FAIREST ISLE FESTIVAL
EARLY MUSIC EXTRAVAGANZA ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT
15-17 MAY 2026
Day 1 - Friday 15 May
Heritage Talk, museum Tour and Short Recital
Brading Roman Villa
KINGA UJSZASZI
KRISTIiNA watt
Talk: led by Pat Barber
Violin: Kinga Ujszaszi
Theorbo: Kristiina Watt
Discover insights into Roman life in Britain with this unique talk and tour of the beautifully preserved mosaic floors and extensive collection of Roman archaeology - along with a rare opportunity to hear live music in the historical setting of Brading Roman Villa (one of the finest Roman sites in the UK).
After insights from Pat Barber, join for a recital presented by Kinga Ujszaszi and Kristiina Watt which explores the turbulent musical landscape of 17th-century Italy. This was a time when compositional and instrumental styles and techniques were changing at arguably the fastest rate in Western classical music history. Wars raged between the various city-states, and plagues swept across the region at regular intervals.
From this backdrop emerged a uniquely instrumental style: the stylus phantasticus. This free and unrestrained approach to composition is bound to nothing—neither to words nor to a fixed melodic subject—leaving plenty of space for performers to improvise and to make each performance distinctively unique.
The museum is closing for this Fairest Isle Festival event and with homemade cake and coffee included in the ticket, this is an event you will not want to miss!
Friday 15 May at 2 pm (this event will end at approximately 3.45 pm)
Friday 15 May at 4 pm (this event will end at approximately 5.45 pm)
Venue: Brading Roman Villa, Morton Old Rd, Brading, Sandown PO36 0PH
Venue website: https://bradingromanvilla.org.uk/
Ticket price: £23 (seating is unreserved)
Concert
Amidst the Shades
Sergio bucheli
ruby hughes
Ruby Hughes, Soprano, Sergio Bucheli, Lute, with string quartet
England’s greatest early songwriters, John Dowland (in his 400th anniversary year) and Henry Purcell, are side by side in this ravishing recital for strings, theorbo and internationally acclaimed soprano, Ruby Hughes. The greatest works of both composers are heard alongside short lute solos and include Purcell’s beautiful ‘Music for a While’ and Dowland’s ‘Flow my Tears’.
Programme
Purcell - Soft Music (Dioclesian in C major)
Purcell - Amidst the shades
Purcell - Music for a while
Dowland - A Fancy (or Preludium)
Dowland - Time stands still
Dowland - Can she excuse my wrongs
Dowland - Flow my tears
Dowland - Semper Dowland semper dolens
Dowland - Sorrow stay
Dowland - In darkness let me dwell
interval
Purcell - Sweeter than roses
Purcell - Here the deities approve
Dowland - The Earl of Derby’s Galliard
Purcell - Bonduca’s song
Purcell - Mark how readily (‘Raise the voice’, 1685?)
Purcell - Pavan of 4 parts
Purcell - O solitude
Purcell - The sparrow and the gentle dove (‘From Hardy Climes’, 1683)
Purcell - When I am laid in earth
Friday 15 May at 7.30 pm (this event will end at approximately 9.30 pm)
Venue: Newport Methodist Church, Quay Street, Newport, PO30 5BA
Venue website: https://newportmethodist.org.uk/
Ticket prices are based on two sections and are unreserved:
Premium £24, Standard £21.50
Sung Service of Compline
Fairest Isle Singers - led by Robert Hollingworth
Te lucis ante terminum - ‘Before the ending of the day’ - are familiar words from the very short late evening service of Compline. A quiet, contemplative 20 minutes of plainchant and polyphony to take you (briefly) back to the mid-16th century…
Friday 15 May at 10 pm (this service will end at approximately 10.30 pm)
Venue: St John’s Church, St John’s Road, Newport PO30 1LN
Venue Website: https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/16806/
Tickets: Entry is free, but please book tickets. (unreserved)
Day 2 - saturday 16 May
Workshop - Laboratory of Lullabies
Baroque and folk fun – a family event for all ages!
Led by Naomi Burrell
Naomi Burrell
Come and join us for this unique experience that invites families to connect through the timeless tradition of lullabies. Whether you’re a parent with young children, a grandparent sharing cherished memories, an adult bringing an elderly relative, or friends looking for new ways to enjoy live music, we hope you find it soothing to enjoy together in the welcoming space of Aspire Ryde.
The ‘Laboratory of Lullabies’ features lullabies and ‘night-time’ music from baroque and folk traditions - to entertain adults and children alike. Led by Naomi Burrell who plays the baroque violin and sings, and joined by Sergio Bucheli, a fabulous lute player, they will bring Naomi’s recently recorded album to life on their historical instruments in a captivating event.
