Air Tattoo Concerts set to take off

Organisers of the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire are hoping a series of three new cathedral concerts – including one in Gloucester - will take off in a similar fashion to the world famous airshow.

Called A Time To Reflect, the concerts at Gloucester Cathedral (April 16), Lincoln Cathedral (April 21) and Ely Cathedral (May 5) feature the Royal Air Force College Band and are being staged in support of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust.
Making his debut as conductor will be Flt Lt Matthew Little, one of the RAF’s leading musicians who has sung at events ranging from the Festival of Remembrance and the Royal Tournament to the Royal Variety Show and The X Factor.  Flt Lt Little said the programme of music he has chosen, including Walton’s Crown Imperial and Elgar’s Enigma Variations, sought to reflect the magnificent and uplifting historic concert settings. 

Concert organiser Philippa Hayday-Brown said staging the three cathedral performances presented the Royal Air Force with an opportunity to demonstrate their musical excellence to a wider audience.

She said: “I am confident the new concerts will complement the already hugely successful autumn/winter tour of the UK by the Bands of the Royal Air Force by reaching out to people who would otherwise have a long distance to travel to attend one of the existing tour dates.
“It will also give us an opportunity to promote the excellent work of our parent charity, the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust.”

Tickets, priced £15 and £10, can be purchased via the Air Tattoo website airtattoo.com, by calling freephone number 0800 107 1940 or via the cathedral shops. All performances start at 7.30pm.

The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust was established in 2005 to support recruitment to - and the efficiency of - the Royal Air Force. This is achieved by developing links with youth groups, including the Air Training Corps, in order to maximise opportunities at the Air Tattoo – and beyond – that foster a spirit of airmindedness. The charity also supports the wider RAF family of charities plus RAF station-based initiatives that benefit Service personnel and their families.

Explore Gloucestershire
10 February 2010
 

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