Stoke's popular recorder festival marks its 25th anniversary

By Sarah Garner 21st Mar 2023

The Music Partnership Recorder Festival will this month mark 25 years since it began with two special performances at Victoria Hall, Hanley.

The popular festival will take place on 21 and 22 March at 12.30pm and will see 1500 young people from 42 school across Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, Telford and Wreken take part.

To celebrate the milestone professional recorder player, Anna Davies, will be returning to the city as a guest performer and will be playing on her Elody – an electric recorder.

She first played in the Recorder Festival at the age of five and has been involved ever since.

Anna first performed in the Recorder Festival aged 5 and she is now a professional recorder player (Stoke-on-Trent City Council).

Anna, 28, said: "The Recorder Festival is the most special concert that I take part in as it's what got me going in my playing from such a young age and has given me so many incredible experiences, which led me to becoming the guest soloist at the Recorder Festival myself.

"This year I will be playing a more classical selection as well as a medley of pieces from 'Matilda the Musical' and 'Don't Stop Me Now' by Queen on her Elody. This will give children the opportunity to recognise some pieces that I'm playing and allow them to sing along."

This comes as several music festivals are taking place this month in Stoke-on-Trent.

Other concerts held around the city include the City Voices in Concert organised by City Music Service where hundreds of talented singers take to the stage on 21 March at 6:45pm.