Three Choirs Festival

The Three Choirs Festival is a festival of classical music which is held every year in August. The choirs from three cathedrals take part in many of the concerts. The three cathedrals are: Hereford Cathedral, Gloucester Cathedral and Worcester Cathedral. Each year the festival is held in one of those three cathedrals in turn.
The Three Choirs Festival is one of the oldest festivals of classical music. It has its roots in the 18th century. Many famous musicians have performed in the festival. Concerts have been conducted by Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Edward Elgar, Ralph Vaughan Williams and many others. Music has been composed for the festival by Frederick Delius, Zoltan Kodaly Holst, Arthur Sullivan, Herbert Howells, Gerald Finzi, William Walton, Arthur Bliss and Benjamin Britten, Lennox Berkeley, John McCabe, William Mathias, Paul Patterson and James MacMillan. As well as the cathedral choirs there is also a choir called the Festival Chorus which takes part, usually singing large-scale works with orchestra. Many ensembles and international soloists perform at the festival.