The 18th annual English Music Festival (EMF) sounds like a wonderful celebration of British classical music! Held at Dorchester Abbey in Oxfordshire from May 23-26, 2025, the event will showcase a diverse range of performances. The opening concert, conducted by Martin Yates and performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra, is particularly exciting with the world première of Stanley Bate’s Symphony No. 2. Additionally, there will be rare performances of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Heroic Elegy and Triumphal Epilogue and Sir Arthur Bliss’ Cello Concerto, with Raphael Wallfisch as the soloist—definitely a highlight for fans of 20th-century British music.

The festival continues with a variety of orchestral, chamber, choral concerts, and recitals over the weekend, making it an unmissable event for those passionate about British composers.