Thank you for being part of this magical journey, which includes music in several different languages, reflecting the diverse roots of the musicians and adding an international flavour to create lasting memories.
Please bring a cushion! There are also a number of chairs available.
Saturday 16 May at 10 am (this event will end at approximately 11 am)
Venue: Aspire Ryde, Dover Street, Ryde, Isle of Wight, PO33 2BN
Venue website: https://aspireryde.org.uk/
Ticket price: £4 (includes free squash. Tea and coffee can be purchased from 9.15 am)
Monteverdi Workshop
Come & Sing
Director Robert Hollingworth
Dip your (vocal) toe into Monteverdi’s ravishing sacred music before I Fagiolini’s performance of Monteverdi’s 1610 Vespers on Sunday. The pieces chosen were written while Monteverdi was working in Venice (1613-43) as maestro at St. Mark’s Basilica, and this is a special opportunity to work with Robert Hollingworth, Festival Artistic Director, who has spent his adult life working on the music of Monteverdi, and who ran the very enjoyable workshop on Vivaldi in 2024. As last time, we’ll be joined for the run-through by specialist baroque violin players to provide the characterful accompaniment to two quite perky early baroque psalm settings, and a sonorous Adoramus!
Friends and family welcome to come and listen to the informal performance at 12.30 pm (free of charge).
Monteverdi – Beatus vir
Monteverdi – Laudate Dominum
Monteverdi – Adoramus
Schedule:
9.30 am – Registration
10 am – Session 1
11.30 am – Coffee break
11.50 am – Session 2
12.30 pm – Final run through
1 pm – Close
Date: Saturday 16 May at 10 am (this event will end at approximately 1 pm)
Venue: St John’s Church, St John’s Road, Newport PO30 1LN
Venue Website:https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/16806/
Ticket price: £17
Concessions £10
In receipt of Universal Credit, Jobseekers’ Allowance or Pension Credit; Students and Under 18s.
Ticket price includes refreshments and cake.
Electronic copies of the music are free and will be emailed two weeks before the event. You can order a printed copy for £3 to pick up on the day.
Baroque Hits Workshop
Come & Play
Led by Naomi Burrell and Kinga Ujszaszi (violins)
Naomi Burrell
Kinga Ujszaszi
Following last year’s successful event with Naomi Burrell, we are running another afternoon for players of modern string and double reed instruments (at modern pitch) to dip their toe into playing baroque style (or styles - there are a lot of them!). With two expert professional players of early violins, enjoy finding a strong sense of dance and vivid colours in music by Corelli, Vivaldi and perhaps Purcell.
Naomi Burrell and Kinga Ujszaszi are two of the busiest early violinists on the circuit, working as much abroad as in the UK. They are both involved in other events this weekend and you will enjoy the infectious energy they bring to this music.
Schedule:
1 pm – Registration
1.30 pm – Session 1
3 pm – Coffee break
3.20 pm – Session 2
4 pm – Final run through
4.30 pm – Close
Saturday 16 May at 1.30 pm (this event will end at approximately 4.30 pm)
Venue: St John’s Church, St John’s Road, Newport PO30 1LN
Venue Website: https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/16806/
Ticket price: £17
Concessions £10
In receipt of Universal Credit, Jobseekers’ Allowance or Pension Credit; Students and Under 18s.
Ticket price includes refreshments and cake.
Electronic copies of the music are free and will be emailed two weeks before the day. You can order a printed copy for £3 to pick up on the day.
workshop
Barley, Botanicals & Ballads
Led by Vivien Ellis
Vivien Ellis
A participatory singing workshop from ballad singer and champion of group singing, explore songs and rounds from the 17th century alehouse to the Victorian gin palace. Designed for all vocal abilities, focusing on the social ‘connectivity’ of singing together rather than formal performance, no prior experience or music reading skills are required to join this celebration of ‘barley’ (beer) and ‘botanicals’ (gin) through song. You will learn to sing catches and rounds—simple polyphonic songs designed to be picked up by ear—and broadside ballads that were the ‘social media’ of the day!
Creating a relaxed and inclusive workshop in the beautiful space of the water’s edge, Sugar Store warehouse, you will be surprised, delighted and entertained!
Saturday 16 May, 4pm. The workshop will end at approximately 5 pm.
Venue: The Sugar Store, Shepherds Marina, Medina Road, Cowes, PO31 7HT
Venue website:https://www.cowes.co.uk/harbour-information/sugar-store-events-centre/
Ticket price: £17.50 Chair
£16 high bar seat at table
All seating is unreserved.
