Cumnock Tryst 2018 programme revealed

The four-day festival from Thursday, October 4 to Sunday, October 7 will see global and local musical talent in a programme of known works and world premieres spanning classical, choral, jazz, pop and folk.

Now in its fifth year, the Tryst will take in venues in Cumnock, New Cumnock and Auchinleck.

Sir James said: “The last five years have been an exciting journey for me as the festival has gradually put down roots in the town where I grew up.

“There are already many glorious memories of the first four Trysts and this year we can expect something truly joyous. We welcome the Edinburgh Quartet this year as Artists in Residence. The great tenor Ian Bostridge joins us for the first time and The Sixteen, one of the world’s great choirs are back this year with their conductor Harry Christophers.

“I wanted to mark our fifth Festival by writing a special new piece. All the Hills and Vales Along will bring together some of our starry visitors with the local Dallmellington Band and the Festival Chorus conducted by Eamonn Dougan. I have been waiting for a long time to write this piece for Cumnock.”

The Tryst opens on Thursday, October 4 with Artists in Residence – the Edinburgh Quartet – premiering a new work from Rory Boyle, String Quartet No 2 Quartetto da Requiem, alongside works by Haydn and Dvo?ák in St John’s Church in Cumnock.

The centrepiece of the festival is the world premiere of All the Hills and Vales Along, a new oratorio written by Sir James MacMillan to commemorate 100 years since the end of the First World War.

The composition will be set to texts by the Aberdeen-born war poet Charles Hamilton Sorley and performed by Ian Bostridge, the Edinburgh Quartet, Nikita Naumov, Sirocco Winds, the Dalmellington Band and the Cumnock Tryst Festival Chorus, conducted by Eamonn Dougan on Saturday, October 6 at Cumnock Old Church.

Photos and reaction from the official launch night on Tuesday, June 5 will be in next week's paper, out Wednesday.