With three concerts already sold-out, the team behind this year’s Ipswich School Festival of Music is urging music lovers to get tickets for the remaining performances while they can.

Ipswich Star: The King's Singers open this year's Ipswich School Festival of Music. Photo: Chris O'DonovanThe King's Singers open this year's Ipswich School Festival of Music. Photo: Chris O'Donovan (Image: Archant)

“We’re delighted the line-up has proved popular once again and it’s great to be able to announce that we’ve sold out three concerts already, which is a first I think,” said Sion Parry, the festival’s artistic director.

One of the performances already sold-out is tomorrow night’s apperance by The King’s Singers.

“My first thought was that it’d be really good to get a wow factor on the first night which would draw people to the festival. My natural inclination was to go with The King’s Singers because we have a very strong choral tradition at Ipswich School,” added Mr Parry, Ipswich School’s director of music.

The second is Friday’s Jazz Night which features the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and the Ipswich School Big Band.

Ipswich Star: The King's Singers open this year's Ipswich School Festival of Music. Photo: Chris O'DonovanThe King's Singers open this year's Ipswich School Festival of Music. Photo: Chris O'Donovan (Image: Archant)

“We also have a very strong big band so I thought if they could join forces with some of the best jazz musicians in the country that would be exciting, so I approached the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. Jazz concerts historically have always gone down really well in the festival so Grammy-nominated American jazz singer Stacey Kent seemed an obvious choice.”

Appearing with her five-piece band on Monday as part of their European tour, that show has sold-out too.

“There are still some tickets available for the Family Orchestral Concert on Sunday afternoon and the Royal College of Music Strings concert which brings the festival to a close on Tuesday, which should be absolutely fantastic.

“So there’s plenty of opportunity to enjoy top professional musicians in our intimate Great School concert hall.”

The family concert will include well known classical pieces, film and TV themes and a version of Roald Dahl’s Little Red Riding Hood with music and drama.

The Royal College of Music Strings and Ipswich School String Chamber Orchestra, featuring some of the country’s best string players, will feature pieces by Mendelssohn, Vivaldi and Paganini.

It’s Mr Parry’s first year helming the festival, sponsored by Seven Telematics, which also includes a piano recital by his predecessor Andrew Leach this Friday.

“It’s a real privilege to be in a position where we’re able to put on a week-long festival and be able to invite names like The King’s Singers, the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, Stacey Kent.

“The idea was to try to make it as eclectic as possible and I think there’s something for absolutely everyone.

“We’ve got a fantastic education programme in place this year as well.

“The National Youth Jazz Orchestra will be doing some outreach with the prep school and primary school children and Urban Strides are coming along to do a series of street dance workshops.”

“It’s been an enormous amount of work from a large number of people, so we’re just looking forward to the whole thing coming together, it’s going to be terrific I think.

“I’m looking forward to every minute to be truthful, but if I had to pick one performance out it has to be The King’s Singers.”

Visit www.ipswichschoolfestival.org.uk for full details. For all the latest entertainment and what’s on news, don’t miss Event in Friday’s paper.

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