Maldon Festival's Artistic Director, Colin Baldy, looks back at the final weekend of this year's event.

On Friday evening (July 8), the audience was treated to a group of young singers from Chelmsford and St Edmundsbury Cathedrals who demonstrated that the future of choral singing in this part of the world is in good hands.

Colin said: "There were several singers whom one will want to look out for in the future, as they develop what must surely be successful careers."

St Mary's Church hosted a free lunchtime concert on the Saturday, given by Chelmsford Cathedral's organ scholar, Matthew Kelley. A 'very appreciative' audience listened to the broad range of music he presented on the church's Klais/Hey pipe organ, installed last September.

Colin told Nub News the finale to the festival, on Saturday, was a 'glorious event'.

He said: "St Mary's was, again, full to hear a wide range of repertoire that included Poulenc's Organ Concerto, played by James Davy, Director of Music at Chelmsford Cathedral.

"The excitement and power of this piece was ideal for St Mary's organ and it is hard to imagine another instrument in Essex which could do the piece justice.

"Mr Davy impressed with his musicality and sheer stamina."

The Festival Strings were conducted by the Festival's Artistic Director. In the culmination of this year's theme, celebrating the music of Ralph Vaughan Williams, the strings also performed his 'beautiful' prelude Rhosymedre.

The concert finished with his Five Mystical Songs, in which young baritone, Lawrence Gillians was accompanied by organ, strings and the Choir of St Mary's. Lawrence impressed with his tone and his diction, which admirably communicated George Herbert's text.

The choir also performed Brahms' Geisliches Lied and Fauré's Cantique de Jean Racine, completing the French Connection theme.

This was Colin Baldy's last concert with the Choir of St Mary's, as he will be leaving Maldon at the end of this month. Colin's last Sunday with the choir is July 24.

Locals are invited to enjoy Colin's last appearance, and to say goodbye, either at the 10am Mass or at Evensong at 6pm on that day. There will be a bar open after Evensong, which will provide an opportunity for socialising and to enjoy the views from St Mary's churchyard.