Bassoonatics!

If you follow the Two Moors Festival, you’ll know we have a liking for putting on concerts in less than traditional venues. At last year’s main two-week event in October, we took flautist Harry Winstanley and strummer Ashley Myall (plus lots of concert-goers) on a hike up to Hay Tor in Dartmoor and also put on a series of concerts at Tiverton Parkway Railway Station.

This year, we’re continuing the theme by putting on a lovely concert with four bassoonists – Joanna Stark, Eanna Monaghan, Andrew Watson and Llinos Owen – in the rather unusual venue of Mole Valley Farmers in South Molton, a very well-known farming store that stocks everything from five-bar gates to delicious nutty Cheddar cheese.

As rare as it is to hear live classical music in a shop, it’s just as rare to hear the bassoon played beyond its orchestral context – let alone in a quartet. Those of you who have tried to play the bassoon – and those who do so professionally – will know that this rare breed of instrument is particularly difficult to master, rather awkward to manage and solo repertoire can be a bit thin on the ground.

This evening’s performance – taking place on October 22nd – promises to be a truly exciting and eye-opening one, with the programme including Alan Ridout’s Pigs, John Addison’s Four Miniatures and Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King.

It starts at 3pm on the day and is free for all, with no tickets required. Here’s a little taster of one of the pieces due to be played.