Hildegard of Bingen – 12th century abbess, poet, composer, scientist, visionary – provides the focus for this year’s Edington Festival of Music within the Liturgy. Seven of her sequences, for which she composed both text and music, give each day a particular theme, and provide a starting-point for the selection of a wide variety of choral music, ranging from Hildegard’s own chant to works written this year. There will be performances of music by Dufay, Tallis, Schütz, anniversary composers Bruckner and Stanford, and more recent pieces by Moses Hogan, Roxanna Panufnik, Joanna Marsh and – in a new anthem commissioned for the festival – Helen Roe. The three choirs will sing at four daily services, including Choral Evensong broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on Wednesday afternoon, a liturgical performance of Fauré’s Requiem on Friday evening, and Choral Matins on Friday and Saturday mornings.

Leaflets containing the whole programme and other information will be distributed from the end of June, with updates on the website, www.edingtonfestival.org, as and when available.

The festival would like to extend huge thanks to everyone who has offered to host singers and other festival participants.