The Mendelssohn on Mull Festival was founded in 1988 by the revered violinist Leonard Friedman. It celebrates the composer’s visit to this part of the world in 1829 with a week of music-making specialising in the chamber music for strings that was so important to him.
The Festival presents a dozen concerts, between Monday July 2nd and Saturday July 7th, in venues all over the Isle of Mull, on Iona and in Oban, but its focus is on training. This year nine gifted musicians who are starting in the profession will collaborate with the world-famous Doric String Quartet in a variety of groupings. Not only are the concerts generally admission free but this year it will be possible to attend open rehearsals, introductory lectures, and an award-winning film about Mendelssohn.
This year is the first of four in which the Doric Quartet will be Artistic Directors. They visited Mull and Oban last autumn and they are looking forward to inspiring their younger colleagues and making wonderful music at the traditional time of year. They have selected musicians of great promise and the standard of their performances will be the equivalent of any in the great concert halls of the world. The chance to be present in an unassuming venue on Mull and witness this magic at work is what makes the Mendelssohn on Mull Festival unique.
Details are available on the Festival’s website - www.mendelssohnonmull.com