Sonic tasting event
Gin & Senses
Sarah Hyndman
Sarah Hyndman
Explore how what we taste and enjoy is served up by the brain, ears and predictions. Can a violin make my drink taste fizzier? Become part of TED Talk specialist, Sarah Hyndman’s multi-sensory gin and/or tonic tasting experiment!
Held at the water’s edge Sugar Store warehouse in Cowes, this participatory sonic tasting experiment, with live violinist (three tasters – sonic flavour, sonic fizz, and sonic storytelling), is one you will not want to miss being part of.
Saturday 16 May at 5.30 pm (this event will end at approximately 6.15 pm)
Venue: The Sugar Store, Shepherds Marina, Medina Road, Cowes, PO31 7HT
Venue website:https://www.cowes.co.uk/harbour-information/sugar-store-events-centre/
Ticket price: £20 Chair
£18 high bar seat at table
All seating is unreserved.
For those who do not drink gin or alcohol, tonic will be provided.
Supported by
Isle of Wight Distillery
CONCERT
Havana Nights – a musical journey to the heart of Latin America
Cubaroque, led by Nicholas Mulroy
Nicholas Mulroy
Raphaelle Photography
A musical journey to the heart of Latin America, where exuberant rhythms meet tender longing, alternating between Caribbean sunlight and the darkest of shadows. Be prepared to tap your feet or stand up and move if the spirit takes you! Held at the water’s edge Sugar Store warehouse in Cowes, it will be a glorious evening. Bar will be open from 7 pm.
Saturday 16 May, 7.30 pm (this event will end at approximately 9.15 pm)
Venue: The Sugar Store, Shepherds Marina, Medina Road, Cowes, PO31 7HT
Venue website:https://www.cowes.co.uk/harbour-information/sugar-store-events-centre/
Ticket price: £21 Chair
£19 high bar seat at table
All seating is unreserved.
Day 3 - sunday 17 May
Heritage Talk, Museum Tour & Short Recital
Talk and Tour from Dr Simon Penn
“Musical Dinosaurs” short recital from Chris Hirst, theorbo and Phantasia
Phantasia
Discover the history of the dinosaurs that roamed the Isle of Wight over 125 million years ago, with insights from Conservator and Preparator, Dr. Penn on the museum collection comprising over 40,000 specimens from across the island.
And then experience some of the world’s rarest instruments, surrounded by life size dinosaurs! Island musician, Chris Hirst and Phantasia present a short recital based around the twilight years of two rare instruments – the German theorbo and voice flute when they were fast becoming “musical dinosaurs”. In the late 18th century, musical tastes had changed and instruments common in the Baroque era, like the theorbo and recorder, were close to extinction! The programme features seldom heard music associated with the last lutenists, alongside some foot-tapping, folk-influenced music on the voice flute, performed by Chris with Miranda Dodd (violin & voice flute) and Matthew Dodd (bassoon).
The museum is closing for these Fairest Isle Festival sessions – and with homemade cake and coffee included in the ticket, only a few German theorbos surviving and a private talk from Dr. Penn, this a rare event you will not want to miss in the unique and atmospheric surroundings of the Dinosaur Isle!
Sunday 17 May at 10 am (this event will end at approximately 11.30 am)
Sunday 17 May at 12 pm (this event will end at approximately 1.30 pm)
Venue: Dinosaur Isle, Culver Parade, Sandown, Isle of Wight, PO36 8QA
Venue website: https://www.dinosaurisle.com/
Ticket price: £20
Includes access to museum, refreshments and homemade cake.
Festival Finale Concert
Monteverdi 1610 Vespers, I Fagiolini & The English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble
Director Robert Hollingworth
The Festival Finale is Monteverdi’s breathtaking 1610 Vespers. I Fagiolini’s iconic version (and new recording, to be released in September) strips back this great work to reveal new elements of its sonic glory. Raw Italian power, utterly intimate miniatures, filigree ornamentation and astounding emotional depth. Arts Desk called the London performance, ‘Off-the-charts brilliant … utterly enthralling.’ Don’t miss this celebrated group performing it live in their 40th anniversary year, featuring renowned Monteverdi singers such as Nicholas Mulroy, Matthew Long, Ciara Hendrick and more, alongside the English Cornett & Sackbut Ensemble. Performed in George Gilbert Scott’s magnificent church of All Saints Ryde, it will be a feast for the senses.
Sunday 17 May at 4 pm (please note new start time - this event will end at approximately 6 pm)
Venue: All Saints Ryde, Queen’s Road, Ryde, PO33 3BG
Venue website: https://www.ryde.church/
Ticket prices are based on two sections and are unreserved:
Premium £30
Standard £24
Concessions £10
- in receipt of Universal Credit, Jobseekers’ Allowance or Pension Credit; Students and Under 18s.
