Ahead of Brighton Festival 2018, which is rapidly approaching in May, University of Sussex Professor of Composition in Music & Head of Music, Ed Hughes, gives us his top picks for experiencing this year’s city-wide event. Ed Hughes is also the composer for Cuckmere: A Portrait & Environmentalism 2.0 which takes place in our venue on May 5 as part of our own festival programme. 

“There are some wonderful musical highlights including Britten’s War Requiem on 12 May at 7.30pm. The soloists are really special: Ian Bostridge - Tenor, Gerald Finley - Baritone, Claire Booth - Soprano. The piece is a strange but brilliant conception and on the centenary of the end of WW1 is ‘an eloquent tribute to the fallen of the Great War’ and a very moving experience. 

The chamber music lunchtime concerts are frequently wonderful gems. This year including Van Kuijk Quartet, Magnard Ensemble, Les Kapsbergirls, Alexander Panfilov, Jerwood Young Artists, Lucy Humphris and Harry Rylance, Alexander Ullman, Chineke! Junior Quartet and Argenta Trio.

May in Brighton is a chance to try new artforms, mixed media, live and experimental theatre - definitely worth exploring things you wouldn’t normally get to. There are participatory events led by director David Shrigley, a trance-noise odyssey of Attractor, the Dutch immersive happening Blaas and hundreds of other extraordinary events.

Both the Brighton Festival and Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts websites carries full details, helpful videos, interviews and opportunities to get involved in opportunities across the month of May. 

The annual children’s parade opens the Festival on 5 May and is always spectacular - this year the theme is ‘Paintings’, inspired of course by Guest Director David Shrigley.” 

Co-commissioned by Brighton Festival and The Orchestra of Sound and Light,  Cuckmere: A Portrait & Environmentalism 2.0 project is one that explores wildlife through evocative landscapes and aural moods. Tracing the Cuckmere River from its source in the High Weald to the sea at Cuckmere Have, the environment is made a focal point through music and film.For our full month long Brighton Festival programme see here

Stay posted to our blog for more insights into the May festivals that take place across Brighton from our friends and partners!