With the sun shining through the stained glass and glinting off the gilded harp (tenderly called Lilly, in honour of his Mum) sitting proudly on the large podium, this lunchtime recital by popular Brighton harpist Andrew Ballantyne got off to a good start.  

Ballantyne has the sort of deft, gentle touch that makes a grown Welsh man weep and I was impressed by his musical arrangements and presence. I adore the harp but it’s often one of those instruments which is neglected, not however in the masterful embrace of Mr Ballantyne, his passion and enjoyment of the instrument is obvious and he took us through a personal selection of the development of harp music across the ages, from courtly songs of the sixteenth century to Lloyd Webber, taking in Pachelbel, Bach, Satie, a fragrant rendition of ‘my love is like a red red rose’, and finishing up with one of my favourite modern tracks ‘Con te partiro, Time to Say Goodbye’, which left me drifting off into a dreamy haze and I had to be nudged out of my reverie by my equally impressed companion.

These classical concerts are running thought-out the festival and are FREE! (Although a small donation is appreciated).  I would hearty recommend them for a moment’s classical bliss in the architecturally interesting St Mary’s Church, these bite size short and perfectly formed concerts are an uplifting moment of bliss.

Go, listen and float off amongst the Corinthian capitals of this many columned church.

More info on church: here:

Festival concert Dates and time: here: