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15/09/2025
Every summer, the quiet beauty of Thaxted Parish Church is transformed into a world-class concert venue. Audiences come for the music - but what they don’t often see is the extraordinary effort it takes to bring each note to life. From intricate logistics to creative programming and community outreach, Thaxted Festival is powered by a team of dedicated people and a whole lot of passion.
Planning a festival like Thaxted doesn’t start with tuning the instruments - it begins up to 18 months before the first note is played. The Artistic Director curates each season with meticulous care, selecting works and artists that will both challenge and inspire. The programme is shaped to create variety, welcome returning favourites, and introduce new names, ensuring a rich experience for seasoned concertgoers and first-timers alike.
Behind the scenes, our ticketing partners work closely with us to ensure events are available online, easy to book, and accessible to all. At the same time, our design and marketing teams create brochures, emails and digital campaigns that bring the Festival’s story to life long before the stage is set.
When Festival season arrives, the church becomes a hive of activity. Volunteers roll up their sleeves to move 300 chairs, install around 50 pieces of staging, and - perhaps most impressively - rig a completely new lighting system, funded through generous support and designed to enhance both the audience and performer experience.
Lighting and sound crews work hand-in-hand to ensure the acoustics and atmosphere are as close to perfect as possible. It’s a feat of logistics, dedication and elbow grease - but as we like to say, many hands make light work!
The Festival isn’t only about evening performances; it’s also a living, breathing educational opportunity. One of the most rewarding moments happens when around 300 schoolchildren from across Uttlesford join top artists in our educational music projects.
These education-focused sessions offer pupils a relaxed and informal way to experience classical music, often for the first time. With rehearsals, workshops and activities built around the performance experience, the Festival aims to inspire the next generation of music lovers - and maybe even future performers.
Our Developing Artists Programme, supported by a dedicated Fund, provides a Festival platform for professional musicians and composers at the earlier stages of their careers. To deliver this programme, Thaxted Festival Foundation works with our established leading partners in the field, including the Young Classical Artists Trust (YCAT).
Every artist who appears at Thaxted brings their own process, discipline and spark. While each performance is polished and passionate, getting to that moment requires intense preparation.
Charlotte Saluste-Bridoux shares:
“I practise a lot, run through the piece repeatedly, and even sing the orchestral parts as I play - though I try not to frighten the neighbours or pets! I aim to sleep well, eat nourishing food, and fill my mind with positive thoughts so when adrenaline hits, it bounces off something civilised.”
Toby Carr reflects on the nuances of switching between instruments:
“Each instrument has a different feel - especially the tension of the strings. It takes time to adjust and really inhabit the instrument again. But that's part of the joy: discovering new things in every performance.”
It’s this blend of skill, flexibility and discovery that gives each Thaxted concert its unique energy.
We aim to look after our artists as best as possible, creating a relaxing, calm green room space for them and supporting their every need - from providing rehearsal spaces to ensuring we have the correct variety of teas!
What truly makes Thaxted Festival special is the sense of shared purpose. From volunteers to audience members, newcomers to seasoned artists, everyone plays a role in creating something unforgettable.
So, the next time you sit beneath the vaulted ceiling of Thaxted Church and listen to music echo through its ancient stone, know this: it’s not just what happens on stage that matters - it’s the countless unseen moments that make it all possible.
Want to learn more about our behind-the-scenes stories and educational projects? Keep an eye on our Latest News section, or follow us on social media for updates, photos and more Festival magic!
