Glyndebourne musicians are to play at Battle

The team behind the Battle Arts & Music Festival have organised another taster event to promote the October festival.

The Reception & Recital will take place at Battle Memorial Hall at 6.30pm on Friday March 21.

Organisers will update guests with the latest news about the festival over an informal glass of wine, followed by a recital by the Ebert Ensemble.

The Ebert Ensemble - Mae Heydorn (mezzo soprano), Dan Cornford (viola)and Bernard Robertson (piano) - was formed over several summers spent playing together in Glyndebourne.

All three performers have long associations with the Sussex opera festival and over the years have given several recitals during the opera season in the Organ Room series.

Mae Heydorn is forging a successful career in both opera and lieder.

Last year she sang the role of Woodpecker in the Cunning Little Vixen at Glyndebourne and gave her debut at the Wexford Festival Opera.

She has given recitals in the Barbican Hall and St Martin-in-the-Fields and has performed as soloist with the English Chamber Orchestra.

Mae will be performing as a soloist in the Battle Arts & Music Festival in October.

Dan Cornford is one of London’s top freelance viola players and is much sought after as an orchestral and chamber music player.

He has had a long association with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Glyndebourne Festival.

Dan is also the artistic director of the Battle Arts & Music Festival.

Bernard Robertson enjoys a successful career as a freelance keyboard player and conductor.

He plays regularly with many of the UK’s leading orchestras including the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Philharmonia.

He has been a member of music staff at Glyndebourne since 1988 and has worked regularly with Scottish Opera and Opera North.

He has appeared as assistant conductor at the Edinburgh International Festival and will be conducting the closing concert of this year’s Battle Arts & Music Festival in St Mary’s Church.

At the reception on Friday March 21, the organisers will also announce details of a further concert scheduled for Easter Monday at St Mary’s Church in Battle, again drawing world class musicians to the town.

To receive an invitation to the March recital, please contact the organisers at [email protected].

For more information about the upcoming festival, visit www.BattleFestival.co.uk, or contact the team on [email protected].

Box office and ticket sales information will be released shortly.

In the meantime, follow festival progress at www.facebook.com/BattleFestival and www.twitter.com/BattleFestival.