THE director of the Maldon Festival has told how it has showed an appetite for a return to live music in the town - despite the closing concert having to be cancelled after the organist had to self-isolate.

Now a performance originally scheduled for 2 July will be held this Friday (16 July) and the closing concert is planned for September instead.

Mr Baldy, who is also director of music at St Mary's Church in Maldon, said the new organ there had proved to be the "star" of the two-week festival of different music and arts events.

He told Maldon Nub News: "As you know, we were badly hit by Covid at the weekend - having to cancel the closing concert on Saturday due to the organist, William Foster, having an incident of Covid infection in his household. It was a disappointing end to what has been a really successful festival.

"We are, however, really glad that we persevered and mounted the festival this year because we had good and really appreciative audiences. There is clearly a thirst for a return to live music in Maldon.

"The "star" of this festival really has been the new organ in St Mary's. People have been really impressed and excited by it - even those who didn't know that they liked organ music!"

-The event this Friday (16 July) at 7.30pm will see improviser Jonathan Eyre accompanying Charlie Chaplin's City Lights. He is a leading light in the Cinema Organ Society of Great Britain and has already impressed Maldon audiences at two previous Maldon Festivals. Tickets already purchased for 2 July will be valid but tickets can still be booked for this Friday via the Maldon Festival website at the link here.

-The concert that was to have taken place last Saturday is being rescheduled to 18 September. Organisers also hope to reschedule the other events that suffered due to Covid, creating a mini festival weekend.