2003 May Festival - The Percy Whitlock Centenary
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The eighth annual May Festival was a celebration of the centenary of the birth of Percy Whitlock.
Many will remember that the first festival was held in 1996 to mark the 50th anniversary of Whitlock's untimely death and much of the music performed in that year was by him.
The 2003 festival was held as a tribute to his achievements to mark this much happier anniversary.
However, although Whitlock's music will be included during these three days, we had our usual wide range of music, which we hoped appealed to everyone.

The Festival started with a High Mass with a new setting written by Anthony Caesar, the Missa Whitlockiensis (our Festival Commission).

Other highlights included the Whitlock Recital given by Graham Barber, one of the foremost exponents of Whitlock's organ music.
Graham has recorded the complete Whitlock organ works on the Priory music label.

Malcolm Riley, who is the author of the Whitlock Biography, will be giving the lecture.

On Saturday, we welcomed back Chichester Cathedral Choir directed by Alan Thurlow - who sang evensong.

On Sunday morning St. Stephen's Choir, Soloists and the Festival Orchestra sang a liturgical performance of the Mozart "Spaur" Mass.

The Choral Concert on Sunday included music by Handel, Bach, Whitlock and Britten, and the choir of Durlston Court School joined St. Stephen's Choir and Orchestra.

On Monday, our lunchtime concert was at the Pavilion, where Whitlock was based as Borough Organist. We aim to recreate the spirit of the pre-war years with:
"A 1930's Seaside Organ Concert"
John Mann from Brighton entertained a large audience.
John is one of the foremost exponents of the theatre organ.

The Sequence of Music and Readings, which concluded the festival, had the theme "Blessed City" and included music by: Bairstow, Whitlock, Wood and Bainton.
Francis Jackson had written a new Sonata (his 5th), which was dedicated to Percy Whitlock and this work had its first performance during the sequence, played by the composer.

2003 MAY FESTIVAL PROGRAMME
The Percy Whitlock Centenary

SATURDAY 3rd MAY

10.45am FESTIVAL HIGH MASS
MUSIC: Missa Whitlockiensis by ANTHONY CAESAR
(First Performance - Festival Commission)

2.30 pm LECTURE
MALCOLM RILEY on
"WHITLOCK IN BOURNEMOUTH"
Malcolm is the author of the recently published
biography of Whitlock.
(Sponsored by The Bournemouth Association of Organists)

4.00 pm THE FESTIVAL TEA
A spread of cakes and sandwiches - not to be missed!!
Served in St. Stephen's Church Hall.

5.15 pm FESTIVAL EVENSONG
SUNG BY THE CHOIR OF
CHICHESTER CATHEDRAL
Directed by Alan Thurlow

7.00 pm THE WHITLOCK RECITAL
GRAHAM BARBER
Including: Fantasie Chorale No.1 in D flat by Whitlock and music by Bach and W.T. Best.
(Sponsored by The Whitlock Trust)

SUNDAY 4TH MAY

10.45 am HIGH MASS
PREACHER: The Very Revd. Michael Till
(Dean of Winchester)
MUSIC: Mozart Missa Brevis in C, K258
(The "Spaur" Mass)
St. Stephen's Choir and Orchestra

1.00 pm THE FESTIVAL LUNCH
At The Norfolk Royale Hotel

7.00 pm CHORAL CONCERT
O PRAISE THE LORD WITH ONE CONSENT
(Chandos Anthem) - HANDEL
Whitlock: Solemn Te Deum
Handel: The King Shall Rejoice
Music by Bach and Britten
St. Stephen's Choir
Durlston Court School Choir
Festival Orchestra and Soloists.

MONDAY 5th MAY
11.30 am LOW MASS

1.00 pm A 1930's SEASIDE ORGAN CONCERT AT THE PAVILION
With JOHN MANN at the Pavilion Compton

3.30 pm CHORAL EVENSONG
THE ORLANDO SINGERS
Directed by DAVID EVERETT

4.15 pm AFTERNOON TEA
Served in St. Stephen's church Hall.

6.00 pm SEQUENCE OF MUSIC AND READINGS
"BLESSED CITY"
CHORAL MUSIC BY BAIRSTOW, WHITLOCK, WOOD AND BAINTON
FRANCIS JACKSON 5th ORGAN SONATA
(First performance played by the composer)
ST. STEPHEN'S CHOIR
DR. FRANCIS JACKSON

The Festival concludes with Benediction, which takes place fifteen minutes after the conclusion of the Sequence.

8.00 pm CHEESE AND WINE PARTY
Venue - St. Stephen's Church Hall.

FESTIVAL ORGANIST - TEILHARD SCOTT
DIRECTOR OF MUSIC - IAN HARRISON

FESTIVAL SOLOISTS:
Sarah Cronin (Soprano),
Alex Brown (Alto),
David Brown (Tenor),
Peter West (Bass)

LEADER OF THE ORCHESTRA: JANE BULTZ