New Fairest Isle Festival appoints Robert Hollingworth as Artistic Director

24 January 2024

Robert Hollingworth (I Fagiolini, University of York) is taking the reins of the Fairest Isle Festival, a brand-new early music venture all over the Isle of Wight, taking place on May 10-12th this year. Robert is an educator, conductor and podcaster, and takes on the role alongside directing Stour Music (the festival set up and run by Alfred and Mark Deller).

Fairest Isle Festival’s headline is a three-day residency from Barokksolistene who perform their now legendary Alehouse show as well as playing for a Come & Sing session and starring in the festival finale’s ‘Dido and Aeneas’ along with Mary Bevan, Rowan Pierce, Ciara Hendrick and Frederick Long. Recorder quartet Palisander perform in the seaside resort town of Ventnor and both groups give workshops and Masterclasses in schools. These run along a four-day choral course, Sea Shanty workshop, heritage talks and tours.

Save the date - 10-12 May 2024, tickets on sale from Ticket Source from 8 February for Fairest Friends of the Festival and public booking 20 February. More information can be found here: https://www.fairestislefestival.com/.

Meanwhile, I Fagiolini, with Robert at the helm, are shortly releasing a new recording of Victoria’s Tenebrae Responsories on Coro.