On Sunday 24 August 2025 I played first trumpet in Bach’s B minor mass (BWV 232) at Southwell Minster. The performance was part of the Southwell Music Festival and it showcased the Festival Voices and Baroque Sinfonia under the musical and artistic director, Marcus Farnsworth. In addition to the performance of the B minor mass on Sunday, we also performed Bach’s Magnificat (BWV 243) for the ‘Come and Sing’ event on Monday 25 August 2025. Hundreds came and sang and Marcus Farnsworth once again proved himself to be a remarkable animateur, with fresh ideas, enthusiasm, and positivity.

I played first trumpet, with Adam Wood on 2nd, Graham South on 3rd, and Keith Price on timpani. As ever, this was a wonderful and very well-organised festival and it was great to be involved. My wife sang in the Magnificat and we enjoyed a lovely long weekend in this impressive and picturesque Nottinghamshire town.

I first played at this festival for Bach’s B minor mass in 2018 and returned in 2019 for Handel’s Israel in Egypt, 2023 for Handel’s Coronation Anthems  and 2024 for Mozart Requiem and Coronation Mass.