The annual English Music Festival (EMF) will return to Dorchester Abbey, Oxfordshire for four days.

The 17th EMF, which will run from May 24 until May 27, will celebrate the anniversaries of two of Britain's greatest composers.

The opening concert of the event, conducted by Martin Yates and performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra, will feature Stanford's Clarinet Concerto, with Michael Collins as the soloist, and Holst's 'Cotswold' Symphony.

Additionally, Vaughan Williams's 'Richard II' Concert Fantasy will be given a World Premiere, along with performances of works by Doreen Carwithen and Frederick Delius.

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Em Marshall-Luck, founder-director of the festival , said: "Each year audience feedback proclaims the latest EMF the best yet and we are delighted to be able to continue developing and improving our now much-loved Festival.

"This year's is typical EMF programming, in the range from solo piano recitals to full orchestra and choral concerts, and from early music through to contemporary, while we retain our focus on the EMF's raison d'etre, those overlooked and forgotten works by British composers of the Golden Renaissance."

Organisers have welcomed full houses for previous events at the venue and said people have been travelling from abroad to attend.

Among those mentioned are Brian Thorsett, a musicologist and tenor from the USA, and Peter Cartwright, a pianist from South Africa.

The works of Gustav Holst and Charles Villiers Stanford will be some of the main features of the festival.

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The EMF's first concert will feature a special performance of Stanford's Clarinet Concerto by renowned player Michael Collins.

Major premieres at the festival include the 'Richard II' Concert Fantasy by Ralph Vaughan Williams, which will be performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra under Mr Yates.

Vaughan Williams held a deep fascination for Shakespeare, whose influence is evident in many of his compositions.

The festival will also showcase live choral music, including Edward Elgar's 'Give Unto the Lord', performed by The Godwine Choir.

Besides concerts, the programme includes late-evening recitals and a set of informative talks on anniversary composers, Stanford and Holst, as well as Farrar and Bliss.

This year, the festival will remain in Dorchester-on-Thames for the entirety of the long weekend.

For more information, including the full programme, go to https://tinyurl.com/59kdt58x.

Tickets are on sale via the website and using a postal booking form.

Full festival and day passes are also available at the link, with tickets for individual concerts will be available at the door, subject to availability.