A new music festival will be held in a Nidderdale village to celebrate the work of a famed Victorian composer.
St Thomas à Becket Parish Church in Hampsthwaite will host the two-day event after discovering Amy Woodforde-Finden was buried in its churchyard, with a marble monument created by sculptor George Wade.
Amy, who was born in Chile, died in 1919.
As well as two concerts featuring her music on Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8, the event will include a guided tour of ‘Amy’s Hampsthwaite’.
A spokesperson for the event said:
“Amy Woodforde-Finden’s success was particularly remarkable in the context of a male-dominated society, where women had no right to vote.
“Amy is best known for her set of Indian Love Lyrics. Her Kashmiri Song proved an instant and lasting hit and became one of the highest selling pieces of sheet music ever published at the time!
“Amy’s music perfectly captured the mood and morals of the time, and in recent years, her works have enjoyed a new appreciation, due to a revival and interest in neglected female composers.”
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The opening night will feature renowned soloist Patricia Hammond, who will travel from London to perform a song recital of Amy’s music.
Amy Woodforde-Finden
Patricia, who specialises in women composers of the Victorian and Edwardian eras, will be accompanied by the church’s director of music and mastermind of the inaugural festival, Thomas Flessenkaemper.
On the Saturday evening, members of the church will be joined by those from across the benefice of Felliscliffe, Killinghall and Birstwith, as well as local schoolchildren and musicians from the wider area.
They will perform a selection of pieces including Amy’s Pagoda of Flowers, which organisers believe is being recorded for the first time.
Tickets are available from the festival website at £12 for each concert or £20 for both. Concessions are £10 and children under 18 go free.
