Welcome to Deal Festival 2008

2007 was a landmark year for the Deal Festival.  We celebrated our twenty-fifth birthday.  Such a moment allows for reflection on the past as well as a chance to look forward.  Certainly the past twenty-five years have been significant, and the festival has welcomed some of the world’s greatest musicians.  Looking through some of the archives just confirms this, with artists such as John Lill, John Williams and the much-missed Humphrey Lyttleton.  Memories are important, and the benefits they bring are long-lasting.
 
2008…  Well here we are, and the list of artists is pretty phenomenal.  We welcome our first Russian orchestra – and we have all the work permits to prove it!  The Home Office had not heard of the Deal Festival.  They have now!  We welcome back one of our best-loved musical institutions, Grimethorpe Colliery Band.  At a time when the far-east is in the news so very much, we welcome the Monks from the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery (…how much I’m looking forward to that extraordinary event!).  The Swingle Singers are coming to town too!  And we have a day devoted to the ‘Instrument of Kings’, the trumpet, with some of the UK’s top players, Bella Tromba and award-winning artist Alison Balsom.  There is early music from Florilegium, some of the most exquisite string music from ICE – Strings of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, our very own Cinque Ports Ensemble, Soloists of the Philharmonia and the fabulous Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain.  Our list of venues stretches from Margate to Dover.  Our education work is vast – and it is integrated into almost every concert.  There are readings, exhibitions, Artists’ Open Houses, free Festival Club events  and more Deal Pier Discs - another chance to find out what makes people tick!
 
So, as the team is busy planning the 2009 programme, you can sit back and enjoy this year’s events.  And while in Deal, why not enjoy a meal in one of Deal’s ‘fab’ restaurants, or visit one of its two castles, or take a stroll along the beach.  Actually, what more could you possibly want??
 
 
Paul Max Edlin – Artistic Director