Fresh from a successful tour of Salzburg in Austria, the Plantsbrook Swing Band will round off a day of entertainment in the Royal Hotel’s Assembly Hall on Saturday July 12 with an hour of lively arrangements of songbook classics.

The band, featuring pupils playing trumpets, clarinet, tenor and alto saxes, trombones, drums, bass and rhythm guitar, [...]

[ July 12, 2008; 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm. ] Emerging Sutton Coldfield star Ben Drummond performs on the Main Stage at 13:30, July 12th.  He has just launched his much-anticipated debut EP in March with a performance at Jools Holland’s nightclub The Jamhouse in  Birmingham.

The self-taught artist, originally from Wednesfield but based in Sutton for the last three years, began playing bass at 12 and has [...]

[ July 12, 2008; 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm. ] The Claret duo of Sandra Robinson (vocals) and Tim Robinson (guitar) are passionate about playing music, as is reflected in their live sets, and they thrive on their audience’s enjoyment.

For this set Claret will be playing  a selection of their alternative material, beyond their usual folk influences,  song ballads,  and subtle instrumentals.  On Tim’s solo set he will perform his own fingerstyle  arrangements on electro-acoustic [...]

[ July 12, 2008; 2:45 pm to 3:30 pm. ] Carte Blanche Trio plays jazz standards at Sutton Coldfield Library (Meeting Room 2) on Saturday July 12 from 2.45pm to 3.30pm.

The group is fronted by legendary newsagent Bill Lowe, a saxophonist and clarinettist who is one of two remaining founder members of the Four Oaks Big Band.

With the big band he has just completed a [...]

[ July 13, 2008; 2:30 pm; ] Emmanuel Church in Birmingham Road, Wylde Green hosts a performance by the Emmanuel Choirs with a guest appearance by Sutton Trombone Choir, on Sunday July 13.

The acclaimed Emmanuel singers will be directed, as always, by Richard Mason as they perform popular choir music, sacred and secular.

Emmanuel Choir is a Boys’ church choir, who sing regular [...]

[ July 12, 2008; 12:45 pm to 1:15 pm. ] The 30-plus members of Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School band the Funky Bishops promise “quite a mix of music, from swing through rock and some funk”, according to their leader, music teacher Mark Horner.

Among featured soloists will be saxophonist Anna Smith, who plays in MYJO’s second orchestra, and guitarist Rysio Skrakowski. They will be on on [...]

[ July 10, 2008; 7:30 pm; ] The school, in Upper Holland Road, has moved its annual concert, featuring orchestra (pictured), swing band, woodwind and choir, to Thursday July 10 (7.30pm) to tie in with the Festival.

Plantsbrook is a specialist music college, which has earned a fine reputation for its work, under the guidance of teacher Richard Elliott.

He recently took the school’s [...]

[ July 12, 2008; 1:00 pm to 1:45 pm. ] A thriving Sutton Coldfield musicians’ club which has given a stage to novice acoustic guitarists and some international stars will hold a demonstration in a marquee in The Parade on Saturday July 12 between 1pm and 1.45pm.

Three years ago Sutton Acoustic Guitar Club, which met at Sutton Sailing Club, was facing an uncertain future after [...]